Cinco de Mayo- Beyond the Borders

I love 'behind-the-scenes' type stuff. And Cinco de Mayo is a great 'behind-the-scenes' story.  It's about freedom on so many levels, though perhaps not in the way you would expect.  In America it's often viewed as a nod to Latino culture.  But it's not Latino in general, it's Mexican in particular.  And it's not about Mexican independence- their Independence Day is Sept 16th.  Ironically, it was a singular, hopeful event that occurred within an otherwise failed campaign.  So what's all the fuss about?  For me, it's less about the event itself but the larger story in which it played a crucial, behind-the-scenes role.

The year was 1862.  America was in the midst of its own Civil War.  A war about freedom.  But at this point it was NOT about freedom for African Americans.  It was about freedom for... the Carolinas, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri.  The United States having fought for its independence from Great Britain, the Confederate States felt free to secede from the Union as well.  And just about everybody else in the world agreed.  Great Britain and France, in particular, tended to side with the Confederate States- how dare the Union attempt to hinder the freedom of individuals to choose their government?

By all means, the Confederacy was stronger militarily.  They had the best generals, they had the conviction of fighting for their homes to compel them, and quite frankly, they were winning.  But the North was the industrial center.  Of great importance in this matter, the industry to manufacture guns and bullets.  The South was going to need help with supplies if they were to last.  And that's where General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin and his 'lowly' band of Mexicans come into play on May 5, 1862.

With the U.S. distracted, France saw an opportunity to increase its hold on an empire by taking control of Mexico.  With that puzzle piece in place, they would share a border with the Confederate States and thus be in the perfect position to offer aid to their Confederate Allies.  In essence, they won.  April 1864 saw the establishment of Maximilian I as a 'puppet' Emperor of Mexico under French control.  But by then it was too late.  A monkey wrench had been thrown into the plan, and history was made.

The French arrived in 1862 with about 8,000 troops, twice the size of General Zaragoza's band of rebels.  Not to mention France's army was considered the best in the world at the time.  But freedom can be a strong motivator and the Mexicans defeated that initial French attempt on May 5th.  France could not take Mexico as easily as it thought.  And it had drastic consequences on the U.S.'s fight for freedom.  One, France could not supply aid to the Confederates.  Though militarily stronger, the Union was simply able to outlast the South in battle.  Two, it allowed President Lincoln to change the terms of the freedom for which the war was fought- freedom for the slaves.  A number of laws were enacted throughout 1862 culminating in the Emancipation Proclamation signed on January 1,1863.  The war was no longer about the Union keeping the Confederate States from being free, it was about the Confederates keeping the slaves from being free.

Political opinion and support across the pond changed as both England and France, having already freed their slaves earlier in the century, could not support a confederacy that had slavery as a central feature. The Confederacy did not receive the aid they needed, the tide of the war gradually shifted as the Union gained momentum with the victory at Gettysburg.  And the slaves were freed.

What if France had gotten control of Mexico earlier and been able to supply the South with vital supplies?  Would the Emancipation Proclamation even occurred?  Or would it have been too late?  We'll never know exactly but I think it's pretty safe to say- the freedom we ALL enjoy would have been severely hindered were it no for a small group of Mexican soldiers who gave it their all in the fight for Freedom.  Though they won their battle, they lost their war.  But were it not for their battle, America's freedom would have been drastically different.

So raise your Corona as we honor the freedom fighters in the Battle of Puebla, May 5, 1862- who, while fighting for their own, inadvertently helped give us ours.