That's My Story

HOW CINCO DE MAYO SAVED THE U.S. – Published May 2006 – Western Outdoor News

I always enjoy seeing how other countries, cultures and nationalities celebrate their holidays. You learn an awful lots by seeing how days like Easter and Christmas are observed.

The one that always got me was Cinco de Mayo. How many of you reading this actually know why Americans seem to go bonkers at their local watering hole yelling “Viva Mexico.” Even to my Mexican friends, it seemed like a fairly minor Mexican holiday. I always felt it was just another excuse to fire up the barbecue and drink beer popularized mostly by a certain beer company that begins with the letter “C” and makes some great commercials.

Even Mexico barely celebrates it from what I can see. It’s kind of a funny circle. Americans THINK it’s a major holiday so they party royal in the U.S. and certainly when they come to Mexico. However, Mexico only seems to wear the party hats because that’s what the Americans expect! In reality, I always figured it was like Mexican tourists coming to the U.S. to celebrate Arbor Day or Flag Day (remember those?). No big whup unless I was a bar owner and it meant increased liquor sales then by all means, let’s par-TAY!

Out of curiosity, I did a bit of research. In reality, while Cinco de Mayo isn’t a top-shelf holiday like Sept. 15th (Independence Day) when it declared it’s freedom from Mother Spain, the battle that took place in Puebla in May 5th, 1862, actually had some important ramifications for the U.S.

It’s the day that 4,000 raggedy and often barefooted Mexican troops faced an army of 8,000 French (yes THOSE French) who at the time, were among Europe’s finest; most veteran; and well-equipped troops. The cocky French were pretty sure that when they attacked, the Mexicans would run in the face of the fancy lancers and dragoons. (Peasant and rebel armies often did that in those days when faced with the spit-and-polish ramrod troops of that age).

The French even came with their newly formed “French Foreign Legion” the equivalent of sending in the U.S. Rangers and Delta guys. Well, the French were pretty cocky and committed all kinds of tactical errors and the Mexican army, some armed with just machetes, didn’t just stand up to one of Europe’s finest…they basically kicked the French in their collective foi gras. For many days later, the Mexican army chased what was left of the screaming French army through the Mexican hills.

You see, after befriending the U.S. just several decades earlier in our Revolutionary War, French sentiment had changed. Emperor Napolean III detested the U.S. and had planned to supply the Confederate troops embroiled in our own Civil War north of the border with guns and other arms which could have turned the war against Abe Lincoln and the north. Just fourteen months after the battle of Puebla, General Lee was defeated by the Union Army at Gettysberg, Pennsylvania essentially ending the confederate threat to the north and preserving the union.

With the confederate forces in retreat, union guns and arms were rushed to the Mexican border to help Mexico expel the French once-and-for-all liberating Mexico from all European rule as an independent nation. At the end of the Civil War, Union soldiers were even encouraged to join the Mexican army to fight the French.

It seems many Mexicans did not forget and it’s a hidden story about how many Mexican Nationals joined the the U.S. Armed forces after Pearl Harbor and as recently as the Vietnam and Persian Gulf War and the current conflicts, how many Mexicans went to consulates in an attempt to fight another war for the U.S and did end up enlisting.

So bottom line and a bit of logic stretching, Cinco de Mayo and 4,000 chippy barefooted Mexicans with machetes saved the Union and your right to drink beer in May…among other things. Viva Mexico indeed! (I found this info on a great website: www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm).

LATEST ON AERO CAL – Pilots and flight attendants have been called and told to get ready to return to work. Mechanics have been seen working on planes in La Paz and inspections are taking place in several destinations. Callers to Aero California have been told the airline “will be back in service around May 22nd.”

That’s my story. If you ever want to reach me, my e-mail is riplipboy@aol.com.

Jonathan