US Involvement in the Mexican Revolution

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US Involvement in the Mexican Revolution

• By Nicole Garcia
• Candelario Garcia
• Jesus Sesma

2
Prior Political Intervention

• Supported liberal president Benito Juárez with
  his agenda for a democratic Mexican society
• President Lincoln sent supplies to help Juárez
  overthrow emperor Maximilian I of Mexico

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Why did the U.S. interfere in the Revolution?

• The United States interfered to protect American
  lives, property and industrial interests in
  Mexico.
• Stability
• Political, economic, social

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Trends in Political Intervention

• U.S. support of people in power
• Madero established a liberal democracy and
  received support from the United States
• Carranza favored by the U.S. over radicals
• President Wilson feared Mexico's weak status
  would lend itself to forces hostile to the United
  States.

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Madero Presidency

• Initially supported by U.S.
• No stability, no support
• Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson
• Huge enemy
• 100,000 U.S. troops stationed _at_ border
• Threat if harm should come to American lives or
  property
• Demands for Maderos resignation
• Britain, Germany, and Spain pressured into making
  similar demands

6
Huertas reign

• Brought to temporary power at U.S. Embassy
• Felix Diaz
• Turned to British capital
• Panama Canal shipping rates accord
• Wilson recognition refusal
• morality
• USS Dolphin incident
• Excessive demands 21 gun salute, harsh
  punishment of Mexican officer in charge
• Veracruz invasion

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Carranzas Presidency

• Backed by U.S. prior to presidency
• Proposed provisional president
• 1915 de facto recognition by the U.S.
• Memorandum for de jure recognition
• Control over foreign economic rights
• Internal matters role of the church, elections,
  etc.
• Deterioration due to Mex. attempts to regulate
  foreign oil companies
• Embargo placed on political opponents
• Hunt for Pancho Villa

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Militaristic Intervention

• During the independence movement, the U.S.
  assisted the insurgents in achieving independence
• Monroe Doctrine as justification
• U.S.-Mexico relationship deteriorated with the
  reign of dictators such as Iturbide and Santa
  Anna the
• Twice during the Revolution, the U.S. sent troops
  into Mexico

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Ypiranga incident

• German merchant ship carrying illegal arms to
  Huerta
• April 21, 1914 - President Wilson sends troops to
  Veracruz to stop the ship from docking.
• Six day siege on Veracruz against locals and
  cadets
• Intervention by ABC Powers

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Niagara Falls Convention

• U.S. demands
• Elimination of Huerta
• Establishment of Prov. Gov. under Carranza
• Carranzas answer
• NO to foreign interference
• Wanted U.S. troops out
• Troops finally left November 23

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Chasing Pancho Villa

• Why chase him?
• Killed 16 in Columbus, New Mexico
• Why did he attack Columbus?
• Believed Carranza sold out Mexico to the U.S.
• Wanted to see how Carranza would react
• What did the U.S. do?
• Sent Brigadier General John J. Pershing into
  Mexico to capture Villa
• Mexican Expedition

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Effects of the Chase

• Was Villa caught?
• Not a chance
• Why not?
• Villa was very familiar with the terrain
• Hid in the mountains
• Unexpected response by Carranza
• How did Carranza react?
• Denounced the invasion
• Demanded removal of U.S. troops
• Prepared for war
• Complained to other Latin American countries

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Effect in context of Latin America

• Hurt image of the United States
• Increased Anti-Yankee sentiments
• Note sent by Mexico to other Latin American
  countries
• Denounced U.S. invasion as violating Mexican
  sovereignty
• Claimed invasion was a reaction to Mexicos
  elimination of policies favoring foreign
  capitalists

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Economic Intervention

• The economy took a great leap during the
  Porfiriato,
• encouragement of construction such as factories,
  roads, dams, industries, and better farms. This
  resulted in an influx of foreign capital
  (principally from the United States)
• At the turn of the 20th Century United States
  owners held about twenty-seven percent of Mexican
  land.
• By 1910 American industrial investment was 45
  percent, pushing Presidents Taft and Wilson to
  intervene in Mexican affairs.

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Economic Intervention

• Embargos placed on arms and ammunitions for
  political opponents
• Under Huertas reign, embargo placed on Carranza
• Lifted with understanding that American lives and
  property would be protected
• Under Carranza, embargo placed on Villa and other
  political opponents
• Military goods blocked during Veracruz invasion

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Social Intervention

• The Mexican government was increasingly
  nationalistic, and U.S. public and press opinion
  demanded security
• Villa and border protection
• U.S. interventions affected the welfare of the
  approximately 50,000 North Americans living in
  Mexico even more than those at home.
• In the wake of the Veracruz invasion, antiNorth
  American riots broke out in diverse parts of
  Mexico.
• The U.S. government set up stations at New
  Orleans, Texas City, and San Diego for the
  handling of North American refugees

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Social Intervention

• Organizations
• Womans groups
• Religious groups
• Red Cross
• Why?
• Harsh economy and social situation
• Humanitarianism

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State of the Average Mexicans

• Unemployement
• Food shortage
• Lack of adequate living conditions
• Instability
• Political, social, economic, religious
• Not just in Mexico

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American Ideology

• Mexican Presidents could not maintain order and
  protect U.S. interests
• strategically important production of oil and
  rubber
• Gained power by shady means
• Huerta rose to power after murdering his
  democratically elected predecessor, Francisco
  Madero
• Wilsons morality rhetoric
• Recognition policy

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Interesting Facts

• Actually the Ypiranga was at least one-half
  American-owned.
• It had received clearance for its cargo from
  Wilson himself well in advance of its departure
  for Mexico.
• If U.S. authorities had wanted to stop the ship,
  it could have been boarded at sea.

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Questions??