Evening star., 1937-06-21
Fall of Bilbao.

After siege Of nine months and one
OF the most courageous defenses in his
tory, ancient Bilbao, "invincible" for
seven hundred years, has capitulated to
General Frances insurgent forces. Vio-
lently assailed by land, sea and air, the
pittsburgh OF Spain" finally yielded to
strength which the exhausted Basques
could no longer resist. AS Bilbao had
become symbol OF stern Loyalist re-
sistance, its fall is an undeniably stag
gering blow to the Valencia regime, but
not necessarily a fatal one. Frances
relentless enveloping movement, in
which aircraft and Italian military con-
tlngents appear to have played the de-
cislve role, at length accomplished it's
purpose OF reducing the city to help
lessness. The insurgents marched in
on Saturday without having to fire q
shot.
Now that the Basques heroic effort
to save their capital has collapsed, in
terest turns to its effect on the future
OF the Spanish campaign, which will
soon have lasted year. As in every
phase of the sanguinary conflict, opin-
ion on this score Is widely divergent.
1nsurgent sympathizers, like the Italians,
consider Bilbaos capture vital step
forward to Franco victory. As
soon as the military situation on the
northern front is consolidated, the rebels
should find 1t possible to release large
forces for operations around Madrid with
view to Fastening decision in that
all-pivotal region. Bilbaos possession is
also an important industrial asset for
Franco, especially its port facilities, and
should substantially amplify his sources
of supply for munitions, both domestic
and foreign.
The Loyalists, though stunned and
chagrined by the loss Of their northern
stronghold, are not undone by it. They
even affect to view it with optimistic
resignation, holding that the worst is at
last over, that Frances power reached
its peak in the Basque siege, and that
from now on Loyalist strength, with i'm
proved morale and superior military
sinews will steadily grow and permit
eventual government triumph, though
this may be delayed for months, perhaps
year. The stabilized political situa-
ton effected by the Negrin government
is given much of the credit for the better
outlook. Valencia speaks of UNLIMITED"
man power, capable OF creating an army
Of 100000 by Autumn, or even 1000 900,
II necessary. II Franco ventures break
through in Central Spain, which may
be the arena OF the next major opera
tions, the Loyalists count on meeting
him there in overwhelming force.
Much depends on what the insurgents
Italian and German friends now do. In
Rome, Bilbao is joyfully hailed as
victory for Italian arms, which goes far
toward avenging Guadala jara. For
long time there have been suggestions
that once Franco achieved a victory As
spectacular as Bilbao, both Mussolini and
Hitler might consider withdrawal of
their volunteers" Their return to the
international naval patrol lends some
support to this theory. But Berlins
excitement over alleged attacks on the
cruiser Leipzig in the western Mediter-
ranean by Loyalist submarines suggests
that the Reich regards the Spanish war
as an affair from which the Nazis cannot
yet retire with honor"
Altogether, it does not look as If
Bilbao's fate is anything but another
tragic milepost in spain's devastating
ordeal. 1t is sad to reflect that peace
Is brought no nearer after such an epic
exhibition of human sacrifice, suffering
and bravery.