Vincente Rojo

Vincente Rojo was born in Spain in 1894. He joined the Spanish Army and in 1936 he had reached the rank of major and taught tactics at the Infantry Academy in Toledo.

On the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War he supported the Popular Front government. Francisco Largo Caballero and his government decided to leave Madrid on 6th November, 1936. Largo Caballero appointed General José Miaja as commander of the army in Madrid. He was given instructions to set up a Junta de Defensa (Defence Council) and to defend Madrid "at all costs". Rojo was appointed as his chief of staff.

In March 1937 Rojo became chief of staff for the Republican Army that fought at Guadalajara. Promoted to the rank of general he planned the actions at Aragón and Ebro in 1938.

Rojo was forced to flee when General Francisco Franco and the Nationalist Army took control of the country in March 1939. He lived in exile in Latin America and was not allowed to return to Spain until 1958.

Vincente Rojo died in 1966.