The Ifni war
Date	October 23, 1957 - June 30, 1958
Place	Western Sahara, Ifni
Result	Spanish victory
Combatants Spain Morocco Commanders Lieutenant General Lopez Valencia Ben Hammu Strength 10,000 30,000 Casualties 300 dead 500 wounded 5,000

The Ifni War, also known as the 1957 Invasion of Spanish Sahara and, in Spain, the Forgotten War (la Guerra Ignorada), was a series of armed incursions into Spanish West Africa by Moroccan insurgents and indigenous Sahrawi rebels that began in October 1957 and culminated with the abortive siege of Sidi Ifni. Spanish infantryman serving in the Saharan War. ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 69 days remaining. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 184 days remaining, and the last day of June. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ifni was a Spanish colony on the African coast in what is now Morocco, south of Casablanca and across from the Canary Islands. ... Sahrawi (also Saharawi, Arabic SaHrāwī) is a term used for the indigenous people of Western Sahara, but there are also Sahrawi communities in other countries. ... Look up October in Wiktionary, the free dictionary October is the tenth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sidi Ifni is a city, located in southwest Morocco next to the Atlantic Ocean. ...

The war, which may be seen as part of the general movement of decolonization that swept Africa throughout the latter half of the 20th century, was conducted primarily by elements of the Moroccan Liberation Army which, no longer tied down in conflicts with the French, committed a significant portion of its resources and manpower to the capture of Spanish possessions. Colonialism in 1945 Decolonization is the process by which a colony gains its independence from a colonial power, a process opposite to colonization. ... // Etymology World map showing Africa (geographically) The name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra — land of the Afri (plural, or Afer singular) — for the northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa with its capital Carthage, corresponding to modern-day... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

Causes

The city of Sidi Ifni was incorporated into the Spanish colonial empire in 1860. The following decades of Franco-Spanish collaboration resulted in the establishment and extension of Spanish protectorates south of the city, and Spanish influence obtained international recognition in the Berlin Conference of 1884. In 1946, the region's various coastal and inland colonies were consolidated as Spanish West Africa. Spain created the earliest of global empires. ... 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ... The Berlin Conference of 1884–85 regulated European colonisation and trade in Africa. ... 1884 is a leap year starting on Tuesday (click on link to calendar). ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... In politics and in history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a geographically-distant state (or city, in ancient times). ...

Immediately following its independence from France in 1956, Morocco began expressing interest in the Spanish possessions, claiming it was historically and geographically part of Moroccan territory. Moroccan Sultan (then King) Mohammed V encouraged efforts to reclaim the land and personally funded anti-Spanish conspirators in Ifni. 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A sultan (Arabic: سلطان) is an Islamic title, with several historical meanings. ... A monarch (see sovereign) is a type of ruler or head of state. ... Sultan Mohammed V of Morocco visiting Lawrence Livermore Lab, United States, in 1957 Mohammed V (August 10, 1909–February 26, 1961) was Sultan of Morocco from 1927 to 1953 and 1955 to 1961. ...

Outbreak

Violent demonstrations against foreign rule erupted in Ifni on April 10, followed by civil strife and the widespread murder of those loyal to Spain. In response, Generalissimo Franco dispatched two battalions of the Spanish Legion, Spain's elite fighting force, to El Aaiún in June. April 10 is the 100th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (101st in leap years). ... A generalissimo is a commissioned officer of the highest rank; the word is often translated as Supreme Commander or Commander in Chief. It is an Italian superlative substantive, which grammatically would actually be disallowed in Italian (superlatives can be made with adjectives only). ... Francisco Franco Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (December 4, 1892 – November 20, 1975), abbreviated Francisco Franco Bahamonde and sometimes known as Generalisimo Francisco Franco, was the dictator and Head of State of Spain (in parts of the country from 1936, totally from 1939) until his death in... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO code In military terminology, a battalion consists of two to six companies typically commanded by a lieutenant colonel. ... The Spanish Legion (La Legión Española) is a military elite unit of the Spanish Army. ... June is the sixth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with a length of 30 days The month is named after the Roman goddess Juno, wife of Jupiter and equivalent to the Greek goddess Hera. ...

Spanish military mobilization resulted in the Moroccan army converging near Ifni. On October 23, two villages on the outskirts of Sidi Ifni, Goulimine and Bou Izarguen, were occupied by 1,500 Moroccan soldiers (Moukhahidine). October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 69 days remaining. ...

The encirclement of Ifni had begun. Two more Legionary battalions reached Spanish Sahara before the opening of hostilities.

The Storming of Ifni

Spanish paratroopers under fire in the sands of Ifni, November 1957
Initial Invasion
Conflict	1957 Invasion of Spanish Sahara
Date	November 23 - December 5, 1957
Place	Western Sahara
Result	Indecisive
Combatants Spain Morocco Sahawari tribesmen Commanders Unknown Ben Hammu Strength 1,500 Spaniards, 500 indigenous paramilitaries 2,000 Casualties 55 dead 128 wounded 7 missing 600 dead or wounded

On November 21, Spanish intelligence in Ifni reported that attacks were imminent by Moroccans operating out of Tafraut. Two days later, Spanish lines of communication were cut, and a force of 2,000 Moroccans stormed Spanish garrisons and armories in and around Ifni. Spanish paratroopers in action, Ifni, 1957. ... For other uses, see November (disambiguation). ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 23 is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 38 days remaining. ... December 5 is the 339th day (340th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The term indigenous peoples has no universal, standard or fixed definition. ... A paramilitary organization is a group of civilians trained and organized in a military fashion. ... November 21 is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Although the Moroccan drive into Sidi Ifni was easily repulsed, two nearby Spanish outposts were abandoned in the face of enemy attacks and many others remained under heavy siege.

Tiluin

At Tiluin, 60 tiradores, mixed Spanish and indigenous militiamen, struggled to stave off a force of hundreds of Moroccans. On November 25, a relief attempt was authorized. A fleet of five old Heinkels, vestiges of Franco's old alliance with Hitler, bombed enemy positions, while an equal number of Junkers dropped a force of 75 paratroopers into the outpost. November 25 is the 329th (in leap years the 330th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Heinkel Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturing company founded by and named after Ernst Heinkel. ... Hitler redirects here. ... ... An American Paratrooper using a T-10C series parachute Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and formed into an airborne force. ...

On December 3, soldiers of the Spanish Legion 6th battalion arrived, breaking the siege and retaking the airfield. All military and civilian personnel were then evacuated overland to Sidi Ifni. December 3 is the 337th (in leap years the 338th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Telata

The relief of Teleta was decidedly less successful. Leaving Sidi Ifni on November 24 aboard several old trucks, a platoon of the Spanish Legion paratroop battalion under Captain Ortiz made poor ground through difficult terrain. This problem was compounded by frequent Moroccan ambushes, which by the next day had left several men wounded and forced the Spaniards off the road. On November 26, food ran out. The Spanish, low on ammunition, resumed the march, only to dig in again in the face of repeated enemy attacks. November 24 is the 328th day (329th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... November 26 is the 330th day (331st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Rations were dropped from airplane, but casualties continued to mount; among the dead was Captain Ortiz. On December 2, a column of infantry, among them the erstwhile defenders of Telata, broke through the Moroccan lines and drove the enemy off. The survivors of the paratroop battalion set foot in Sidi Ifni once more on December 5. The company had suffered two dead and fourteen wounded. December 2 is the 336th day (337th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... December 5 is the 339th day (340th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Siege of Sidi Ifni

Initial Moroccan attacks had been generally successful. In the space of two weeks, the Moroccans and their tribal allies had asserted control over most of Ifni, isolating inland Spanish units from the capital. Simultaneous attacks had been launched throughout Spanish Sahara, overrunning garrisons and ambushing convoys and patrols.

Consequently, Moroccan units, resupplied and greatly reinforced, endeavored to surround and besiege Sidi Ifni, hoping to incite popular uprising. But the Moroccans underestimated the strength of the Spanish defenses. Supplied from the sea by the Spanish Navy and invested with kilometers of trenches and forward outposts, Sidi Ifni, boasting 7,500 defenders by December 9, proved impregnable. The siege, lasting into June 1958, was uneventful and relatively bloodless, as Spain and Morocco both concentrated resources on Saharan theatres. The Spanish Navy (in Spanish, Armada Española) is the navy of Spain. ... Trench warfare is a form of war in which both opposing armies have static lines of fortifications dug into the ground, facing each other. ... December 9 is the 343rd day (344th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Battle of Edchera

In January 1958, Morocco redoubled its commitment to the Spanish campaign, reorganizing all army units in Spanish territory as the "Saharan Liberation Army". January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Official language Arabic Largest city (العيون) - Arabic translitteration -- El Aaiún - Spanish translitteration -- Laâyoune - French translitteration Area - Total - % water 266,000 km² Negligible Population - Total - Density 267,405 (July 2004 est. ... The Army of Liberation (French, Armée du Libération, Arabic, Jaish al-Tahrir) was a force fighting for the independence of Morocco. ...

On January 12, a division of the Saharan Liberation Army attacked the Spanish garrison at El Aaiún. Beaten back and forced into retreat by the Spaniards, the army turned its efforts to the southeast. Another opportunity presented itself the next day at Edchera, where two companies of the 13th Legionary battalion were conducting a reconnaissance mission. Slipping unseen into the large dunes near the Spanish positions, the Moroccans opened fire. January 12 is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Ambushed, the Legionaries fought to maintain cohesion, driving off attacks with mortar and small arms fire. Notable fighting was seen by the 1st platoon, which stubbornly denied ground to the Moroccans until grievous casualties forced it to withdraw. Bloody attacks continued until nightfall, when the Moroccan forces, too scattered and depleted of men to continue their assault, fled into the darkness.

Reconquest of Spanish Sahara

In February 1958, Franco-Spanish corps launched a major offensive that successively dismantled the Saharan Liberation Army. For the first time, massively superior European air power was brought to bear as France and Spain deployed a joint air fleet of 150 planes. January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... February 25 is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Official language Arabic Largest city (العيون) - Arabic translitteration -- El Aaiún - Spanish translitteration -- Laâyoune - French translitteration Area - Total - % water 266,000 km² Negligible Population - Total - Density 267,405 (July 2004 est. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

First to fall were the Moroccan mountain strongholds at Tan-Tan. Bombed from above and rocketed from below, the Liberation Army suffered 150 dead and abandoned its war caches.

On February 10, the 4th, 9th, and 13th Legion battalions, organized into a motorized group, drove the Moroccans from Edchera and swept through to Tafurdat and Smara. February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

The Spanish army at El Aaiún, in conjunction with French forces from Fort Gouraud, struck the Moroccans on February 21, destroying Saharan Liberation Army concentrations between Bir Nazaran and Ausert. February 21 is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Consequences

On April 2 the governments of Spain and Morocco signed the treaty of Angra de Cintra. Morocco obtained the region of Tarfaya (colony of Cabo Juby), between the river Draa and the parallel 27º 40', excluding Sidi Ifni and the Spanish Sahara.

Spain retained possession of Ifni until 1969, when, while under some international pressure (resolutión 2072 of the United Nations from 1965), it returned the territory to Morocco. Spanish kept control of Western Sahara until the 1975 Green March prompted a withdrawal. The future of the former Spanish colony remains uncertain. Main articles: League of Nations & History of the United Nations The term United Nations was coined by Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II, to refer to the Allies. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... for the historical event see: History of Western Sahara for the aerobatic team see: Marche Verte This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...