General Miaja's Turn General Miaja's offensive on the Estremadura front
has brought considerable relief to the Republican armies in Catalonia. The Nationalist advance has penetrated the Republican defences to a depth of over 3o miles and boo square miles of territory have been occupied. By Wednesday of this week the Nationalist forces had at last captured Montblanch, 18 miles from Tarragona, and a key point in the Republican defences. But though the advance continues its impetus has diminished, and General Franco has had to summon Moorish reinforcements and transfer some of his forces to Estremadura to check the Republican offensive. If the Republicans continue to pro- gress they may be able to cut the Salamanca-Seville railway, which is an indispensable link in General Franco's system of communications ; the threat to the railway may divert enough strength from Catalonia to hold up the Nationalist offensive indefinitely. But already General Miaja has robbed the Nationalists of one important objective. Signor Mussolini has been unable to greet Mr. Chamberlain, on his arrival in Rome, with the news that General Franco has smashed the defences of Catalonia.
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