Spain, 13 kilometers across the Straits of Gibraltar from Africa, claimed influence over the Morocco region at the Berlin Conference (1884–1885). By the early 20th century, … See more

Early stages
As an outcome of the Treaty of Fez (1912) Spain gained possession of the lands around Melilla and Ceuta. In 1920, the Spanish … See more

Massacre of Monte Arruit
On August 9, 1921, the Massacre of Monte Arruit occurred, in which 2,000 soldiers of the Spanish Army were killed after surrendering the … See more

• Zaian War, the 1914–21 conflict between the French and Berber tribesmen in Morocco.
• See more

Rifian forces
The Berber tribesmen had a long tradition of fierce fighting skills, combined with high standards of … See more

For the final attack commencing on 8 May 1925, the French and Spanish had ranged 123,000 men, supported by 150 aircraft, against 12,000 … See more

• The Rif War directly inspired Sigmund Romberg's 1926 operetta The Desert Song, which was later adapted several times into motion pictures.
• The … See more