Political necessity often makes hash of military strategy. The Spanish War is brimful of campaigns politically wise but militarily dumb. Examples: 1) the "prestige" battle of the Ebro River last autumn which cost the Rebels 70,000 men they could ill afford to lose; 2) the Loyalists heroic, costly defense of Madrid, the capital, at the same time that they were losing Málaga, strategically far more important.
Three weeks ago the Rebels began another "political" campaign, this time to take Catalonia. Midwinter is not the best season to fight in mountainous western Catalonia,...
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