Hill of the Angels Never Taken
The accompanying map of Spain shows at a glance the present state of the war. Nearly three-quarters of Spanish territory has been reclaimed, and it may reasonably be expected that with the fall of Madrid and Malaga, the objectives of the Nationalist armies at present, the large slice of territory along the Mediterranean under Red control will be rapidly reduced to the north-east or Catalonian sector. That, at any rate, is the confident expectation of General Franco, who is relying on the great demoralising effect of the loss of the capital and of the great southern seaport.
He is, however, not expecting any immediate success, since the weather and the play of European politics are likely to favour him more later on.
Meanwhile he has conserved his troops admirably and concentrated a so solid an organisation, both economic and political, of the reclaimed territory, that his cause is practically assured over the greater part of the country.
Catalonian Problem
Catalonia will prove a harder nut to crack, while the future of the Basque country must depend upon the final policy of the Catholic and moderate-minded, by cornparison, Basque leaders.
In the active fighting during the last two weeks little of importance has taken place, except for the advance on Malaga, momentarily halted through the arrival of Red reinforcements from Valencia.
"Red Hill "
The vaunted counter-attack, south of Madrid, last week, in which it was claimed that the Hill of the Angels, five miles due south of Madrid, was recaptured and renamed the " Red Hill" has, as usual, turned out to be untrue. The Government admits that the militia, after " having gone even further than they were called on to do," has fallen back to its position in the plain.
The Nationalists announce the complete defeat of the strongest counter-attack attempted by the Marxists. The spot where stood the famous monument to the Sacred Heart—the geographical centre of Spain— remains in Nationalist hands.
In the Aranjuez sector, south-west of Madrid, reported Nationalist victories have again proved false.