The History Of Cinco De Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is like Mexico's Independence Day. Although it is not. Cinco De Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day because Mexico defeated Spain on September 15th, 1810, which was 11 years before. Mexico was in a constant fight with some place until May 5, 1862. On that day the fighting finally stopped. The violence was over. That was the day that Mexico truly gained its independence.

So what is Cinco de Mayo? It is the day that the Mexican troops consisting of 4,000 troops, defeated The French forces which contained about 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico 100 Miles east of Mexico City. This battle was by far one of the greatest of all of Mexico's History.

The battle started because Spanish, French and English came over to collect the debts of the newly founded government. The Spanish and English collected their debts and left. The French Troops, however, stayed behind with different ideas.

Mexico - troops in Calle de Revilladigego [i.e. Re...

Aqueduct City of Mexico

Mexico - Tlalpan cadets approaching palace (LOC)

The French, under the guardianship of Napoleon III, had the greatest weaponry of all those that it went to battle with or against. The Army had not been defeated in 50 years so by this time they were becoming very cocky.

The French planned to attack the blooming city of Mexico City from the west because the forces of the Mexican troops were much less. The French thought that the Mexicans, being weak, would give up their capital to the idiotic enemy.

General Zaragosa, a Spanish General instructed another general to take his troops, the best in the world, and stop the French from entering their land. The Mexican troops met the French at the port and proceeded to play a historic game of Catch Me If You Can. The French troops followed the Mexicans and proceeded to get reamed. And That is what happened...