Evening star., 1938-04-16
INSURGENTS DRIVE
TO SEA HELD START
OF LOYAL|STS' END
Franco Now in Position to
liquidate Enemies Piece
by Piece.
REBEL FORCE FOLLOWS
SEACOAST NORTHWARD
Strategy Is to Capture Tortosa
From East After Failure
of Western Attack.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Spanish insurgents cut gouern-
ment Spain in tpo yesterday by
capturing Mediterranean seacoast
ptlloge OF VinarOz and Seueral near
by fo1Cns. c'anco forces had spent
more than month in offensive
uhicf waS made possible by re-
capture OF Teruel from, Loyalists in
February. LoyaliSt leaders hare
declared intention to carry on un-
yielding fight against rebels.
BY the Associated Press.
V1NAROz. Spain, April l6.-Insur-
gent warriors consolidating coastal
positions between Barcelona and VAL
encia today believed their historic
march to the sea marked the begin
ming of the end of Spain's civil war.
Forcing government troops to re-
treat quickly to north and south. in
surgents occupied a 20-mile stretch of
coast south from Alcanar through
Vinaroz and Benicarlo which they
captured yesterday.
Importance of Cutting Spain.
The military Importance of cutting
government Spain in two was sum-
married by the insurgents thus:
l. All railway. highway and tele-
graph connections between Catalonia
and the rest of government Spain
were cut.
2. Many of the governments most
reliable troops, taken from the Ma
drid front to defend Catalonia s
western boundary, we're isolated in
Northeast Spain.
3. Unable to maneuver its divided
army, the governments forces might
be liquidated piece by piece
4. Government forces in the Teruel
sector west of Vinaroz were placed in
a critical position.
Can Move Down Coast.
5. The insurgents were in position
to move down the coast to Sagunto
and its metal works, which are con-
nected with Teruel by a principal
highway.
6. 1nsurgent Gen. Garcia Valino's
column driving toward Tortosa we're
able to establish communications with
Gen. Miguel Arandas division that
took Vinaroz.
Even II the government continues to
hold Tortosa. the insurgents declared
their salient to the Mediterranean was
invlncible with its f1anks strongly pro.
tected against counter-attacks.
Insurgents March Northward.
HENDAYE, France, April is tPy.-
Gen. Frances insurgents. their red
and gold banners planted in the sands
Of the Mediterranean shore, pushed
relentlessly northward along the coast
today.
They began closing in on the delta
town OF San Carlos de la Rapita.
Their strategy was to force a crossing
Of the Ebro River and take Tortosa
from the east, since their columns have
been blocked for days in the approach
from the west.
With government Spain split in two,
fighting was resumed. Desperate bands
OF government militia sought to block
the path of the insurgents. Loyalist
aviation bombed towns freshly fallen
to the insurgents.
Reports reaching the border earlv
today said Gen. Miguel Aranda's
mixed Italian and Spanish troops had
driven to within less than a mile of
San Carlos de la Rapita.
The strip Of sea coast now in the in
surgents hands was slightly more than
rs miles.
The middle insurgent line was un-
able to match the progress of the
coastal drive. Repeated counter at
tacks failed to dislodge government
troops from positions near Balaguer.
IS miles west northwest of Barcelona
The insurgents stormed heights
dominating Balaguer on the north
several times in the last "a hours In
fantry and tanks swept up the hill
sides after preparatory artillery at
tacks but each time were forced back.
Street fighting continued for the
third successive day in Vallfogona. 3
miles south of Balaguer. The in
surgents opened the locks of a canal
south OF Vallfogona and flooded low
lands to block government troop
movements.
The palm-lined streets of Vinaroz.
nrst coastal city to fall to the insur-
gents yesterday, had not yet escaped
the trials OF war. For shortly after
Its capture, the picturesque port was