The situation in Spain has been changing over the course of a month, and the fierce fighting between the two sides indicates that the civil war is unlikely to end anytime soon.

"Newspaper, sir, this is the newspaper of the day."

In the morning, Xiao Li walked in after knocking on the door and placed the three newspapers he had bought on the table.

Zhou Changfeng, who had just finished eating the noodles, couldn't wait to take it, and then quickly browsed it.

Later, at the daily morning meeting of officers, he talked about it to the officers present.

On the large square table in the middle was a tourist map of Madrid - the middle and lower-level units naturally did not prepare a military map of a third-rate country thousands of miles away.

“…… On 20 November, the rebels arrived in Madrid, with two divisions on the outskirts of Madrid, with a total strength of about 25,000 men and hundreds of chariots. Yao Liangchuan pushed his glasses and continued: "The Francois government rejected the people's request and insisted on evacuating Madrid, and has now moved to Valencia in the southeast. ”

Zhao Hanfeng said in a deep voice: "It looks like the situation is not good, and it is said that the defenders lack battle defense artillery?" It's hard to deal with a tank like this. ”

"Tricky is tricky, and it can still be parried, the chariot entering the city is self-tied, the flexibility should be greatly reduced, if the infantry and the chariot are disconnected, as long as the defenders are not stupid, they will definitely organize people to approach and blast." Xue Can said disappreciatively.

Xie Wancheng said "hehe", "Then it also depends on the morale of the defenders, if the army is disheartened and sees the iron cans rumbling towards them, I am afraid that they will collapse before the battle." ”

"The truth is that Madrid's militia is seriously undertrained, and the government has slipped away on its own, so it's really ......," Zhou Changfeng spread his hands and changed his words, "but I believe they can hold on in the short term." ”

Aren't you contradicting yourself? How did you come to this conclusion?

Zhu Lixuan, who was surprised, asked, "Why do you say this?" The time and place are favorable, and the country of Spain is not occupied now, how can it be defended? ”

"No, on the contrary, they are geographically advantageous and human." The perimeter wind replied categorically.

Since September, the tide of the war has shifted more and more in favor of the Nationalist Army. With the fall of de la Reina, just over a hundred kilometers from Madrid, the door to Madrid was wide open.

The overwhelming National Army claimed that they would be able to march through the streets of Madrid by mid-October, the traditional Spanish festival of Running of the Bulls, and the commander, General Leo, arrogantly claimed that he would go to the café of the famous Gran Vía for a drink.

Two wings of the Italian Air Force joined the battle in full volunteers, dropping leaflets with threatening words such as "If the citizens do not riot to harass the defenders, the planes of the National Army will wipe Madrid off the face of the earth".

Due to the small number of aircraft in the Republican Air Force and the old models, the air supremacy was seized by the enemy, and the sky almost became a paradise for enemy planes to fly freely.

However, on 29 November, the situation suddenly changed - a squadron of fighters belonging to the Red Eagle Regiment took to the skies for the first time, and seven Bf-109B fighters were put into the interception mission.

In this way, the Italians, who had been at ease for dozens of days, were suddenly attacked in the sky over Madrid.

Escorting the bombers were six CR-32 fighters, which can be described as the pinnacle of biplanes, with good horizontal maneuver performance and dogfighting ability, but still useless in the face of high-speed monoplanes.

Like the archers playing with swords and shields, the Bf-109s, who had the advantage in speed and altitude, repeatedly performed a dive-up and climb tactic, but the CR-32s were unable to cope with it. The cycle continued until the Italians scattered in panic and fled, and then they began to disperse and pursue.

Six of the 13 BR-20 bombers were shot down and four were damaged, and none of the six CR-32 fighters survived.

【BR-20】

【CR-32】

It was the first time that people saw fighter jets of foreign volunteers who had come to defend the skies of Madrid, and the citizens ignored the air raid sirens and came out of the dugouts and basements one after another, gathering crowds in the streets to watch the air battle.

More than a dozen of the downed Italian pilots landed in the city after parachuting, some of them were tied to wooden racks and burned alive by angry citizens, others were beaten to death, and the defenders eventually captured only four.

After the establishment of the Madrid Defense Council, Major General Miguel was appointed commander of the defenders, but because the defenders were quite poor in terms of weaponry and training, it was rumored that he was actually just an unlucky man who was brought out to organize the surrender ceremony.

Although many citizens are determined to defend their homes, there has never been a time when the world is completely united, so thousands of citizens still flee the capital by the only two remaining roads east of Madrid.

The British Military Observer Group sent back a report to London, stating: "...... There is a lack of necessary weapons and ammunition, anti-aircraft fire is scarce, food supplies last only a week, and the militia of citizens has no formal training and does not even repair faulty machine guns......

The attitude of the US side was more pessimistic and straightforward, and the military attache of the embassy made it clear in his report: "...... The escape of those cowardly fellows buried Spain...... The difference in power between the two sides is too great, and Madrid will fall within 72 hours...... We need to consider recognizing the national military regime after assessing the situation......

On the first day of December, the Ming legation in Spain was evacuated along with the last group of dozens of Chinese citizens stranded in Madrid, who sent back a telegram saying: "...... The rebels are now closing on the university town in the northwestern part of the city, and the sound of gunfire is as dense as Chinese New Year's Eve firecrackers...... The defenders suffered numerous casualties, wounded soldiers, and ammunition seemed to be running out, and the capital was in danger of falling in the near future......

While reports are generally pessimistic, it doesn't mean everyone thinks so.

"It's not right to think so, they and you both ignore two variables."

In the Wenhua Palace, Lin Xi put down his pen and met the eyes of several other ministers.

"Don't sell it, haven't you learned about any changes?" Li Guangyuan urged, as if he was a little tired of Lin Xi, who often spoke halfway.

The latter coughed lightly twice and spoke: "Two brigades of international troops are about to arrive, and they will soon be engaged in battle; In addition, if the situation is critical, the German volunteer corps will also participate in the battle. ”

Yu Shenhua hesitated for a moment and muttered, "What is the military department's estimate of this?" Will this battle be held for a long time, or will it soon be one-sided? ”

He was in charge of diplomacy and was naturally sensitive to this aspect, because it involved the question of approval or rejection of the future Spanish regime.

Lin Xi, who looked helpless, shook his head and replied: "The staff office of the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion is also divided into several factions, each holding its own word, the current situation is still undecided, wait a little longer, and wait and see." ”

"It's best to fight for a long time, it's hard to solve, and drag on for three and five years." Li Guangyuan took a sip of hot tea, felt a little hot, and blew it again, "Just two batches of ordnance and materials are traded, and a few dozen tons of gold will be in hand, and the days will be longer, and I will strive to earn a hundred and fifty tons." ”

(End of chapter)