ɪn dᵻsˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi sˈɪks, ðə nˈæʃənəlˌɪsts lˈɑːntʃt ɐn əfˈɛnsɪv ɪn ˈɔːɹdɚ tə kˈʌt ðə kˈɔːɹʌnɚ ɹˈoʊd ænd ˈaɪsəlˌeɪt mədɹˈɪd, bˌʌt ɐ ɹᵻpˈʌblɪkən kˈaʊntɚɹəfˈɛnsɪv stˈɑːpt ðə nˈæʃənəlˌɪst ɐdvˈæns.
In December 1936, the Nationalists launched an offensive in order to cut the Corunna Road and isolate Madrid, but a Republican counter-offensive stopped the Nationalist advance.