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The Franco-Mexican War was fought between the power hungry French, ruled by Napoleon III, and the very weak Mexican army and its newly formed government. There are many factors that allowed this war to break out. some of the factors include Mexico was a very weak country at the time due to its recent civil war it had between the Liberals and the Conservatives. France had leader in Louis Napoleon Bona part who was out to gain imperial status of his famous uncle Napoleon I. In 1858 Mexico began the? War of the Reform. ?
The War of the Reform was in many ways the? culmination of the ideological disputations, the shuffling of constitutions, the church state controversies, and the minor civil wars that had shattered the peace periodically since Independence? . Mexicans were not sure how to define the kind of society they wanted to the satisfaction of one another, and the intense passions of the age precluded the possibility of a rapprochement without still another resort to arms. ? The war began, as most Mexican wars, with a new plan, this time the Plan de Tacubaya, proclaimed by conservative general Felix Zuloaga. ? Encouraged by promises of ecclesiastic and military support, Zuloaga immediately dissolved the Congress and arrested Benito Juarez, the chief liberal spokesman within the Comonfort government. Juarez had been recently elected chief justice of the Mexican Supreme Court.
This position, according to the new constitution, made him next in line for the Presidency should a vacancy occur. ? President Comonfort believed in compromise but proved himself unequal to the task of blending the diverse views. As he vacillated, liberals in the provinces announced their support of the Constitution and the Reform Laws it embodied. ? Caught between the two extremes and not sure who is friends were and who his enemies might be Comonfort resigned.
When the Army declared Zuloaga as the new president, Juarez managed to escape north to Queretaro, where his liberal following proclaimed him president. ? With two presidents, two governments, and two uncompromising ideologies, Mexico plunged headlong into the most passionate and horrifying civil war to date. (Meyer &# 038; Sherman, 381 - 382) Contrary to some historians, it was not Indians versus whites and the country versus the cities. It is true that the clergy and the army generally supported the Zuloaga government in Mexico City, the Indian masses were found in both camps. ? Some Indian communities, convinced correctly the their ewido lands had been taken away by the liberals under Ley Lead, were persuaded that their future rested with the conservatives. Led by Indian caciques such as Thomas Mejia of Queretaro, they the conservatives an important source of strength scarcely counted on. ?
The liberals were definitely not without Indian support, as many leaders convinced their people that their interest would be better served by casting their fate with their fellow Indian, Benito Juarez. (Meyer &# 038; Sherman, 382) The liberals established their capital in Veracruz where they controlled the customs receipts and obtained military supplies from the outside world. From Veracruz Juarez and his government issued manifestos incriminating the enemy, enticing support, seeking the recognition of foreign governments, and outlining military strategy. In Mexico City, Zuloaga? s government declared the Reform Laws null and void. His administration also swore allegiance to the Holy See, took communion in public, and planned military campaigns. (Meyer &# 038; Sherman) During the first two years of the war the liberals were having a hard time defending their government. The conservative army who was better trained, and better equipped, won most of the major battles and held the most popular states in Mexico.
In the spring of 1859, General Miramon attempted to remove the liberals from Veracruz, he was unable to do so. ? The fighting throughout the republic was vicious, and noncombatants were subjected to wanton depredation by overzealous commanders of both armies. ? The conservative killed prisoners in the name of the Holy religion, and the liberals were killing prisoners in the name of freedom and the democratic government. ? In a particularly intemperate incident after a battle for the control of Mexico City, General Marquez, flushed with victory, ordered the execution of all doctors and medical aides who had treated wounded liberal soldiers. ? With daring event he won the nickname El Tigre de Tacubaya. As for the liberals they were far from angels themselves Churches were defiled.
Priests who refused to give sacraments to the liberal people were placed before firing squads. (Meyer &# 038; Sherman, 383) The intensity of the military campaigns manifested itself in the political arena as well. The liberal government under Juarez issued a series of mandates from Veracruz that made the earlier Reform Laws seem benign in comparison. The liberals who had felt short changed by the constitution now would be compensated. Births and marriages were made civil ceremonies, all cemeteries were secularized, monastic orders were outlawed, all church properties and assets were nationalized, and church and state were separated. The reforms tried to limit the amount of influence it had on the state. (Meyer &# 038; Sherman, 383) By 1860 the liberals had taken over the war. Juarez had two field commanders Ignacio Zaragoza and Jesus Ortega.
In August 1860, Zaragoza and Ortega united their forces at Solar to hand general Miramon is first great defeat. The Final Battle took place three days before Christmas when Ortega crushed Miramon? s army of eight thousand in the little town of San Miguel Calpulalpan. On New Year? s Day, 1861 the newly victorious liberals entered Mexico City to a riotous welcome. (Meyer &# 038; Sherman 384) Although Juarez won the Presidential elections, after the liberal victory, the liberals were badly split on may issues, especially on what type of punishment should be placed on their former enemies. Some liberals fought for harsh retribution but the president opted for a more agreeable policy.
He opted for an amnesty declaration. This caused an uproar in congress, made Juarez? s government very unsteady. (Meyer &# 038; Sherman, 387)? On October 31, 1861, representatives of Queen Isabella II of Spain, Queen Victoria of Great Britain, and Emperor Napoleon III of France affixed their signatures to the convention of London. ?
This convention applied that the three nations were to obtain joint occupation of the Mexican coast to collect their claims. (Meyer &# 038; Sherman, 388) In France Napoleon III put out orders for the Legion to deport for Vera Cruz. He sent two thousand men of the Legions first and second Battalions. On March 26, 1863 the two vessels arrived at Vera Cruz. ? The legionnaires were rowed ashore to Sacrificios Island, where several cemeteries were being rapidly filled with victims of tropical diseases. ? Another batch of legionnaires to a fortress on St.
Jean d? Ulloa Island, which guarded the main approach to Vera Cruz from the sea. (Ryan, 3) The French Army was reinforced with an additional forty-five hundred troops. The legionnaires marched inland on its? war of occupation. ? (Meyer &# 038; Sherman, 389) On April 27, the drama began that would lead to the Legion? s famous battle in the hamlet of Cameron. With the odds of twenty to one the legion fought as hard as they could. ?
The Legions battle at Cameron would end in defeat, but it would teach the Legion a lesson it never forgot about the anatomy of courage and also about the difference between victory and defeat. ? (Ryan 5 - 6) The French minister in Mexico City informed invading commander, General Charles Latrille, that the French would be welcomed with open arms in Puebla and that the local clergy would not only shower them in magnolia petals but would offer a special Te Deum in their honor. ? But Puebla, although conservative and proclerical, was not to be such an easy prize. ? President Juarez had assigned the defense of the city to General Ignacio Zaragoza. Encountering unexpected opposition on the morning of May 5, 1862, Latrille attacked recklessly, and within two hours the French had expended half of their ammunition.
The French troops did not acquit themselves well. ? The decisive maneuver of the day was carried out by young Brigadier Genera Porfirio Diaz, commanding the second brigade. Late in the afternoon Diaz repelled a determined French assault on Zaragoza? s right flank. The dejected invaders, many veterans from the more glorious days in Crimea, retreated to lick their wounds in Orizaba? Meyer &# 038; Sherman, 389).
After hearing the defeat of the French legion Napoleon sent in another 30, 000 troops. This enabled the French to capture Puebla and thus open Mexico City and win the war. Napoleon III had already made up his mind about the future of Mexico. He Decided that if the Monarch was good for France, it would be just as good in Mexico (Meyer &# 038; Sherman, 391). The Mexican allies and Napoleon agreed that Ferdinand Maximilian of Hapsburg, would be a perfect emperor. The Mexicans, led by Jose Miguel Gutierrez Estrada, a monarchist for many years, and Father Francisco Javier Miranda, leader of the arch-conservatives, offered Maximilian the crown on behalf of the Assembly of Notables (Schroeder, 3).
Maximilian accepted the crown under on condition, that his crown be approved by the Mexican people (Meyer &# 038; Sherman, 392). Before leaving for Mexico, Maximilian entered into an agreement with his benefactor, Napoleon III. The convention of Miramar promised Maximilian the new emperor of Mexico to pay all expenses incurred by the French troops during their fight for control of Mexico. the new Emperor also agreed to pay the salaries of the French troops, this included the twenty thousand troops that were to stay in Mexico until 1867. He also assumed to repay all claims. In return Napoleon III gave Maximilian full power over the French troops in Mexico. (Meyer &# 038; Sherman, 398) Maximilian did not last long in power.
With the people unhappy and Juarez? s army still wanting to regain power they eventually drove out the French, with the help of the US While most of the French legion left Mexico Maximilian refused to leave and was eventually killed. (Meyer &# 038; Sherman) The war was not the typical war by any means. I understand why it happened and for what reason. I just don? t understand what the point was. Napoleon III so a weak point in the world and tried to expand his empire.
Why and how he thought he would be able to have an affect on another country that was totally across the ocean is beyond me. Both sides suffered great loses. The French lost thousands of men due to tropical diseases they were not accustomed to. The Mexicans were also losing men to diseases brought over by the French (Ryan). If wars are to be fought over land I believe it should be fought near one? s own country in order to maintain easy or easier control over that particular territory.
When countries become greedy it is nearly impossible to have command of land not near your own country let alone 4, 000 miles away. Meyer, Micheal C. &# 038; SHerman, William L. The Course of Mexican History. Oxford University Press.
New York, 1983. Ryan, James W. Cameron: The French Foriegn Legion? s Greatest Battle.
Praeger Publishing. West Port, Connecticut, 1996. Schroeder, Seaton. The Fall of Maximilian? s Empire: as Seen From a United States Gun Boat.
G. P. Putnam? s Sons Publishing. New York, r. 1967. O?
Conner, Richard. The Cactus Throne: The Tragedy of Maximilian and Carlotta. G. P. Putnam?
s Sons Publishing. New York, 1971
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