Pod Insights American History Tellers History Daily: The Battle of Puebla on Cinco de Mayo About this episode May 5, 1862. Following the French invasion of Mexico, Mexican soldiers succeed in defending the town of Puebla, sealing a victory that will be commemorated by the national holiday, Cinco de Mayo.
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0:08 Lindsay Graham? It’s the morning of May 5, 1862, in the town of Puebla, in central Mexico. An army general, named Ignacio Zaragosa, strides along the ramparts of a stone fortress. Ignacio peers over the parapet into the valley below, where a force of almost 6,000 French soldiers march toward the fortress walls, their bayonets gleaming. As Ignacio turns to survey his own battalion, a force of only 2,000 men, a look of concern creeps across his face. He’s outnumbered by close to 3 to 1. He knows defeat is all but certain, but he also knows his men are courageous patriots who will stop at nothing to defend Mexico from the invading French army, who are readying their cannons. The deafening blast shatters the morning tranquility.
0:51 Lindsay Graham? The air fills with smoke and debris, as artillery shells rain down on the Mexican defenses. The sound of explosions and shrapnel, and agonized screams reverberate around the fortress walls. Amidst the chaos, Ignacio orders his men to return fire, but there are simply too many French soldiers. Before long, the invaders are at the fortress gates. Ignacio tries to rally his men, but morale is beginning to waver. But just when Ignacio himself is beginning to lose hope, a thunderclap echoes through the valley. A split second later, the heavens open, and torrential rain begins pouring from the sky. Within minutes, the steep incline toward the fortress has turned into a muddy bog,
1:34 Lindsay Graham? and the French attackers cannot find purchase in this slippery, wet earth. The Mexican gunners take advantage of the moment, firing into the French lines and inflicting a heavy toll. Soon, a bugle sounds, as the commander of the French army orders an urgent retreat. Ignacio seizes his opportunity. At his signal, the fortress gates open, and his Mexican soldiers charge, driving away the last of the French invaders.
2:01 Lindsay Graham? During the Battle of Puebla, as this bloody clash will come to be known, outnumbered Mexican forces will be victorious, as General Ignacio Zaragoza leads his men in repelling a superior French force. But the Mexicans' heroics at Puebla will prove to be in vain. Soon, the French army will regroup and seize Mexico City, forcing the Mexican president into exile. But in the years that follow, the Mexicans launch a counterattack against their occupiers, and the victory at Puebla will provide a vital source of morale. The date of the battle, May 5th, or Cinco de Mayo in Spanish, will become a national holiday, a time to celebrate the heroic actions of the brave soldiers who fought and died for their freedom at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
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3:38 Lindsay Graham? From Noiser and Airship, I'm Lindsay Graham, and this is History Daily.
3:59 Lindsay Graham? History is made every day. On this podcast, every day, we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. Today is May 5, 1862, the Battle of Puebla on Cinco de Mayo. It's March 1, 1854, eight years before the Battle of Puebla. In the town of Aitla in southwest Mexico, a meeting of some of the country's keenest political minds is taking place. A tall man with wavy white hair stands to address the room. Juan Alvarez, a governor of the state of Guerrero, is an outspoken critic of Mexico's prime minister, the military general Antonio López de Santa Anna. Ever since Mexico achieved independence from Spain in 1821, two political groups have
4:44 Lindsay Graham? been vying for control over the country, liberals and conservatives. When the conservative Santa Anna seized power in 1852, he established himself as a dictator, to the dismay of most Mexican liberals. By 1854, Juan Alvarez's state Guerrero remains one of the few liberal strongholds left in Mexico, and the region has become the epicenter of a resistance to Santa Anna's regime. Today, Juan Alvarez has assembled a meeting of prominent liberals to draft a plan to overthrow the dictator. Alvarez believes this plan will receive widespread support. He knows that many Mexican people resent Santa Anna, largely due to his mishandling of foreign affairs. Following its defeat in the Mexican-American War, Mexico faced bankruptcy.
5:27 Lindsay Graham? Santa Anna sought to balance the books by selling Mexican territory to the United States, yielding vast swaths of what is now Arizona and New Mexico, a transaction known as the Gadsden Purchase. But this was seen by many Mexicans as a humiliating concession. In addition, Santa Anna increased taxes, putting further strain on the pockets of many ordinary Mexicans. But even though Santa Anna's popularity is waning, he retains control over most of the country. Crucially, he still has the support of the army and the Catholic Church, two of Mexico's most powerful institutions. Only in Guerrero is Santa Anna's authority in question. And so, in April 1854, Santa Anna sends troops to Guerrero's largest city, Acapulco, hoping
6:11 Lindsay Graham? to extinguish the flames of dissent. His troops arrive in Acapulco on April 19th, but a liberal force commanded by Juan Alvarez's deputy Ignacio Comenfort has readied the town's defenses. A week-long siege begins, but Santa Anna's men cannot breach the battlements. Forced to retreat, the government's army returns to Mexico City in defeat. But along the way, Santa Anna's soldiers burned down any villages they suspect are harboring liberal rebels. But this only serves to strengthen support for Alvarez's cause. By the summer of 1855, Santa Anna's authoritarian leadership has alienated many in his own army. And on August 12th, the dictator is forced to abdicate power and flee to Cuba.
6:55 Lindsay Graham? With Santa Anna deposed, Juan Alvarez becomes president and appoints a cabinet of leading liberals, including Ignacio Comenfort, who becomes minister for war. Immediately, the new government begins dismantling the old conservative state. They introduce a series of reforms that seek to limit the power of the army and church by confiscating land and abolishing military courts. The new regime also safeguards civil liberties, such as freedom of speech and freedom of the press. In 1857, they enshrine these laws in a brand-new Mexican constitution. For many, Mexico has finally freed itself from a repressive conservative order and emerged as a modern, open-minded democracy. But not everybody approves of these reforms.
7:39 Lindsay Graham? Conservatives in the Catholic Church and the military fiercely oppose the new liberal government, which they believe came to power unlawfully. But now Alvarez has been succeeded as president by his minister for war, Ignacio Comenfort. And as opposition to the 1857 constitution grows, Comenfort tries to quell the fires of rebellion by appeasing angry conservatives. He orders a second constitution to be written by a conservative general named Felix Zuluaga. This document, known as the Plan of Tacubaya, renders the 1857 constitution void and abolishes many of its democratic laws.
8:15 Lindsay Graham? Cullen Fort hopes that the plan of Tucubaya will appease conservatives and stave off civil strife. But the gamble does not pay off. Instead, it polarizes the nation even further, splitting Mexico into those who support the plan and those who still support the 1857 Constitution. Unable to unite the nation, Cullen Fort resigns in January 1858. He is replaced by another of Juan Alvarez's original cabinet members, a prominent lawyer named Benito Juarez. Juarez is a radical liberal, and his appointment deepens Mexico's divisions. Conservatives refuse to recognize him as president, and instead, they swear allegiance to the general who drafted the plan of Tucubaya, Felix Uluaga.
8:58 Lindsay Graham? Soon, both sides assemble armies and prepare for war. Over the next two years, bloody skirmishes will break out between liberals and conservatives. Initially, the conservatives gain the upper hand by driving Benito Juarez out of Mexico City and into hiding in the port city of Veracruz. But after several failed attempts to capture the city, the conservative force is left weakened. In late 1860, Benito Juarez launches a counterattack. On December 22, a force of 16,000 liberal troops marches on Mexico City, clashing with 8,000 conservative soldiers. The conservatives are vanquished, and the triumphant liberal army marches into Mexico City on January 1, 1861.
9:39 Lindsay Graham? The liberals have won the reform war, as this conflict will come to be known, and Benito Juarez is recognized as the undisputed leader of Mexico. But it will be a hollow victory. During the war, both conservatives and liberals found themselves short of funds. They borrowed heavily from international creditors. And just as Benito Juarez begins settling into his presidency, those creditors will send fleets of ships to demand their money back.
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11:02 Speaker 04 Hi, I'm Kenya Burris.
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12:01 Speaker 03 It's October 31st, 1861, seven months before the Battle of Puebla.
12:07 Lindsay Graham? On a cold autumn day in London, delegates from Britain, France, and Spain are meeting to sign a military alliance. During the Mexican Reform War, in which the liberal forces of Benito Juarez defeated the conservative army of Felix Zuloaga, large sums of money were provided to both sides by creditors in Britain, France, and Spain. But following his victory, Benito Juarez decided to delay debt repayments until the Mexican economy recovered. This was not acceptable to the European powers. So today, their delegates are in London to decide how to get their money back. As part of this new alliance, these three nations agree to send battleships to take control of Mexico's ports, where they will seize customs income on imported goods.
12:50 Lindsay Graham? The purpose of the alliance is to get their money, not to topple the Mexican government. And in fact, one term of the pact forbids any of the signatories from attempting to overthrow the Mexican government. Delegates from all three countries sign the agreement, but only Britain and Spain will stick to the terms of the deal. For many years, France's leader, Napoleon III, has nursed a secret ambition to restore France to its former imperial glory. Political instability in Mexico has made the country vulnerable and an obvious target for French expansionism. Napoleon also wants to limit the growing power of the United States and to establish a French puppet regime in the Americas. But despite his desire to conquer Mexico, Napoleon has not been able to invade, knowing
13:34 Lindsay Graham? the inevitable opposition he would face. The US is committed to actively resisting any European colonialism in the Western Hemisphere, a policy called the Monroe Doctrine, espoused by America's fifth president and a founding father, James Monroe. But earlier this year, in April 1861, America was plunged into a civil war. And with the US government preoccupied with domestic turmoil, France was finally free to pursue its imperial designs on Mexico. All Napoleon needed was an excuse. And when Mexican President Benito Juarez refused to repay the wartime loans, Napoleon left at the opportunity to join the alliance, knowing full well he intended to violate its terms.
14:16 Lindsay Graham? In December 1861, France, Britain, and Spain deploy a fleet to seize control of Veracruz on the eastern coast of Mexico. According to their pact, these three countries are supposed to leave Mexico after they've recouped their loans. But it quickly becomes clear that France's ambitions go far beyond debt repayment, and the alliance fractures. By April 1862, British and Spanish troops have withdrawn from Mexico, but the French remain. Then, on April 20th, France declares war on Mexico, and the French army begins a march towards Mexico City. The first major town the French troops reach is Puebla, 100 miles south of the capital, and on May 5th, the invading force launches an attack.
15:01 Lindsay Graham? But the French artillery bombardment and their superior numbers are unable to break down the stout Mexican defenses. Under the courageous leadership of Ignacio Zaragoza, the Mexican soldiers keep the invaders at bay. Their causes furtherated when heavy rainfall turns the ground around the fortress into a muddy swamp, slowing the French advance. The invaders are forced to disperse under heavy musket fire, and Mexico claims its first victory against the French. Soon, President Juárez declares the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla a national holiday, known throughout the country as Cinco de Mayo. But the morale boost following the Battle of Puebla will not last.
15:40 Lindsay Graham? Five months later, in October 1862, 30,000 French reinforcements arrive in Mexico. The newly strengthened French army proceeds to sweep through the country, capturing town after town until the invading force enters Mexico City on June 10th, 1863. President Juárez is forced to flee north to the city of Monterrey, where he sets up a government in exile. The French military declares Mexico a client state of the French Empire. All that's left to do is install a monarch, and Napoleon III believes he's found a perfect candidate. The Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria is an ambitious European aristocrat and an ally of Napoleon.
16:23 Lindsay Graham? He is the younger brother of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph and a member of the illustrious Habsburg Dynasty. With few career prospects in Europe, Maximilian is eager for the chance to rule Mexico and extend the Habsburg Empire to the Americas. So in May 1864, Maximilian and his wife Carlotta arrive in Mexico City. There, they are lavished with decadent banquets and extravagant exhibitions, celebrating the glory of their new Mexican kingdom. But far from the opulence of the capital, a campaign of terror is being waged in the countryside. As the French army seeks to stamp out any opposition to the new imperial regime, they often torture and execute suspected dissidents.
17:06 Lindsay Graham? And by 1865, President Benito Juarez and the remaining liberals have been pushed further north to the far-flung city of Chihuahua, where they lacked the resources to mount a challenge to Emperor Maximilian. Soon, however, events in the United States will ripple south across the border and spell the beginning of the end of French intervention in Mexico.
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17:59 Speaker 07 Hey, I'm Cassie DePecce, the host of Against the Odds from Audible Originals. In each episode, we share thrilling true stories of survival, putting you in the shoes of the people who lived to tell the tale. In our latest series, we track the story of Hugh Glass, the real-life revenant that inspired the 2015 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In 1823, Glass was brutally mauled by a grizzly bear in present-day South Dakota and left for dead. His survival depended on trekking through 350 miles of wilderness alone with grave injuries. But he was driven by his thirst for revenge. Follow Against the Odds wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Against the Odds early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
18:53 Lindsay Graham? It's April 1865 in Mexico City, three years after the Battle of Puebla. Inside the Imperial Palace, the Empress Carlotta of Mexico writes a letter to her husband, the Emperor Maximilian, who is away on administrative duty. The smiling Empress writes, "The mood here in the palace is excellent," before going on to describe an incredible event that occurred just days earlier in Washington DC. "While attending the performance of a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington, American President Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed by a well-known stage actor named John Wilkes Booth." The news of Lincoln's assassination is welcome in the Mexican imperial household because Lincoln was a vocal critic of the Habsburg Empire in Mexico.
19:36 Lindsay Graham? For a time, Lincoln was unable to provide military support to Benito Juarez and the Liberals due to the ongoing civil war in America. But then, earlier this month, the years-long conflict came to an end with a Union victory. And with the Confederate rebels defeated, many in the Maximilian regime feared Lincoln might turn his sights south. But with Lincoln now dead, Emperor Maximilian promptly sends envoys to Washington to seek an alliance with the new president, Andrew Johnson. But Johnson, like his predecessor, resents European colonialism in Mexico. He has no intention of recognizing the legitimacy of Maximilian's kingdom. He ignores the envoys and instead pledges his support for Benito Juarez.
20:18 Lindsay Graham? Soon, American weapons and soldiers began pouring over the southern border, equipping Benito Juarez and the Liberals with the resources they need to oppose the French Army. President Johnson also sends a threat to France's leader Napoleon III, telling him that unless France leaves Mexico, there can be no friendship between the two nations. And by now, the cost of maintaining a military presence in Mexico has become too much for Napoleon to bear. In 1866, he writes to Maximilian to inform him that all men, money, and supplies from France will be cut off. One year later, following an effective guerrilla campaign by Benito Juarez and his army, Maximilian is captured and forced to surrender.
20:59 Lindsay Graham? On June 19, 1867, Emperor Maximilian is executed by firing squad. Benito Juarez will be reinstated as president, and Mexico will finally enjoy a period of political stability. In a letter to an American officer who fought for the liberal army against the French, Juarez will express his gratitude, writing, "To make every sacrifice and to suffer every privation for the Mexican Republic was a spirit so noble that it could not be put into language." Today, many who celebrate Cinco de Mayo outside of Mexico have forgotten or never knew the true history behind the day. But in Mexico, it is a prideful remembrance of some of the nation's greatest heroes: Ignacio Zaragoza and the patriotic men who bravely
21:42 Lindsay Graham? defended their country from tyranny on May 5, 1862.
21:52 Lindsay Graham? Next on History Daily, May 6, 1983, an explosive diary supposedly written by Adolf Hitler is revealed to be a hoax.
22:10 Lindsay Graham? From Noiser and Airship, this is History Daily. Hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham. Audio editing and sound design by Molly Bond. Music by Lindsey Graham. This episode is written and researched by Joe Viner. Executive producers are Stephen Walters for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.
22:37 Lindsay Graham? American History Tellers is only possible because of listeners like you, so thank you. And don't miss an episode. Be sure to follow American History Tellers on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge new seasons of American History Tellers early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. And to find out more about me, including my other podcasts, my live show, the history tours I'm arranging, and all sorts of other things, go to historyishuman.com. That's historyishuman.com.
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