Defence of Madrid

Battle of Madrid

Date	Siege: 8 November 1936 – 28 March 1939 Nationalist assault: 8 November 1936 – early December 1936
Location	Madrid, Spain
Result	Republicans repulse assault on Madrid in 1936, but city eventually falls to Nationalists in 1939

Belligerents

Second Spanish Republic

Nationalist Spain

Legionary Air Force

Condor Legion

Commanders and leaders

Hans Beimler †

José Moscardó Ituarte

Mohamed Meziane

Carlos Asensio Cabanillas

Rolando de Tella

Fernando Barrón

Antonio Castejón

Francisco Afan Delgado

Strength

42,000
50 tanks
70 guns

20,000
30 tanks
120 aircraft

Casualties and losses

~5,000 dead or wounded (including civilians)

~5,000 dead or wounded

Casualties refer to the November 1936 battle only

The Siege of Madrid was a two and a half year siege of the Spanish capital city of Madrid, during the Spanish Civil War of 1936 to 1939. The city, besieged from October 1936, eventually fell to the Francoist armies on 28 March 1939. Madrid was held by various forces loyal to the Spanish Republic and was besieged and subject to aerial bombardment by the rebel faction under General Francisco Franco. The Battle of Madrid in November 1936 saw the most intense fighting in and around the city when the Nationalists made their most determined attempt to take the Republican capital.

The highest military awards of the Spanish Republic, the Laureate Plate of Madrid (Spanish: Placa Laureada de Madrid) and the Madrid Distinction (Spanish: Distintivo de Madrid), established by the Republican government in order to reward courage, were named after the capital of Spain owing to the city symbolizing valour and Antifascist resistance during the long siege throughout the Civil War.

The Spanish Civil War began with a failed coup d'état against the Popular Front Government of the Spanish Republic by right-wing Spanish Army officers led by Francisco Franco on 18 July 1936.

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