 Many writers, such as Viñas, have pointed out that the decision to transfer the gold reserves outside of Madrid was motivated by the rapid advance of the Army of Africa commanded by Nationalist General Francisco Franco which, since its landing on the Spanish mainland, had incessantly marched forward towards the capital. Vanyori vakawanda, vakadai saViñas, vakataura kuti danho rekuendesa goridhe kunze kweMadrid rakatungamirwa nekukurumidza kweHondo yeAfrica yakarairwa naNationalist General Francisco Franco iyo, kubva payakaburuka muSpain mainland, yakanga yafamba ichienderera mberi yakananga kuguta guru. Panguva iyo chisarudzo chakanga chaitwa, Hondo yeAfrica yakanga yakamira makiromita 116 chete kubva kuMadrid, uye nhamburiko dzakaitwa kusvikira panguva iyoyo kumisa kufambira mberi kwayo dzakanga dzisina kubudirira kunyange zvishoma. Zvisinei, mauto eNationalist aisazosvika muMadrid kutozosvikira mwedzi miviri gare gare; kwete nemhaka yokuramba kweRepublican, asi nemhaka yaFrancisco Franco, uyo akasarudza kutsauka munzira yake kuti abetsere vanonzwira tsitsi veNationalist muKukombwa kweToledomumubato wakakurumbira zvikuru uyo wakasimbisa nzvimbo yezvematongerwe enyika yaFranco ndokumutendera kunzi Musoro weHurumende norutivi rweNationalist musi waSeptember 29, 1936. Madrid yakadzivisa kurwisa kweNationalist kusvikira pakuguma kwehondo, uye hurumende yeRepublican haina kutamira kuValencia kusvikira November 6. 