First Battle of the Corunna Road facts for kids
The First Battle of the Corunna Road happened between November 29 and December 3, 1936. It was a fight during the Spanish Civil War. This battle took place near Madrid, the capital city of Spain.
In this battle, one side, called the Nationalists, tried to cut off Madrid from the west. They wanted to block the Corunna Road, which was an important supply route. But the other side, the Republican army, stopped their attack. The battle ended without a clear winner.
Quick facts for kids First Battle of the Corunna Road |
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| Part of the Spanish Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Second Spanish Republic |
 Nationalist Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Jose Maria Galan |
Luis Orgaz Yoldi Francisco García Escámez |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 1 brigade T-26 medium tanks |
3,000 infantry Panzer I tanks Ju 52 bombers |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| ? | ? | ||||||
Why the Battle Happened
After failing to capture Madrid in November 1936, General Franco had a new plan. He led the Nationalist forces. He wanted to surround Madrid from the north-west. His goal was to cut off the city's water and electricity. These supplies came from the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains.
Franco's Nationalists gathered about 3,000 soldiers. These troops had strong artillery, which are large guns. They also had Ju 52 bomber planes. The defending Republican army had one brigade, which is a smaller group of soldiers.
The Battle Begins
The Nationalist attack started on November 29. They began with heavy artillery bombing. This happened in the Pozuelo area. About 3,000 soldiers from the Legion and Moroccan colonial troops led the charge. They were supported by tanks and Ju 52 bombers.
At first, the Republican brigade was pushed back. They were in disarray. But just a few days later, the Republicans fought back. They launched a counter-attack. They used T-26 tanks to help them. By December 3, they had managed to get their defensive line back.
What Happened Next
The Nationalists only managed to take control of two towns. These were Boadilla del Monte and Villanueva de la Cañada. They did not succeed in cutting off Madrid from the north. Because of this, they decided to gather an even bigger force. They wanted to continue their attack.
This new offensive began on December 13. It lasted into mid-January of the next year. This later fight is known as the Second Battle of the Corunna Road.
See Also
- List of Spanish Republican military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
- List of Spanish Nationalist military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
In Spanish: Primera batalla de la carretera de La Coruña para niños
