Battle of Guadalajara

The Battle of Guadalajara (March 8–23, 1937) saw the victory of the Spanish Republican Army (Ejército Popular Republicano, or EPR) and of the International Brigades over the Italian and Nationalist forces attempting to encircle Madrid during the Spanish Civil War. The Nationalist forces involved in the Battle of Guadalajara were primarily the Italian Corps of Volunteer Troops (Corpo Truppe Volontarie, or CTV).

The battle opened with an Italian offensive on 8 March. This offensive was halted by 11 March. Between 12 and 14 March, renewed Italian attacks were supported by Spanish Nationalist units. These were halted too. On 15 March, a counter-offensive of the Republicans was prepared; it was successfully launched between 18 and 23 March. The battle was decided by the superiority of Soviet armoured vehicles over Italian ones. The combined Italian and Nationalist losses are estimated to have been 17,400 killed, wounded and captured, compared to 6,258 for the Republicans. As a result of a re-organisation and new leadership, the CTV improved its combat record after Guadalajara, which was the force's only defeat of the war.