The Punitive Expedition

After Carranza gained control in Mexico City, Zapata  had no interest in Villa's campaigns, or the events occurring in Mexico City.

-August 1914-August 1915: Mexico City was put under Obregons sanctions, then Villa's reign of terror, and then back to Obregon, who destroyed the city (313) Then Zapata's men gain controlled, and began looting the city; eventually the citizens viewed Zapata's men to be as bad as Obregons

-Zapatas two main principals:

1. Support village leaders (315)

2. The civilian must always take precedence over the military (315)

-Palafox- One of Zapatas main men, who was a socialist (315)

-Zapata saw Villas campaign as a mean the end of land reform (315)

-2 August- Gonzalez takes over Mexico City: Zapata did nothing because thought Carranza would be as short lived as Huerta

-19 October: Woodrow Wilson put an embargo on all arms sells to Carranza's enemies  

-1916: Carranza sets out to completely destroy Zapata, by mid- June Zapata had lost most of his army and had fled to the mountains (318)

-March 1917: Wilson was forced to acknowledge Carranza as Mexico's leader, which Villa took personally and became furious with the Americans. Villa also thought that Carranza and Wilson were working together to dismember Mexico (320)

Villa and Columbus, New Mexico

-Four different motives for Villas attack on Columbus have been suggested

1. Personal Revenge on an arms dealer (322)

2. Villa was a pawn in unseen hands. Maybe have been a pawn for German's for US businesses (322)

3. Villa acted alone and on impulse (322)

4. Villa believed the US wanted to annex Mexico, so he thought it would be better to ignite a war now (322)

The attack (323): The attack was a failure for Villa

-Result: Wilson was forced to take action against Villa, and enter Mexico. Although he did not want to because he wanted to focus his attention on Europe. 

-Pershing, a US general, entered Mexico on the 10 March

- His troops faced difficulties with the desert weather, and villagers were uncooperative, however Carranza secretly helped him. 

- As a result, the villagers began to like Villa

-17 March:  Villa had his 1st fight with federal forces, and won the battle

- Villa got a wound and was forced to go to the mountains for two months (327) During those 2 months, many of Villas men and generals were killed including Lopez (328) who became a martyr 

-Villas army was now neutralized, but Wilson didn't want to pull out because Carranza had made no concessions to Washington (329)

-As a result, Carranza felt that the US intended to stay for a long time

Four-way Conflict

1. Carranza and Wilson: Both wanted Villa gone, but Carranza wanted Pershing to be removed from Mexico. While Wilson wanted Carranza to authorize a joint operation between Pershings troops and Mexican federal forces (330). Meanwhile Pershing wanted to be able to go after Villa in his own way

-In may Villa attacked the US border again, and Carranza reacted by saying no more American troops could enter, and he demanded Pershing leave Mexico

-21 june: major battle between Pershing and Carranza troops (331)

- Finally after many negations (332) the last American soldier left Mexico on 5 February 

Results of the Punitive Expedition:

- Germany no longer feared the US (333) and ordered unrestricted warfare

-Helped train UA GIs and convinced the public that military spending was needed

-Zimmermann telegram: February 1917: German foreign secretary, Zimmermann, sent a telegraph to Mexico, asking them to engage the US in a war, which Germany would help to supply (333)

- Villa was given a lot of credit, and he once again became a strong military leader