Second Battle of the Corunna Road facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Second Battle of the Corunna Road |
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| Part of the Spanish Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Spanish Republic |
 Nationalist Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Vicente Rojo Lluch José Miaja Luis Barceló El Campesino Cipriano Mera Gustavo Durán Juan Modesto José María Galán |
José Enrique Varela Luis Orgaz Yoldi Sáenz de Buruaga Fernando Barrón Ortiz Francisco García Escámez |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 20,000 infantry, plus reinforcements T-26 light tanks |
17,000 infantry and cavalry (13 Dec) 8 artillery batteries of 105 and 155 mm Panzer I light tanks |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 15,000 dead or wounded | 15,000 dead or wounded | ||||||
The Second Battle of the Corunna Road (called Batalla de la Carretera de Coruña in Spanish) was an important fight during the Spanish Civil War. It happened from December 13, 1936, to January 15, 1937. The battle took place northwest of Madrid, the capital city of Spain.
In December 1936, the Nationalist army tried to cut off the Corunna Road. This road was a key supply route for Madrid. Their goal was to surround and isolate the city. However, the Republican army fought back strongly. They stopped the Nationalists from completely encircling Madrid. Even though the road was cut, the city was not fully trapped.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
The Battle of Madrid had just finished in November 1936. In that battle, the Nationalist forces, led by General Franco, failed to capture Madrid. After this, they decided to try and cut off the city's supplies. They wanted to block Madrid's connections to the rest of Spain.
Franco planned to attack Madrid from the northwest. This would cut off water and electricity coming from the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains. It would also help them surround the city. After an earlier attempt failed, the Nationalists gathered about 17,000 soldiers. These troops were led by General Orgaz. They had strong support from heavy artillery and Ju 52 bombers. The Republican army had fewer soldiers, led by Luis Barceló.
The Battle Begins
Nationalist Attack Starts
The Nationalist attack began with a very strong artillery bombardment on December 14. Franco's troops quickly took control of the town of Boadilla del Monte. The Republicans quickly responded. They sent Russian tanks, led by General Pavlov, and two International Brigades. These forces recaptured Boadilla.
However, the Nationalists counter-attacked, and the Republican forces became trapped in the town. They had to take a defensive position. After a period where neither side could gain much ground, General Orgaz stopped the attack on December 19. They had only moved forward a few kilometers.
The Battle of the Fog
Towards the end of December, General Orgaz received more soldiers and supplies. He decided to start the attack again on January 3. This new phase of the battle became known as the Battle of the Fog. The Republican commanders moved their troops to the Pozuelo-Brunete area. The Republicans had an army group led by General Miaja. They had five divisions, but they were low on ammunition and supplies.
As the Nationalists pushed forward on their right side, the Republican troops struggled. Nationalist forces advanced from Boadilla and reached Las Rozas on January 4. However, in Pozuelo, the Republican Modesto division managed to hold their ground. This division included four mixed brigades, led by important commanders like El Campesino and Cipriano Mera. The thick fog also helped slow down the Nationalist advance.
On January 5, Nationalist forces under General Varela focused their attack on Pozuelo. They used eight powerful artillery batteries, tanks, and aircraft. The Republican troops were overwhelmed and scattered. Even though their six Russian T-26 tanks destroyed 25 German light tanks, they couldn't hold the line. With their soldiers spread out and low on ammunition, General Miaja tried to regroup his forces as best he could.
The Nationalist columns reached the Corunna Road at Las Rozas. They surrounded Pozuelo. The German Thälmann Battalion, part of the XIV International Brigade, was ordered to hold Las Rozas and not retreat. On January 7, the town was heavily shelled by Nationalist troops. The Thälmann Battalion suffered terrible losses, with only 35 men surviving. Many wounded soldiers were also killed by the Nationalist regulares (local troops).
Republican Counter-Attack
By January 9, the Nationalists had taken control of about seven miles of the Corunna Road. This stretch went from Puerta de Hierro to Las Rozas. On January 10, the Republicans launched their own counter-offensive. It was a cold day with heavy mist. The XII International Brigade managed to recapture some areas west of Madrid. These included the towns of Majadahonda, Villanueva, Pozuelo, and Boadilla. However, by January 15, both sides were very tired, and the fighting stopped.
What Happened After
The Nationalists succeeded in cutting the Corunna Road. However, they failed to completely surround Madrid from the west. Both sides suffered heavy losses, with about 15,000 soldiers killed or wounded on each side. After another battle in January 1937, the Third Battle of the Corunna Road, the Nationalists tried again to encircle Madrid. This led to the Battle of Jarama, which took place in February.
See also
- List of Spanish Nationalist military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
- List of Spanish Republican military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
