Cinco de Mayo?...I will NOT be celebrating.

Comment by Jamie Edmonds on April 26, 2011 at 12:16pm

Putting aside the generous tone of your post (and also assuming you would not be so hypocritical as to ever hoist a pint on St. Patrick's Day), I would point out that not only is Cinco de Mayo NOT Mexican Independence Day (which is actually September 16th), but the commemoration of the Battle of Puebla wherein the 4000 Mexican troops defeated the well equipped 8000 troops of the French Army, actually has a great deal to do with America.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_mayo

Some historians have argued that France's real goal was to help break up the American Union, at the time in the midst of a civil war, by helping the southern Confederacy: "The Mexicans had won a great victory that kept Napoleon III from supplying the confederate rebels for another year, allowing the United States to build the greatest army the world had ever seen. This grand army smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg just 14 months after the battle of Puebla, essentially ending the Civil War." The consequence of Cinco de Mayo to the United States has been thus recognized:"The defeat of the French army had consequences for America as well...the French defeat denied Napoleon III the opportunity to resupply the Confederate rebels for another year."

Donald W. Miles adds, "At the time, there were fears in the United States that the French would use Mexico as a base to back the Confederacy, so President Lincoln and his secretary of State went out of their way to appear 'neutral' in the Mexican situation. They did not want to take on the French and the Confederates at the same time". Dr. Miles goes on to explain that "Napoleon III had hesitated to take on the United States directly, but now the news of the Civil War changed everything". It meant that the Americans would be occupied with their conflict between North and South for some time. Upon hearing the Spaniards and the British had sailed off to grab the customs house in Veracruz to start collecting their duties, Napoleon decided he would not only send the French navy, but would also start looking for someone to place as emperor in Mexico. He would then use Mexico as a base to help the Confederates win their war against the United States. Napoleon saw this as an opportunity not to be missed.  Dr. Miles then concludes, "The Emperor of France ordered his generals to spend a few months taking on Mexico and then - using Mexico as a 'base' - help the Confederates win their war against the United States. What if they had succeeded? The United States would never become the significant world power it is today...the Mexicans not only took their nation back, but influenced the outcome of the U.S. Civil War."

Historian Justo Sierra, has written in his Political Evolution of the Mexican People, that had Mexico not defeated the French in Puebla on May 5, 1862, France would have gone to the aid of the South in the U.S. Civil War and the United States' destiny could have been very different.

 

Comment by jef on April 26, 2011 at 1:01pm

Wow Jamie. You have a problem with me celebrating a CHURCH celebration such as St. Patrick's Day? BTW: I don't drink or celebrate ANY religious holidays by drinking green beer in a bar. You really should do more research other than that provided by "Wikipedia". You do know that is public content and NOT factual data? Right? A little knowledge can be dangerous. FYI: The French did not aid the Confederates because they were waiting for England to do it first. Both France and England only supported a split America because they didn't want a unified America that would challenge their control over the seas. But France had NO intentions of supplying the Confederates without England doing it too. AND it was the French Foreign Legion who was defeated on Cinco de Mayo, which included many other Europeans; not just Frenchman. Do your research. The information you posted is subject to considerable disagreement between historical scholars. It seems to me that if you are "celebrating" Cinco de Mayo by drinking tequila and getting intoxicated that you are slapping the face of the Southern states. You are, in essence, celebrating the defeat of the Confederates (the southern half of the U.S.A. in 1860). Now let me address your thoughts while you are reading this. If you bring up slavery was ended because of Cinco de Mayo then you are ASSUMING the southern half of the U.S.A. has terrible evil people that would NEVER have ended slavery. I disagree. WE (all 50 states) are descended from and part of a noble people and part of a noble nation that would have ended slavery with or without the Civil War. Do you think differently? What would you call your friends descended from southern Americans? Slave holders? My final point: Latinos consider Cinco de Mayo their true Indepence day because it makes money. If it will cause Americans to spend money in bars and in the border cities then Mexicans "celebrate" it, regardless what the government actions and treaties say. You've taken up an argument to showcase your ability to read Wikipedia. Congratulations!! Again, I will NOT be celebrating Cinco de Mayo or drinking tequila on May 5th or celbrating any other foreign holidays during the year.

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