Juan Yagüe

Juan Yague Blanco ( born November 19, 1891 in San Leonardo, province of Soria, † October 21, 1952 in Burgos ) was a general in the Spanish army. He fought during the Spanish Civil War on the side of the nationalists.

He was the son of a physician and entered a very young age in the Infantry Academy of Toledo, where he met the cadets Francisco Franco. They served together in Morocco, where Yague was wounded several times and received several awards. 1932 Yague is promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 1934 he takes part in the side of General Franco and López Ochoa -General on the conditions imposed by the Republican government crackdown on the revolt in Asturias. Politically, he supports the Falange his friend José Antonio Primo de Rivera.

After the victory of the Popular Front and the dismissal of the President Niceto Alcalá Zamora in May 1936 (successor: Manuel Azaña ), he participated in the conspiracy, under Generals Emilio Mola, Francisco Franco, Gonzalo Queipo de Llano and José Sanjurjo. On July 17, 1936, the revolt of the military begins. The troops commanded by Yague take power in Ceuta and then cross the Strait of Gibraltar, to unite with the other nationalist troops under General Queipo de Llano in Seville. His troops ( 3,000 men ) Mérida and conquer attack on 14 August, the city Badajoz. There is heavy losses on both sides.

After his victory in Badajoz he was promoted to colonel. Yague continues towards Madrid in March and captured the cities of Trujillo, Navalmoral de la Mata and Talavera de la Reina. At his command, many republican prisoners be shot. His offensive toward Madrid is canceled and he gets by Franco ordered to hasten the nationalist forces under Colonel José Moscardó in Toledo to help ( Siege of the Alcázar of Toledo). Yague does not agree with this decision and will be replaced by José Enrique Varela. It is made available for the Aragon Offensive, where he occupies the cities Belchite, Caspe and Lleida.

Juan Yague plays a prominent role during the Battle of the Ebro. He moved with his victorious troops, first in Barcelona one.

After the fall of the Republic in March 1939, he was promoted to General and is between 11 August 1939 and the June 27, 1940 Air Minister.

In 1943 he was commander of the VI. Military District in Burgos, where he died on 21 October 1952.

A statue in his honor stands in his birthplace of San Leonardo de Yague, Soria province.