In the early stages of the Spanish Civil War, the National Front forces indiscriminately massacred Popular Front civilians in Badajoz and their bodies were laid out on the city walls. Not only the National Front troops, but especially the Moroccan troops massacred civilians, including women and children, in the streets. Many civilians were taken to the local bullring and slaughtered by firing squad. Many others were simply slaughtered in the streets. On August 14, the first day of the fighting, it was estimated that between 1,000 and 1,800 people were massacred. On the main streets, about 300 bodies remained after the executions. Throughout the night and into the next day, even suspected leftist Republicans were sent from their homes to the bullring for execution. The true death toll of the Badajoz massacre is unknown, but it was estimated to be between about 1,300 and 4,000.
Badajoz, a fortified border capital in the Spanish Civil War, was continuously raided by artillery and bombers for three days before the National Front forces invaded. National Front troops from the east launched the invasion on the morning of August 14, 1936, after again shelling the city of Badajoz in the province of Estremadura. The Badajoz city leaders immediately slipped out around 9:00 a.m., leaving their citizens behind, and fled to Portugal. The Republican troops were swept out of the barracks and many of the city's soldiers defected to the National Front troops, who were able to easily enter the city of Badabos. Once inside the city walls, the army drove the Republican militia back, shelling and shooting their way into the city center, throwing weapons and killing soldiers who surrendered with their hands up. In the Battle of Badajoz, the National Front forces lost about 44 dead and 141 wounded, while the Republican forces lost about 760 dead and 3,500 wounded in battle.
The Badajoz Massacre broke out after the Battle of Badajoz during the Spanish Civil War; after Badajoz was liberated on August 14, 1936, about 500 civilian supporters of the Spanish Second Republic and about 4,000 military supporters were massacred by the National Front forces. Around the Badajoz area, the invading National Front soldiers killed about 2,000 people, mostly farmers. Republicans were labeled "Red" and the National Front was dubbed "White Terror". Tragically, this was only the beginning of the long Spanish Civil War that broke out on July 17, 1936.
