Madrid in the Spanish Civil War: Columns and Battle
Columns March to Madrid (1936)
This stage took place between July and November 1936. It involved various military columns on both sides. The rebels were supported by some military professionals, such as José Vicente Miaja and Rojo, the brightest official on the Republican side. Overall, the central government lost control of public order and the military initiative for several months, as it lacked capable and disciplined troops. The fleet and officers were also ineffective.
The capture of Madrid became the primary objective of the rebel columns commanded by Mola. However, these columns were stopped north of the central system by unexpected militant resistance. Consequently, Franco’s troops and Yagüe advanced towards Madrid from the south. Thanks to the collaboration of the air force and navy of Hitler and Mussolini, they crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and, after joining the soldiers of Queipo in Seville, advanced through Extremadura, which no Republican government could stop.
The columns from the south took Badajoz, Talavera, and Toledo, and released the rebel garrison that had been stationed in the palace of this city, thus linking the two areas of the peninsula controlled by the rebels. On the northern front, the capture of Irún by troops of General Mola was the most important operation. This cut off the Republican army’s access to the border with France and prevented the arrival of reinforcements by land. Soon after (September 1936), San Sebastian surrendered without a struggle to the rebels, because their defense was very complicated.
The Battle of Madrid (1936-1937)
In this stage (1936-March 1937), the conflict became a war of attrition, undoubtedly due to the unexpected resilience of Madrid, which was bombed and besieged on all sides, except for the road to Valencia. The Republican government, meanwhile, moved to Valencia, convinced that Madrid would soon fall. The locals saw it as an escape. The resistance was led from that time by the makeshift defense board, which had total success in its endeavor. Chaired by General Miaja and with Commander Vicente Rojo as a great strategist, the board received the first Soviet weaponry and favorable foreign reinforcements for the Republic: the volunteers of the International Brigades.
The Republican Army rejected a frontal attack on the city from the west, at the height of the University City, where the legendary Durruti died. Having failed to quickly take Madrid, Franco decided to launch an operation to encircle the city, which involved three battles:
- The road from La Coruña (until January 1937), to cut off the mountains of Madrid.
- The Jarama River, the first major modern battle of the civil war (February 1937), in which rebel forces attacked the road from Valencia to the south.
- The Guadalajara (March 1937), an attack to the northeast of Madrid which ended with a resounding defeat of the rebel army, and in particular, their allies, the Italian troops sent by Mussolini.
In the southern front, the rebels managed to take Málaga (February 1937). The fall of Málaga to the Republican side represented the failure of warfare with unorganized militia, defended mostly by anarchists. Results indicated the need for a popular but disciplined army, an idea advocated by the Communists and supported by the Republican Left and the professional military.