Battle of El Mazucu

Battle of El Mazucu
Part of the Asturias Offensive
of the War in the North campaign
of the Spanish Civil War

El Mazucu and the heights of Llabres
Date6–22 September 1937
Location
El Mazucu  43°22′56″N 4°51′09″W / 43.38222°N 4.85250°W / 43.38222; -4.85250, near Llanes, Asturias, Spain
Result Nationalist victory
Belligerents
Spain Spanish Republic
Sovereign Council of Asturias and León
Confederal militias
Francoist Spain Spanish State
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Col. Francisco Galán Rodríguez
Cpt. Juan Ibarrola Orueta
Col. 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 Mazucu 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 Mazucu 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.

This battle was almost certainly the first use of carpet bombing against a military target.[1][2]

  1. ^ Juan Antonio de Blas, "El Mazuco (La defensa imposible)" (pp369–383), in La guerra civil en Asturias, Ediciones Júcar, Gijón 1986.
  2. ^ excerpt from de Blas source translated to English "El Mazuco (the impossible defence)"