Juan
Modesto
was
born in Spain in 1906. He joined the Spanish
Army and served in Morocco.
A member of the Communist Party (PCE),
in 1933 he was appointed commander of the Milicias Antifascistas Obreras
y Campesinas (MAOC).
On the outbreak of the
Spanish Civil War the MAOC was integrated
into the Fifth Army Corps which played an important role in the defence
of Madrid in 1936.
In October 1936 Modesto
was appointed commander of the Fifth Army Corps and took part in the
battle of Jarama in February 1937. This
outstanding soldier was involved in most of the major offensives over
the next two years including Ebro (July-August
1938).
In March 1938 Juan
Negrin promoted
Modesto to the rank of general and gave him command of the Army of
Ebro. He also promoted other
communist leaders such as Antonio Cordon
and Enrique
Lister to senior posts in the army. Segismundo
Casado,
commander of the Republican Army
of the Centre,
now became convinced that Negrin was planning a communist coup.
On 4th March,
Casedo, with the support of the socialist leader, Julián
Besteiro and disillusioned anarchist leaders, established an anti-Negrin
National Defence Junta. On 6th March José
Miaja in Madrid joined the rebellion by ordering the arrests of
Communists in the city.
Juan
Modesto now
fled to Latin America where he died in 1969.
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