The Punitive Expedition

Zapata and Carranza - To the Death!

• August 1914-1915 (Mexico City) - Obregon's sanctions, then blissful Zapata interlude, the Villa reign of terror, then Obregon (28 Jan to 11 Mar, 1915), then Zapata
• Zapata have 2 principles:

1. support village leaders against professionals
2. civilians take precedence over military

• Zapata see Villa's campaigns as means and land reform as ends
• 11 July - Pablo Gonzalez ocupy Mexico City - Zapata thought Carranza would be as short lived as Huerta
• November 1915 - Carranza announce definitive campaign to end Zapata's hegemony - paranoia and suspicion suffuse zapatistas
• December 1915 - Zapata try 4-pronged counteroffensive: Morelos, Puebla, S. Mexico State, and Federal District
• 1916 - Carranza try to destroy Zapata - offer land reform, purge army of ex-zapatistas, add 20,000 troops to Army of Morelos
• Autumn 1915 - Woodrow Wilson felt he had to recognize Carranza's government

Villa and the US

• Issue manifesto - declare Wilson's recognition of Carraza as quid pro quo for massive concessions by Carranza - harbor anti-American animosity
• 8 March - Billa attack Columbus, NM - 4 possible motives:

1. personal revenge against arms dealer Sam Ravel
2. US capitalists pay Villa to encourage Wilson to occupy Senora and Chihuahua
3. acted alone - pure impulse and spontanaeity
4. provoke US and discredit Carranza

• Wilson forced to act - send 3 brigades to Mexico to search for Villa
• Vila gain support for his anti-gringo propaganda
• Punitive Expedition succeed, Wilson refuse to withdraw because Carranza had not made any concessions to the US
• Carranza want Wilson out, Wilson want Carranza to join the US, Wilson and Carranza want to eliminate Villa, and Villa want to eliminate Carranza and Wilson
• May - Villa raid Glenn Springs, TX

US and Carranza:

• Carranza tell US that troops must be withdrawn immediatly - done by early 1917
• June 1916 - Wilson call for the end of civil war in Mexico and ask Mexicans to support Carranza as credible authority
• 21 June - fight between US and Carranza - war did not break out because neither leader wanted it
• Wilson embargo food, arms, gold and credit to Carranza
• Zimmermann Telegram - Febuary 1917 - if Carranza attack US, Germany support Mexico financially and militarily and help regain territory lost during the Mexican-American War - England intercept the telegram and deliver to the US