Battle of the Jarama River

6-28 February 1937

In another Nationalist bid to cut off Madrid, Nationalists attacked south of the city in the Jarama river valley, siezed crossing points across the river and attempted to break through to Arganda. Stubborn resistence by the International Brigades and pure luck helped stall the offensive. Republican counteroffensive was largely inoffective and as costly an action as attacking was for the Nationalists. The best units of both sides, the Nationalist Army of Africa and the Repubican International Brigades were attritioned very heavily. The result was a stalemate with the Nationalists capturing more territory at high cost while the Republicans prevented the severing of the Madrid-Valencia road, a vital lifeline to the city. Republicans lost 25,000 while the Nationalists lost 20,000. Two subsequent attacks on the 23rd of Februay and March 1st by the Nationalists to renew the Jarama offensive were inoffective and cost the Nationalists another 6000 casualties [Santa Cruz]..

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