Evening star., 1937-02-23
MADRID LAUNCHES
OFFENSIVE AFTER
GAINS BY REBELS
Insurgents Drop Incendiary
Bombs on Valencia in
New Drive.
GOVERNMENT REVIEWS
ATTACK ON OVIEDO
Frances Aragon Troops Reported
Nearing Coast in Effort to
Close Capital Roads.
BACKGROUND

.
Spanish ciul Udr, which began
last July reached Gilman in violent
attack of rebels on Madrid, capital,
and Loyalists' last stronghold, last
November. Madrid UithStood the
attack, despite predictions it ,Uould
be easy prey. For weeks the fighting
continued ,rith the LoyalistS dog
0edly holding on. The Fascist rebels
changed their tactics and concen-
trated on cutting of the capital
from Valencia and other places
where air Was coming from. So IL
days ago they began dTiUe to close
main roads to Madrid. Cupitdl de-
tenders ans,pered uith oUn counter
attacks.
By tire Associated Press.
MADRID, February 23.-Madrid's "a
defenders loosed terrific lombard
ment today in a sudden, sweeping at
tempt to blast insurgents out of their
ciosely-drawh siege lines after reports
that the insurgent Aragon spearhead
had cut nearly through to the sea near
Valencia.
Windows Of Madrid's high buildings
shook to the booming of guns as gov
ernment batteries leaped into action.
Sandwiched between the heavy can
nonading was the chatter of rifle and
machine guns. heard clearly in the
center Of the city.
The fighting was heaviest in the
Casa de Campo and University City
suburban districts to the west and
northwest of the city proper The
Usera sector and other strategic areas,
too, were swept by the government
gunA
Aerial Bombs Reported.
Some Of the heavier explosions
sounded like aerial bombs, apparently
dropped south of the city.
While Madrid struggled thus 20
shake herself loose from three and
one-half months Of siege, Gen. Fran
cisco Frances Aragon troops were re-
ported to have attacked Viver. only "a
miles northwest Of Valencia and about
20 miles from the Mediterranean
coast.
The objective Of the Arason drive
>Css to sever government territory
around Valencia from that Of the gov
eminent ally, autonomous Catalonia
70 the northeast, q chief source OF
strength.
Far to the northwest on the oviedo
front, reports from headquarters at
Gijon said. government troops renewed
attacks on San Esteban de La Cruces
and Cristo de Las Cadenas, on the out
skirts of Oviedo, and met a desperate
1nsurgent resistance.
Insurgent guns defending Oviedo
opened fire from Maraco Mountain,
raining shells into government posi-
tions while government artillery bat
tered at the Santo Domingo College
and art center.
The government claimed hits wheE
thick smoke arose from those buildings,
indicating they had been set on fire.
Government ''dinamiteros
throwers-bombed their way into the
Buenavista district, dislodging Oviedo's
defenders from house after house.
Reports from Andujar, in Southern
Spain, declared government forces had
surrounded the insurgent-held town of
Pitres and captured positions at
Trevelez.
The push of Frances men carried
their Aragon salient several miles be-
low the southern end of the old
monarchial province now consisting Of
the Provinces Of Teruel, zaragoza and
Huesca, blocked from the Mediter-
ranean on the northeastern coast by
q large segment of government-held
territory.
"a successful thrust seaward at
Viver possibly would place Valencia
itself under siege. The Aragon Of
fensive has been timed to coincide