Fr a nco 's Counter-Attack Three weeks of fierce fighting
west of Madrid culminated last week-end in what is described as the biggest battle of the Spanish war, in the neighbourhood of Brunete. Some 250,000 men, at least, are believed to have been engaged. The battle has been represented as the beginning of a new offensive • by General Franco, or even as his " final assault. on Madrid." In fact, operations have been confined to a counter attack by the insurgents designed to recapture the' positions lost during the south-westerly advance of the Government troops, which began on July 6th, and in which they gained some 15 miles of ground and six villages. The present position is still confused, but the insurgents have recovered much of the lost ground, including Romanillos, Cumbre, and Brunete itself, which after being captured and recaptured several times is a complete ruin. The Govern- ment, however, is still in possession of Villanueva del Pardillo, Quijorna, and Villanueva de la Caliada, which is now being strongly attacked. Even if General Franco succeeds in recapturing these positions, he will be as far off as ever from Madrid ; and it seems doubtful if, after the exhausting fighting of recent days, he will be able to undertake an offensive on a larger scale in the immediate future. On the southern front the Government forces are reported to have achieved some successes in the Cordoba region. No movement is reported from the north.
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