Soviets with Spanish gunners, and the 1st Mixed Brigade, a newly established mixed brigade led by Enrique Líster. Opposing them, the Nationalists had a force of cavalry led by colonel Monasterio, Moroccan regulares and some Italian tankettes. The Soviet tanks were massed together for a shock attack and entered in Seseña. Arman claimed that the Soviet tanks destroyed two infantry battalions, two cavalry squadrons, ten 75 mm guns, two tankettes and 20-30 trucks. The tanks crossed Seseña and reached Esquivias, nevertheless, the Mixed Brigade of Lister never entered into the town and the tank force had to retreat. Mikhail Koltsov, a Russian journalist at Seseña said: "Lister...explained, a grimace upon his face, that his units, had been moving well at first, but after 1,500 metres, they had felt tired and sat down...". Furthermore, the Nationalists managed to destroy three Russian tanks and damage three more with Molotov cocktails and artillery fire. Four Soviet and four Republican Spanish tankers were killed in action, and other six wounded. The same day, the Republican army, led by Colonel Ildefonso Puigdendolas, launched another assault against the nearby town of Illescas, but the attack was beaten off. Puigdendolas was killed by his own men when trying to prevent desertion. Aftermath The attack failed, because the Spanish Republican infantry had no training to operate with tanks, but the Soviet tanks were shown to be effective. According to Thomas, one Soviet tank destroyed 11 Italian tankettes. The same day a squadron of Russian Katiuska bombers attacked Seville. Because the arrival of the Soviet weapons Nazi Germany decided to increase their aid to the Nationalists and to organize the Legion Condor. The Nationalists resumed their offensive, Getafe (13 km south of Madrid) fell on November 4 and on November 8 the Nationalists started their frontal assault on Madrid. Nevertheless, Mola decided to retire a part of their troops from the assault on Madrid, in order to reinforce the flanks, because the fear of another tank attack. See also List of Spanish Republican military equipment of the Spanish Civil War List of Spanish Nationalist military equipment of the Spanish Civil War Notes Bibliography Beevor, Antony. (2006). The Battle for Spain. The Spanish civil war, 1936–1939. Penguin Books. London. . Jackson, Gabriel. (1967). The Spanish Republic and the Civil War, 1931–1939. Princeton University Press. Princeton. Preston, Paul. (2006). The Spanish Civil War. Reaction, revolution & revenge. Harper Perennial. London. Thomas,