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Essay on the history of cinco de mayo
Essay on the history of cinco de mayo
Essay on the history of cinco de mayo
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The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be! And Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be. Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810. And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico. So, why Cinco de Mayo? And why should Americans savor this day as well? Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862. The French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) five months earlier on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas. Under Emperor Napoleon III, who detested the United States, the French came to stay. They brought a Hapsburg prince with them to rule the new Mexican empire. His name was Maximilian; his wife, Carolota. Napoleon's French Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. The French were not afraid of anyone, especially since the United States was embroiled in its own Civil War. The French Army left the port of Vera Cruz to attack Mexico City to the west, as the French assumed that the Mexicans would give up should their capital fall to the enemy -- as European countries traditionally did. Under the command of Texas-born General Zaragosa, (and the cavalry under the command of Colonel Porfirio Diaz, later to be Mexico's president and dictator), the Mexicans awaited. Brightly dressed French Dragoons led the enemy columns. The Mexican Army was less stylish. General Zaragosa ordered Colonel Diaz to take his cavalry, the best in the world, out to the French flanks. In response, the French did a most stupid thing; they sent their cavalry off to chase Diaz and his men, who proceeded to butcher them. The remaining French infantrymen charged the Mexican defenders through sloppy mud from a thunderstorm and through hundreds of head of stampeding cattle stirred up by Indians armed only with machetes. When the battle was over, many French were killed or wounded and their cavalry was being chased by Diaz' superb horsemen miles away.
Another set of reinforcements led by David Crockett was able to slip past through the Mexican lines on the morning of March 4. Gathering about 50 to 60 volunteers due to the impact of lieutenant colo...
This book by Otis A. Singletary deals with different aspects of the Mexican war. It is a compelling description and concise history of the first successful offensive war in United States military history. The work examines two countries that were unprepared for war. The political intrigues and quarrels in appointing the military commanders, as well as the military operations of the war, are presented and analyzed in detail. The author also analyzes the role that the Mexican War played in bringing on the U.S. Civil War.
He began to say that America had given its best efforts to mend the relationship between the countries, but even before the small battle, peace was not an option. “Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon American soil.” This evidence shows that the United States was justified in declaring war against Mexico because they were trying to protect their own country.
enabled them to turn down the terms of the proposal that the Spanish wanted and
...ur taken prisoners. As a result, Wilson prepared a letter to Congress demanding a full-scale war and an ultimatum was sent to Carranza, demanding the release of all American prisoners, which Mexico had already threatened to kill. Within days, all prisoners were released and all international bridges were seized. Although Carranza was finished, Pancho Villa was not ready to throw in the towel. Thus, he prepared for a series of attacks to come. General Pershing reported to Wilson of Villa’s repeated violence, but Villa continued, capturing many towns held by Carranzista forces. On January 1917, Pancho Villa gathered his forces to capture Toreon. In the end, hundreds of his men were dead and his defeat was seized upon by Wilson as a convenient way out of the problems in Mexico.
Many of the battles won were essential in the sense that it to applied pressure to the Mexican government. Without that pressure the revolutionaries would not have been victorious in their battles, proving Pancho Villa’s important role in the Mexican revolution.
The Battle of Verdun took place in France and was the longest single battle to transpire in World War I. It was also known to the world as the deadliest battle of World War I. The battle commenced on February 21, 1916 and lasted until December 18, 1916. Since the beginning of the battle, the armies suffered substantial losses. The tragic loss of many men also classified this battle as the bloodiest of World War I. Although both sides endured harsh fatalities, the strategies and technology of the French were remarkable in their victory over the German Army in the Battle of Verdun.
On that fateful day in March 1836, when the sounds of battle had ended, tales of fearsome fighting, cowardice and sacrifice would spread swiftly across the Republic of Texas and Mexico. Men who stood, fought, and more importantly fell on the battlefield would become legends, ostensibly for their willingness to fight even when all hope was lost. Both attacker and defender had soldiers who were hailed as heroes, as well as villains known for their cruelty.
The French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) five months earlier on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas.
This war was caused because the people were not happy with the government they had and they wanted to take out Porfirio Diaz of the presidency. The people weren’t happy due to the fact that the ruling of Porfirio Diaz was considered as a dictatorship. Some other important figures in the Mexican revolution were Pancho Villa, Venustiano Carranza, Francisco Madero, Victoriano Huerta, Emiliano Zapata, Alvaro Obregon, Lazaro Cardenas, Pascual Orozco, among others. Among all these revolutionary leaders Francisco villa better known as Pancho Villa in my opinion was the most important icon of the Mexican army because he had that leadership, and personality to save and help the Mexican community that was against the Mexican government and he was a true hero because he never accepted any type od
A Texan, William B. Travis and a small group of Texans attacked a squad of Mexican troops in Anahuac with the motive that “taxes should not thus be collected from them to support a standing army in their own country” (SOS 1) and soon drove them back. Travis retreated to San Felipe and were assisted to Bexar. Skirmishes and the threat of war with Mexico soon followed.
arrived in Mexico. His intentions changed immediately. He wanted not only to gain power but also to place his own appointed leader into the throne. Napoleon III ordered his army to take over Mexico and claim it for France. Meyer & Co.
These men had returned with the news of a Spanish outpost with the name Las Guasimas. By afternoon of the same day the Rough Riders had been order to head out to the location of Las Guasimas and eliminate all opposition and secure the surrounding area, the men would camp outside the outpost then attack the next morning. For started, the Rough Riders were at a disadvantage, they were not accustom to the dense jungles of Cuba in which they were fighting in, and did not know the jungles trails like the Spanish did. Yet the next morning the attack commenced, with General Young, commander of the cavalry and regulars, attacked the outpost straight on.
Mexico had departed from Spain in 1821. California wanted to manage their own affairs however, they lacked self government. Pio Pico was the civil governor and Jose Castro was the military comandante. The two men held great hostility toward each other. They divided California’s land and raised armies for themselves. These divisions of armies led to future problems, due to the lack of unity between the two.
...them, plus, the northern territories of Mexico were not populated, so it was very inviting for them. So, basically, it was the Americans invading Mexican territory and the Mexicans were just defending their selves from the invading settlers. The Mexicans were also angered by the annexation of Texas, which used to be apart of Mexican territory.