The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Mexican Punitive Expedition (1916-1917) - Apr. 13th, 2003

http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/fall_1997_mexican_punitive_expedition_1.html ^ | Mitchell Yockelson

[nicollo]

Two of my grandmother's eight brothers served under Pershing in the raid. I suppose they joined up under the New Mexico National Guard. Most of the other brothers signed up for WWI, in and out of proper age. The family was at Las Cruces at the time, and we have diaries of my grandmother that describe the panic at the Villa raid. The moment was extreme, and, typically, Americans rallied.

Equally, typically, it didn't have to be this way. Woodrow Wilson and his first Sec. of State, the populist Wm. Jennings Bryan, blew it. Wilson inherited a firm policy of border containment and diplomatic isolation from the Taft Administration, and he and Bryan punted in favor of then-PC feel good, wishful thinking politics. As your article states, Wilson refused to recognize Huerta. It was all an ugly preview of his hard-ass, self-loving ego that would ruin him after WWI.

I don't know enough about it, but I do know that Villa purposefully tried to bring in the Americans (his motives were left uncertain in your article; I'm certain it was to raise American outrage). Villa was no bandit. He was an important politician. I'm not certain about his split with Caranza, but I'm fairly certain it was precipitated by the fall of the Huerta government.

[Note: the article states that the "Manouver Division" was abandoned in 1911; that may be so, but Taft fortified the border again the following year, and more strongly than he had in 1911]

Btw, the raid helped solidify Wilson's re-election in 1916, a most unfortunate event.

The raid is much noted for its use of trucks, autos, and airplanes. That, too, was back-assed, for the Wilson Administration had badly ignored the motorized forces. As noted by your Quartermasters Museum quotation, the US Army was dreadfully behind with automobiles. It didn't have to be that way, and that it was was Wilson's fault.

Taft's predecessor, T. Roosevelt had completely ignored the automobile, and as a result, Taft inherited an Army that was almost devoid of motors. Only staff and ambulances were allowed motors under Roosevelt, and barely. Taft promoted automobiles for the military, as well as airplanes. Wilson actually decreased the number of motors he had inherited from Taft.

The reason for Wilson's and Roosevelt's backassed view towards the motor was all political: they felt that automobiles and their truck and airplane cousins were rich mens' toys and thereby undemocratic. They ought not be excused of the error. The small size of the American motorized forces was a disgrace. Roosevelt's hatred of the automobile for his misguided love of the horse and Wilson's hatred of the automobile for its connotations of wealth created the situation by which the US Army was completely unprepared for the deep-drive into Mexico.

Taft's vision has been fulfilled by the 3rd ID's drive to Baghdad.

I wrote about all this in my upcoming book on Taft, referenced on my FR homepage.

Sam, if you think it's worthwhile, perhaps you can ping your folks to this post by way of wrapping up this wonderful thread you've put together on this event.

Thanks, as always!

[SAMWolf]

Thanks nicollo. Real interesting addition to the thread.

[Valin]

To die too sleep, too sleep perchance to dream. Ah but in that dream aye there's the rub.

[Jen]

Go back to DU, you racist troll.