Page A12 • May 2, 2013 • Inland Empire Community Newspapers Celebrating Cinco De Mayo!

Mexican militia defeats French army at Battle of Puebla

GENERAL IGNACIO ARCHDUKE MAXIMILIAN ZARAGOZA SEGUIN OF AUSTRIA

Introduction was involved in its own Civil War at the time and was unable to pro - The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, vide any direct assistance. The 5th Of May, commemorates Marching on toward Mexico the victory of the Mexican militia City, the French army encountered over the French army at the Battle strong resistance near Puebla at the of Puebla in 1862. It is primarily a Mexican forts of Loreto and regional holiday celebrated in the Guadalupe. Led by Mexican Gen - Mexican state capital city of eral Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin, a Puebla and throughout the state of smaller, poorly armed militia esti - Puebla, with some limited recog - mated at 4,500 men were able to nition in other parts of Mexico, stop and defeat a well outfitted and especially in U.S. cities with a French army of 6,500 soldiers, significant Mexican population. It which stopped the invasion of the is not, as many people think, Mex - country. The victory was a glori - ico's Independence Day, which is ous moment for Mexican patriots, actually September 16. which at the time helped to de - velop a needed sense of national IECN PHOTO COURTESY MIKE MANNING Setting The Stage unity, and is the cause for the his - Depiction of the battle showing Mexican cavalry overwhelming the French troops below the fort at torical date's celebration. Loreto. Note there are no machete wielding civilians, as some accounts have it. The battle at Puebla in 1862 hap - Unfortunately, the victory was population of people with a Mexi - also had a hand in promoting the during the week following up to pened at a violent and chaotic time short lived. Upon hearing the bad can heritage. In these areas the hol - holiday, with products and serv - May 5th, so that Cinco de Mayo in Mexico's history. Mexico had fi - news, Napoleon III had found an iday is a celebration of Mexican ices focused on Mexican food, has become a bigger holiday north nally gained independence from excuse to send more troops over - culture, of food, music, beverage beverages and festivities, with of the border than it is to the south, Spain in 1821 after a difficult and seas to try and invade Mexico and customs unique to Mexico. music playing a more visible role and being adopted into the holiday bloody struggle, and a number of again, even against the wishes of Commercial interests in the as well. Several cities throughout calendar of more and more people internal political takeovers and the French populace. 30,000 more United States and Mexico have the U.S. hold parades and concerts every year. wars, including the Mexican- troops and a full year later, the American War (1846-1848) and French were eventually able to de - the Mexican Civil War of 1858, pose the Mexican army, take over had ruined the national economy. Mexico City and install Maximil - During this period of struggle ian as the ruler of Mexico. Mexico had accumulated heavy Maximilian's rule of Mexico was debts to several nations, including also short lived, from 1864 to Spain, England and France, who 1867. With the American Civil were demanding repayment. Sim - War now over, the U.S. began to ilar debt to the U.S. was previously provide more political and military settled after the Mexican-Ameri - assistance to Mexico to expel the can War. France was eager to ex - French, after which Maximilian pand its empire at that time, and was executed by the Mexicans - used the debt issue to move for - his bullet riddled shirt is kept at the ward with goals of establishing its museum at Chapultepec Castle in own leadership in Mexico. Realiz - Mexico City. So despite the even - ing France's intent of empire ex - tual French invasion of Mexico pansion, Spain and England City, Cinco de Mayo honors the withdrew their support. When bravery and victory of General Mexico finally stopped making Zaragoza's smaller, outnumbered any loan payments, France took militia at the Battle of Puebla in action on its own to install 1862. Napoleon III's relative, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, as ruler of Today's Celebration Mexico. For the most part, the holiday of Cinco de Mayo is more of a re - Mexico Confronts The Inva - gional holiday in Mexico, cele - sion brated most vigorously in the state France invaded at the gulf coast of Puebla. There is some limited of Mexico along the state of Ver - recognition of the holiday through - acruz (see map) and began to out the country with different lev - march toward Mexico City, a dis - els of enthusiasm, but it's nothing tance today of less than 600 miles. like that found in Puebla. Although American President Celebrating Cinco de Mayo has Abraham Lincoln was sympathetic become increasingly popular along to Mexico's cause, and for which the U.S.-Mexico border and in he is honored in Mexico, the U.S. parts of the U.S. that have a high