At Soviet adviser Nikolai Kuznetsov's urging, the Republican ships lay in an open roadstead so they could manoeuvre against an air raid, a posture that exposed them to submarines. An Italian submarine attack on the cruiser Miguel de Cervantes illustrates the resulting danger. HMS Glowworm inadvertently crossed the submarine's attack path toward another target before two torpedoes disabled the cruiser for most of the war. More importantly, Republican sailors retained much of the operational fleet and concentrated it around the Straits, initially isolating the insurgent Army of Africa in Morocco. The case shows how fleet loyalty, tactical exposure, and outside intervention together shaped the maritime balance.
Chapter · 21:20-27:48
Fleet control shaped the opening Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War began as a maritime contest in which fleet loyalty and sea access affected the Army of Africa and foreign supply routes.