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Siege of Madrid

Battle of Madrid
Part of the Spanish Civil War
Parque del Oeste - Bunkers edited.jpg
Bunkers in Parque del Oeste, 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
Spain Second Spanish Republic Spain Nationalist Spain
Kingdom of Italy Legionary Air Force
Nazi Germany Condor Legion
Commanders and leaders
Spain José Miaja
Hans Beimler 
Spain Enrique Líster
Spain Adolfo Prada
Spain Carlos Romero
Spain José María Galán
Spain Francisco Galán
Spain Luis Barceló Executed
Spain Antonio Escobar
Spain Emilio Bueno
Spain José María Enciso
Pavol Lukács
Cipriano Mera
José B. Durruti 
Spain Francisco Franco
Spain Emilio Mola
Spain José Enrique Varela
Spain José Moscardó Ituarte
Spain Mohamed Meziane
Spain Carlos Asensio Cabanillas
Spain Rolando de Tella
Spain Fernando Barrón
Spain Antonio Castejón
Spain 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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