Monday, May 05, 2008

cinco de mayo: a 30 second history

Have a wonderful time celebrating General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin's victory over the French forces led by Charles de Lorencez on May 5th, 1862 in the Battle of Puebla.

Napoleon the third was owed money by mexico and sent a veritable grip of troops over to collect. The Brits and Spaniards were owed money as well, and they jumped on the band wagon. After they showed up in January of 1862 though, they realized that there wasn't much reason to be there and they made their apologies and went back home three months later.

Napoleon's forces, on the other hand, got their butts whipped in the Battle of Puebla on the 5th of May because they stuck around. This kind of pissed off ol' Nappy and he sent another 15000 troops. It took him 5 more years to conquer most of Mexico.

Now I'm not a genius, but i think it probably cost more to fight a 5 year war over the Atlantic Ocean than Mexico could have possibly owed them... also, given the fact that I've never heard a Mexican speak French, I think it is arguably one of the stupidest and most pointless military efforts that the French have ever undertaken.


i feel like a margarita.

Cabo

viva

2 comments:

The Mommy said...

I'll drink to that!

a work in progress said...

Now, Patrick, there certainly some Mexicans that speak French. However, we will assume that they speak it due to collegiate study rather than French Imperialism. :)

It pains me to correct you my dear cousin, but alas, I am your elder and you should listen to me.

Other than that one itsy bitsy oversight, I do believe that in fact, yes, you are a genius.