Today in History: Cinco de Mayo

On this day (May 5) in 1862 the Mexican army defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla against great odds. The French had invaded Mexico as part of the Tripartite Alliance to force Mexico to begin repaying its foreign debts. But after it became apparent that France’s objectives were larger than debt repayment, Britain and Spain withdrew leaving France to continue the invasion by itself. In maneuvering against the Mexicans, the French general acted on inaccurate information that the town of Puebla was pro-French and would overrun its Mexican garrison if the French made a show of force. Instead he got bogged down in fighting and ran out of artillery ammunition. When three assaults failed to take the town, he was forced to withdraw. Then the Mexicans hit him with a cavalry charge to hurry the French on their way. Despite outnumbering the Mexicans 8000 to 4000, the French were defeated, suffering 462 dead to 83 Mexicans.

The Battle of Puebla was crucial in lifting Mexican morale and convincing them they could win against the French—much as George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware did for Americans during the U.S. Revolutionary War. In the short term, the French quickly turned the military situation around taking Mexico City a year later and establishing the Second Mexican Empire under Maximillian. The Second Mexican Empire fell four years later to republican forces. Happy Cinco de Mayo.