Historical factoid about Mexico

[gringolandia]

Mexico has won more wars than France.... actually not counting the battle of Puebla ... Mexico defeated France and forced them to withdraw from this country in disgrace. Not bad for a country that has no offensive armed forces.

[jimmiller]

Mexico has won more wars than France.... actually not counting the battle of Puebla ... Mexico defeated France and forced them to withdraw from this country in disgrace. Not bad for a country that has no offensive armed forces.

The French withdrew from Mexico because Napoleon III was running short of money and materiel in his wars in Europe-he decided his priority was fighting in Europe. It wasn't because he was defeated in Mexico. He couldn't fight two wars at the same time so gave up on Mexico.

[gringolandia]

I don't disagree but the French army that remained to assist ....Max...did surrender, their generals were shot by the victors, (Mexicans) as was their puppet head of state (French).....either way France left whether for financial reasons or not...they couldn't and didn't prevail.

[newinajijic]

Mexico is called "United Sates of Mexico".

[Doolittle]

Mexico has won more wars than France.... actually not counting the battle of Puebla ... Mexico defeated France and forced them to withdraw from this country in disgrace. Not bad for a country that has no offensive armed forces.

Apparently you're not counting the Napoleanic Wars.

[jimmiller]

I don't disagree but the French army that remained to assist ....Max...did surrender, their generals were shot by the victors, (Mexicans) as was their puppet head of state (French).....either way France left whether for financial reasons or not...they couldn't and didn't prevail.

Mexico didn't win because of its military might or the genius of its generals. It won because France just left the field in favor of other priorities. Also, Maximilian was offered several opportunities to return to Europe,but he chose death over dishonor (in his opinion).

[jimmiller]

Apparently you're not counting the Napoleanic Wars.

And don't forget the French Revolution-the French won that one too.

[slumdog]

They also won in Quebec, much to the chagrin of the English.

[jimmiller]

They also won in Quebec, much to the chagrin of the English.

true they won the battle,but they lost that war to the English. or,at least that's what we were always taught in school.

[cookj5]

Mexico is called "United Sates of Mexico".

Not to nitpick, but if you check the the name of Mexico on the coins in your pockets, you will find it is Estados Unidos Mexicanos, i.e. United States of Mexicans.

[cookj5]

Mexico didn't win because of its military might or the genius of its generals. It won because France just left the field in favor of other priorities. Also, Maximilian was offered several opportunities to return to Europe,but he chose death over dishonor (in his opinion).

I supposed one could make a similar argument that the Vietnamese didn't win their war with the United States (of America) through their military might or the genius of their generals, because the USA had "other priorities" and decided to leave. Both arguments are specious. The force remaining in possession of the the field is the winner, regardless of the reasons its opponent left. The fact is, in both cases the invader failed to force the other side to surrender, and ultimately was himself forced by circumstances to depart. That's a victory in my book. The conditions in both wars were such that neither Mexico nor the Vietnamese had to militarily overcome their opponent. To win, they simply needed to avoid defeat themselves and wait the other side out.

Regarding Maximilian, he did indeed choose to stay and fight it out and was captured with his army at the end of the war. Numerous attempts by various European governments were made to secure his release (none if which he objected to). Benito Juarez was rock solid in his opinion that a message must be sent to those who would invade and try to impose a foreign government. Maximilian's firing squad sent that message loud and clear. Mexico was at last victorious.

[RVGRINGO]

Not to nitpick, but if you check the the name of Mexico on the coins in your pockets, you will find it is Estados Unidos Mexicanos, i.e. United States of Mexicans.

Just to 'nitpick', the 'Mexicanos' in the name refers to 'Estados', as in 'Mexican States'. If one were mentioning Mexican lakes, it would be, 'Lagos Mexicanos'. A person would be, 'Una persona Mexicana, hombre Mexicano, mujer Mexicana', etc. Therefore, the translation should be. "United Mexican States".

[papirex]

Just to 'nitpick', the 'Mexicanos' in the name refers to 'Estados', as in 'Mexican States'. If one were mentioning Mexican lakes, it would be, 'Lagos Mexicanos'. A person would be, 'Una persona Mexicana, hombre Mexicano, mujer Mexicana', etc. Therefore, the translation should be. "United Mexican States".

To carry the nitpicking a little further, this points out the common error of applying the rules of grammar for one language to another. In general, every word in Spanish that refers to something that is a plural, is written as a plural. This is most noticeable with abbreviations. The abbreviation for The United States is always written as EE UU, To show that it means Estados Unidos. Both are plural words. It gets tricky sometimes.

Rex

[cookj5]

To carry the nitpicking a little further, this points out the common error of applying the rules of grammar for one language to another. In general, every word in Spanish that refers to something that is a plural, is written as a plural. This is most noticeable with abbreviations. The abbreviation for The United States is always written as EE UU, To show that it means Estados Unidos. Both are plural words. It gets tricky sometimes.

Rex

My nitpick stands corrected by both Rex and RVGringo. You are both right, of course.

[peny0929]

And, then there's Texas, a/k/a Tejas en Espanol. Women referred to as Tejanas and men Tejanos. Another Factoid, whatever that is......

[Islander]

More of Mexican historical factoids:

+ Moctezuma (the final ruler of the Aztec Empire),was killed (stoned) by his countryman .

(Spanish conquest of Mexico in 1521 )

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Let me know if you want to know anything about the creation of Ejido system it's destruction in 1859 and later revival

(or google it)

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+ Mexican war of independence (and yes, it was a revolution ......look up the definition of "revolution") started as a pheasant Amerindians and mestizos rebellion against their colonial conquistadors. 1810 ended 1821

most original leaders of the revolution were executed in 1811. Let me know if you want to know who they were (or google it).

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+ First Mexican Empire:

Rebellion (led by Santa Anna- (let me know if you want to know who he was- or google it) against the first Mexican emperor (Liberator Augustin I.) ended in emperor's execution in 1824

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+Second Mexican empire:

Political struggle between the liberals (headed by indigenous leader Benito Juarez) and conservatives Maxmiliano I (2 different -parallel-governments) finally led to an execution of the conservative Mexican emperador Maximiliano I by firing squad (1867) to assure that Mexico is not any more in foreign control.....Let me know if you want to know more about the event -or google it).

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+ In the first 55 years of the Republic, 75 Presidents came and went.

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+ Reform War of 1857-60.

* Vincente Guererro (national hero) "won" his presidency with the aid of general Santa Anna by staging a coup against the elected (2) president Manuel Gomez Pedraza who succeeded first president Guadalupe Victoria ...1829. Guererro was removed from power in a rebellion of his vice-president (Bustamante)in December 1929 and was executed.

+ Mexicans loyal to Guerrero revolted, driving Bustamante from his presidency and a former friend of Guerrero, who conspired with Bustamante to capture Guerrero, was executed.

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+ Poisonings of Nicolas Bravo and his wife 1954

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I do not want to bore this webboard with all the details... but how about:

-Mexican Civil War of 1858

-The Battle Of Puebla in 1862.

-or the Disastrous US - Mexican war.

-The Revolution 1910 - 1920

-The ‘Passive revolution’ 1920-1940

-Assassination of president-elect Alvaro Obregon

-Institutional Single Party system (PRI) and handpicking the presidents .."finger strike".

-1988 presidential elections -(Clouthier's "state assassination ")

-Economic reforms and crises of 1995

and so on.

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It begs the question:

How stable do you think this present government is? ... Cheers

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[Doolittle]

IMHO the gov't has been stable since the election of Fox in 2000. BTW, you seem to have left out the Cristero War.

[Islander]

Yes, Christiada - the religious uprising in mid 20's.

I did forget, I was never good in religious studies. Nevertheless important for many Mexicans (originated in Guadalajara?-do you know?) I guess I could google it.

Thanks for the reminder and take care.

[carcamal]

Not to nitpick, but if you check the the name of Mexico on the coins in your pockets, you will find it is Estados Unidos Mexicanos, i.e. United States of Mexicans.

To further nitpick, that means United Mexican States.

[Guest Gringal]

One final thought on the French: Without their assistance during the Revolutionary War, (which did serious damage to their treasury) the citizens of the U.S.A. would be singing "God Save the Queen".

[RVGRINGO]

Not only that; we would also have a health plan and stiff upper lips.