Mexico During the First World War

Holly McDonaldPeter Smith

Carson HauckJen Kim

Pre WW1/Instability in Mexico• Victoriano Huerta incident (1913)– Commander of armed forces; conspired with U.S.

ambassador Henry Lane Wilson and others to remove President Francisco I. Madero (1911-1913) from power.

– Became president with signing of Embassy Pact (cosigned by Ambasssador Henry Wilson).

– Most powers around the world recognized Huerta as the rightful leader, especially the German Empire.• Germany considered Huerta vital. The German goal was to

legitimize his leadership in Mexico so as to distract the U.S. on its home front, keeping the U.S. out of the impending war in Europe.

Pre WW1/Instability in Mexico• Response to Huerta– President Woodrow Wilson refused to recognize

Huerta’s rule, calling his coup d'état an illegal action.• Ambassador Henry Wilson was removed from his

position for his actions.

Pre WW1/Instability in Mexico

• Venustiano Carranza– Politician heading the opposition against Huerta

with the covert support of the United States.– Refused the recognition of Huerta as president

and declared war on Huerta.• Other influential leaders in Mexico at the time, such as

Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata, led the fight against Huerta alongside Carranza.

Pre WW1/Instability in Mexico• American intervention (April, 1914)– American forces seized and occupied the port of

Veracruz in opposition of Huerta.• Prevented German arms and financial support from

reaching Huerta.

Pre WW1/Instability in Mexico• Pancho Villa– Contender to presidency of Carranza.– Woodrow Wilson and U.S. recognized and

supported Carranza, putting Villa and U.S. at odds.• March 9, 1916- Villa orders the raid of Columbus , New

Mexico, killing 18 Americans. The town was set on fire and 70-75 raiders were killed.• It was a blatant attack on American soil.

Pre WW1/Instability in Mexico

• American Response to Pancho Villa– President Woodrow Wilson sends 6,000 troops

under General John J. Pershing to Mexico to pursue Villa.

– The Punitive Expedition as it was called ended up in failure and Villa evaded capture by both the U.S. and Carranza.• The U.S. and Mexico were on uneasy terms by this time. The

Mexican-American War 65 years ago, America’s recent involvement in the Mexican Revolution , and the pursuit of Villa continued conflict between these two nations.

Wartime

• The Zimmermann Telegram (January 15, 1917)– Coded telegram sent to German ambassador in

Mexico, Heinrich von Eckardt, by Foreign Secretary of the German Empire Arthur Zimmermann.• Instructed Eckardt to approach Mexican government

with offers of a military alliance and material aid if U.S. appeared likely to enter the war in Europe. Germany would help Mexico reclaim land lost to the U.S. in the Mexican- American War, more specifically the states of Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico.

Wartime

• Response to the Telegram– Tensions between the U.S. and Mexico were

heightened and anti-Mexican/anti-German sentiments intensified

– Germany’s reference in the Telegram to resume “unrestricted” submarine warfare on February 1 turned out to be genuine, causing further American deaths and widespread anti-German feelings.

Wartime• Mexican’s role in WW1– Even though Mexico did not play a direct role in

World War 1, the Zimmermann Telegram and Mexico’s friendly relations with the German Empire accelerated America’s path to war.