Evening star., 1937-03-24

through the TrijueQue fighting, and he
said to me, The Italians advanced in
columns of fours along the road
toward our defenses They did not
seem to expect any resistance, and
when We opened fire they appeared
to be completely confused.
Later, I talked to prisoners who
had been at Malaga, where the Ital-
ians entered the town practically un-
opposed and they said they had been
told it would be the same with Madrid
They expected to reach Guadalajara
on the second day, Alcala de Henares
on the third day, and effect complete
encirclement of Madrid on the fourth.
Italians Morale Broke.
"Once their surprise was over. the
Italians fought we'll during the first
two days, but, when they were faced
with the very stubborn resistance of
Spanish troops, with plenty Of ground
straflng and bombing by government
planes, their morale broke and they
ran when our troops attacked. They
retreated so fast it was impossible to
keep contact with them
Now, some resistance has developed
to the left Of Utande, but we don't be-
lieve the resistance comes from
Italians We think it is from Fascist
militia troops"
There will still be bitter fighting for
Guadalajara and the ground south Of
the main Valencia road, but studying
the terrain, I believe an encirclemeut
OF Madrid is now impossible unless
Gen. Franco obtains huge reinforce
ments of better class troops than those
which fought at Brihuega.
The Governments morale now is so
high that there is danger of over
optimism, but it is necessary to re-
member that Madrid was not selected
as the capital of the country because
OF its climate, which Is atrocious, nor
because of its economic position. but
because Of its marvellous military posi-
ton at the center of the Castilian
Plateau. Madrid now is fortified to
such an extent that it would be i'm
possible to take 1t by direct assault.
The first attempt to cut the main
Valencia road at Arganda cost Gen.
Franco bloody defeat The second
attempt to cut the Guadala lara road
resulted in the biggest Italian defeat
since Caporetto.
Roads in Good Shape.
Meanwhile, even if Arganda should
ever be taken, and If the Guadala lara
road, which it is possible to defend
kilometer by kilometer with the finest
natural positions, Is ever cut as far
down as Alcala de HenareS, there are
several secondary roads between the
main highroads which have been put
into shape for heavy traffic and are
able to serve as lifelines for bringing
in food from Valencia.
know those secondary roads are
highly practicable, as we came over
them from Valencia three days ago.
In order to win the war, Gen.
Franco must encircle Madrid and cut
the line Of communication to the
coast through Teruel. thus separating
Barcelona and Valencia, or come up
the coast and take Valencia. But, so
long as the government holds its main
army on the Castilian Plateau. Franco
must fight there and every day the
government is proceeding with arming
and training new army, ready to
take the offensive in a few months
time.
1t looks as though the turn in for
tunes of this war came when the sup
poSedly invincible Italian mechanical
columns were defeated on the Qua
dalajara front.
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