In August 1937, the commander in chief of the Republican Army, Vicente Rojo, decided to launch an offensive in the Aragon front in order to take the regional capital, Saragossa.

[1] The Republican plan was to break through at seven different points between Zuera and Belchite in order to divide any Nationalist counter-attack.

The Republican attack began on 24 August with no artillery bombardment in order to maintain the advantage of surprise.

Nevertheless, Lister's 11th Division failed to occupy Fuentes de Ebro and almost all its BT-5 tanks were destroyed.

Lister had to take the fortified town of Fuentes del Ebro in order to open the road to Zaragoza.

The Republican army cut the water supply of the town and the heat was appalling, but the defence of the besieged forces was vigorous.

[3] The attack on Belchite started on 1 September and, after five days of heavy bombardment and bloody combat, the Republicans managed to occupy it.