the bad weather stopped again the Nationalist offensive, a new shipment of weapons (55 antiaircraft guns, 30 cannons and two squadrons of Chatos), reached Bilbao, and the General Gámir was sent to Biscay in order to organize the defense of Bilbao and to replace Llano de la Encomienda. The Republican government launched two offensives in Segovia and Huesca to halt the Nationalist offensive against Bilbao but both failed. Mola died on 3 June and was replaced by General Davila. On 11 June the Nationalist troops reached the Iron Belt and on 12 June after a heavy aerial and artillery bombing (150 guns and 70 bombers) the Nationalist troops assaulted it. A Basque deserter, Major Goicoechea, gave the plans of the Iron Belt to the Nationalists. The Nationalists attacked Mount Urcullu and broke the Basque lines. On 14 June the Basque government left Bilbao, on 18 June the Basque troops was ordered to leave the city and by 19 June the Nationalists conquered the city. 200 thousand people were evacuated westwards to Santander, on trawlers first and cars, horse carts, lorries and on foot later. They were bombed by Condor Legion aircraft along the way. Aftermath The Basque army temporarily stabilized the front on a line that runs south from the village of Ontón on the coast. Biscay had the only factory in Spain capable of the manufacture of artillery shells and half of the Spanish production of explosives. Virtually all manufacturing and shipbuilding industry remained intact, since the Basque nationalist authorities' opposed its destruction. The arrival of the rebels to the city was followed by ransacking, murder, and pseudo-trials. 8,000 thousand were imprisoned for their Basque nationalist leanings, and many of them sent to forced 'work battalions'. In December, executions by fire-squad and garrote vil started to be conducted. The number of executions during and after the fall of Biscay is estimated at 916. The Basque autonomy was abolished and the Basque tongue forbidden. See also List of Spanish Nationalist military equipment of the Spanish Civil War Condor Legion Aviazione Legionaria List of Spanish Republican military equipment of the Spanish Civil War References Bibliography Battles of the Spanish Civil War 1937 in Spain Conflicts in 1937 Mass murder in 1937 Basque history