Cinco De Mayo
in the UNITED STATES & Around the WORLD
in the UNITED STATES & Around the WORLD
La Batalla de Puebla
Cinco de Mayo is not a Mexican holiday, maybe it should be! The 5th of May 1862 was the Battle of Puebla (Batalla de Puebla) and is not Mexico's Independence Day, that was over 50 years earlier! Mexico declared its independence from Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810 (Celebrates on the 16th)
Cinco de Mayo was due to the French Occupation of Mexico which took place after the Mexican-American War of 1846-48. After that war, Mexico entered a period of national crisis and bankruptcy from not only fighting the Americans but also their own internal Civil War. On July 17th 1861, President Benito Juarez (and his Republican Government) issued a moratorium in which all foreign debt payments would be suspended, with the promise of payments in a couple of years.
The English, Spanish and French refused to allow President Juarez to do this, and decided to invade Mexico and get payments by whatever means necessary. The Spanish and English withdrew, but the French did not leave. Their intention was to create an Empire in Mexico under Napoleon III ( the Great Bonaparte's newphew). He thought that if the United States was allowed to prosper under the Monroe Doctrine, it would eventually become a World power, France needed to take over, "own" and rule Mexico due to it's location.
The English, Spanish and French refused to allow President Juarez to do this, and decided to invade Mexico and get payments by whatever means necessary. The Spanish and English withdrew, but the French did not leave. Their intention was to create an Empire in Mexico under Napoleon III ( the Great Bonaparte's newphew). He thought that if the United States was allowed to prosper under the Monroe Doctrine, it would eventually become a World power, France needed to take over, "own" and rule Mexico due to it's location.
Under Texas born General Ignacio Zaragoza (Seguin), 4,000 ill-equipped Mestizo and Zapotec Indians from the Forts of Loreto and Guadalupe defeated 8,000 traitor Mexicans and French army in what is known as the "Batalla de Puebla" on the fifth of May. Mexico's Colonel Porfirio Diaz (later, Mexico's president and dictator) and his cavalry, one of the best in the world, was very important in this battle!
Unfortunately, the victory was short lived. Upon hearing the bad news, Napoleon III had found an excuse to send more troops overseas and invade Mexico again, even against the wishes of the French people. 30,000 more troops and a year later, the French were able to defeat the Mexican army and take over Mexico City.
Maximilian's (Nepoleon's acting President) rule of Mexico was also short, 1864 to 1867. With the American Civil War then over, the U.S. began to provide more political and military assistance to Mexico to get the French out, after which Maximilian was executed by the Mexicans - his bullet riddled shirt is at the museum in the Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City.
Unfortunately, the victory was short lived. Upon hearing the bad news, Napoleon III had found an excuse to send more troops overseas and invade Mexico again, even against the wishes of the French people. 30,000 more troops and a year later, the French were able to defeat the Mexican army and take over Mexico City.
Maximilian's (Nepoleon's acting President) rule of Mexico was also short, 1864 to 1867. With the American Civil War then over, the U.S. began to provide more political and military assistance to Mexico to get the French out, after which Maximilian was executed by the Mexicans - his bullet riddled shirt is at the museum in the Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City.
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