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Mexican border incursions redux: In 1916, Wilson sent in the Army
washington times ^ | January 27, 2006 | Robert Stacy McCain

Posted on 01/27/2006 12:17:38 PM PST by tbird5

Reports of armed Mexican outlaws crossing the border to clash with U.S. forces led to demands that the president send troops to protect American lives. It sounds like a story ripped from this week's headlines, when Texas sheriff's deputies pursued marijuana smugglers protected by machine-gun wielding men in Mexican military uniforms. So far, the White House is speaking of its "concern about the reports" of Monday's border crossing, which a spokesman described as "an incident that is under investigation." Yet in 1916, when Pancho Villa's bandits raided Columbus, N.M., a Democratic president didn't hesitate. President Woodrow Wilson sent Gen. John "Black Jack" Pershing to lead an expedition into Mexico. A $5,000 bounty was offered for Villa's capture, and Army posters invoked "The Flag, Old Glory" in calling for 25,000 recruits: "Come on, boys, be ready to shoulder the trusty Springfield."

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: aliens; immigrantlist; panchovilla; punitiveexpedition
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To: robowombat

Thank you muchly *smile*


21 posted on 01/27/2006 12:51:58 PM PST by sono (Ted Kennedy's naming his dog Splash is like Jack Abramoff naming his dog Bribe.)
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To: robowombat
I've been to Columbus, NM.

Gen. Pershing's headquarters is still there and the buildings are in pretty good shape.

It is now called "Pancho Villa State Park". That really pi$$e$ me off!

22 posted on 01/27/2006 12:55:02 PM PST by 43north (Liberals are obsessed by the vulgarity of their lives & the obscenity of their behavior.)
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To: CondorFlight

"Let's just give them back California and let them them pay us reparations for taking care of that state for 150 years..."

Hate to say it but they took this state of Mexifornia back 20 years ago. I gotta get outta here this state sucks.


23 posted on 01/27/2006 1:11:49 PM PST by CAP811 (One man can change the world with a bullet in the right place)
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To: sono
You are welcome. One note, the annoyed spirit of Gen Obregon has pointed out to me his first name was Alvaro not Alfredo.
24 posted on 01/27/2006 1:23:17 PM PST by robowombat
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To: tbird5

Wilson also ordered the occupation of Vera Cruz in 1914 by our armed forces when evidence was uncovered of armament hankypanky between Mexico and the Germans.


25 posted on 01/27/2006 1:28:11 PM PST by tertiary01 (Dems ..the party that repeats history's mistakes over and over and....)
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To: grobdriver

We didn't have a boarder patrol in 1916. All we had was the army.

Pancho Villa had an army of his own. This is a small group of relatively well armed smugglers who MAY pissibly be tied to the Mexican Army, though it's doubtful their acts are sanctioned by the Mexican Army.

The Army is a horrible tool for investigating smuggling. They're good for fighting other armies, but the vast majority of the problems on the boarder are with civilians, and the army isn't trained to deal well with that, nor is it practical to call up the army to deal with rare incursions of small group of armed people.

We need to increase the size of the boarder patrol and equip them properly.

If there's a national guard base in the area, it would be good to keep a team or two of special forces ready to be called up on governor's orders to deal with things like this if we don't want to equip the boarder patrol to handle it.

However, comparing this to Pancho Villa is something that belings in one of Michael Moore's movies, not in a constructive discussion about the problem.


26 posted on 01/27/2006 1:37:14 PM PST by untrained skeptic
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To: VU4G10

Wilson sent in the Army and the Army failed. They did not find Pancho Villa; he was more mobile than the infantry-heavy force Pershing led. The Mexican incursion, however, did help the U.S. get ready for entry into the First World War by teaching lessons about mobilization.


27 posted on 01/27/2006 1:39:42 PM PST by GAB-1955 (being dragged, kicking and screaming, into the Kingdom of Heaven....)
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To: Tallguy
Motorized Warfare in Mexico
28 posted on 01/27/2006 3:14:37 PM PST by Cannoneer No. 4 (‘If I drove a truck off a cliff and survived, I’d probably go back to driving a truck again.’)
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To: tbird5

There were OTM's back then too. See "Zimmerman Telegram".


29 posted on 01/27/2006 3:16:28 PM PST by hispanarepublicana (Chuck Cooperstein is a tool.)
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To: SAMWolf; snippy_about_it; Professional Engineer; Valin; historian1944; alfa6
The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Mexican Punitive Expedition (1916-1917) - Apr. 13th, 2003

The FReeper Foxhole Remembers the 1st Aero Squadron and Pancho Villa (1916) - Mar.30th, 2005

30 posted on 01/27/2006 3:24:56 PM PST by Cannoneer No. 4 (‘If I drove a truck off a cliff and survived, I’d probably go back to driving a truck again.’)
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To: snopercod; buaya
In Pursuit of Pancho Villa 1916-1917 (An Almost Forgotten Episode of Terrorism on American Soil)
31 posted on 01/27/2006 3:38:54 PM PST by Cannoneer No. 4 (‘If I drove a truck off a cliff and survived, I’d probably go back to driving a truck again.’)
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To: snopercod
Good stuff here.
32 posted on 01/27/2006 3:43:17 PM PST by Cannoneer No. 4 (‘If I drove a truck off a cliff and survived, I’d probably go back to driving a truck again.’)
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To: tbird5

North American union coming our way.


33 posted on 01/27/2006 3:44:30 PM PST by junta (It's Jihad stupid! Or why should I tolerate those who hate me?)
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To: tbird5

Pancho Villa a la cabeza de su ejército en 1916.

Pancho Villa at the head of his army in 1916

34 posted on 01/27/2006 3:49:10 PM PST by Cannoneer No. 4 (‘If I drove a truck off a cliff and survived, I’d probably go back to driving a truck again.’)
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To: 43north

It pi$$e$ me off too, and I live right down the road and pass it frequently. I have never once stopped there due to the name.


35 posted on 01/27/2006 3:50:10 PM PST by Tammy8 (Build a Real Border Fence, and enforce Immigration Laws!!!)
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36 posted on 01/27/2006 3:51:21 PM PST by Cannoneer No. 4 (‘If I drove a truck off a cliff and survived, I’d probably go back to driving a truck again.’)
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37 posted on 01/27/2006 4:16:24 PM PST by Cannoneer No. 4 (‘If I drove a truck off a cliff and survived, I’d probably go back to driving a truck again.’)
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To: Tallguy

And in his biography writing to his wife and then later to his father about the incident.

"Spillbury and I hung Cardeneses Uncle three time to make him talk"
" finally he did, though he fainted a couple of times first"
"the uncle was a very brave man and nearly died before he would tell me anything"


38 posted on 01/29/2006 1:44:55 PM PST by Ex101st and proud
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