Black Shirts, Red Blood: The Battle of Guadalajara, March 8-23, 1937

“It is humiliating to remain with our hands folded while others write history. It matters little who wins. To make a people great it is necessary to send them to battle even if you have to kick them in the pants. That is what I shall do”.—Benito Mussolini.

Following the successful stand by the Republicans at Madrid, Nationalist Generalissimo, Francisco Franco issued an urgent call for reinforcements to his Fascist German and Italian supporters. Dictator Benito Mussolini responded by sending tens of thousands of “volunteers” made up into the “Corpo di Truppe Volontarie” (CTV). Many of the divisions of the CTV were composed of "Camicie Nere" (Black Shirts), fascist party thugs who saw their participation in the military as a fast track path to privilege and advancement back at home. Mussolini asked Franco for his CTV to lead the “final” assault to take Madrid. The Italian commanders suggested the attack take place as soon as possible in March when the worst of the winter storms should be over, and before the Republican’s reinforcements that were pouring into their ports and across the border from France, could be deployed. The focus of the attack was the key crossroads town of Guadalajara north and east of Madrid; its capture would compel a Republican withdrawal that would severely weaken their hold on the capital. The largest battle of the Spanish Civil War to-date was about to be waged.

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