the battle of seseña was an ill-fated republican-soviet assault on the nationalist stronghold of seseña, near toledo, 30 km south of madrid in october 1936 during the spanish civil war. after the fall of talavera de la reina and toledo in september 1936, the nationalist troops pushed towards madrid and in october they were 30 km from madrid. then the republican government which had received new soviet weapons decided to launch a counteroffensive in order to stop the nationalist offensive at seseña. the attack failed and the nationalists resumed their advance towards madrid. the battle is notable for being the first time that tank warfare was seen in the spanish war and for the use by nationalist troops of molotov cocktails against soviet t-26 tanks.