The Defense of Madrid: They Shall Not Pass and Under a Single Command

Believed to have been coined at the Battle of Verdun in World War I, either by the French general Robert Nivelle, or by General Philippe Petain, the phrase "They shall not pass" became the classic antifascist battle cry.

Comparisons between the Defense of Madrid and the 1808 Spanish War of Independence were a recurring theme in posters during the civil war. The city's defenders were depicted like the stylish young men from Madrid's working class (called majos) in Francisco de Goya's paintings, facing an invader—once French; now Francoist.

The bear is the animal traditionally associated with Madrid and its inhabitants, having first appeared on the city's coat of arms in 1212. For this reason, it is a recurring theme in poster art, representing the bravery of the city's residents.

The Popular Front (Frente Popular) brought together various political parties on the left to take part in the elections of February 1936, which they won.

The numerous parties that made up the Popular Front weakened the military command, making it necessary to impose a single command that would concentrate all efforts to defend the Republic.

The front was stabilized in the western part of the city, with the fighting mainly focused on the Ciudad Universitaria neighborhood, Casa de Campo park, the road known as Carretera de La Coruña, and the Villaverde and Usera districts.

Although the city had been hounded by Francoist troops since late August 1936, it wasn't until November 7 that they began their main attack on the city. In the popular imagination, planes were the main threat.

The feeling of knowing they were under siege was used to incentivize the population to remain alert, driven by their fear of the approaching rebel army. The daily suffering caused by fascist air raids only contributed to that.

José Miaja (1878–1958) was the most powerful Spanish soldier in the Republican army during the civil war. He was responsible for the Defense of Madrid, and later led the army in the central-southern region. When the war ended, he went into exile in Mexico.

The Laureate Badge of Madrid replaced the Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand (Spain's highest military decoration) in the Republican zone from March 8, 1937. It was awarded to General Miaja on June 13, 1937 on the request of Madrid, for his leading role in the defense of the city.