Battle of El Mazuco

Battle of El Mazuco
Part of the Spanish Civil War
El Mazuco and the heights of Llabres
Date 6–22 September 1937 Location El Mazuco  43°22′56″N 4°51′09″W / 43.38222°N 4.85250°W / 43.38222; -4.85250, near Llanes in Asturias Result Nationalist victory
Belligerents
Second Spanish Republic	Army of the North
Commanders and leaders
Colonel Juan Ibarrola Orueta Colonel Francisco Galán Rodríguez	General José Solchaga Zala
Strength
Less than 5,000	33,000, plus elements of the Legión Cóndor and (possibly) Corpo Truppe Volontarie
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

The Battle of El Mazuco was fought between 6 and 22 September 1937, between the Republican and Nationalist armies during the Spanish Civil War as a part of the War in the North campaign. The Republican defence of El Mazuco and the surrounding mountains halted the Nationalist advance into eastern Asturias, despite their forces being outnumbered sevenfold. After weeks of intense fighting over extreme terrain the defenders were eventually overwhelmed, and the Nationalists were then able to link up with their forces advancing from León, leading to the fall of Gijón and the abandonment of Asturias, the last Republican province in North-West Spain.

The definitive source for details of the battle is de Blas, Juan Antonio (1986). "El Mazuco (La defensa imposible)". La guerra civil en Asturias, Tomo 2 (in Spanish). Gijón: Ediciones Júcar. pp. 369–383.  (English translation   2004–2005.)

This battle was almost certainly the first use of carpet bombing against a military target.

Following the fall of Bilbao and the defeat of the Republican forces defending Santander, the Republican stronghold of Asturias was isolated from the Republican armies in the south and east of Spain. The leader of the Nationalist forces surrounding Asturias, General Dávila, attacked from the south and from the east, expecting little resistance from the demoralized Republicans.

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