Battle of El Mazucu

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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
Date 6–22 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
Spanish Republic Sovereign Council of Asturias and León Confederal militias	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]