The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, The 5th Of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexicans over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. It is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, with some recognition in other parts of the Mexico, and especially in U.S. cities with a significant Mexican population. It is not, as many people think, Mexico’s Independence Day, which is actually September 16.
4 thoughts on “Cinco de Mayo”
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NewMexiken – I used to have a news article that was published in the Denver Post years ago but not written by the DP that stated how the US Government used the battle of Puebla as a propaganda tool in border states to spread the word that the French were defeated by the peasant army in Mexico. I can’t remember the why the US govt. felt this was important exactly. That is why the border states with Mexico celebrate Cinco de Mayo up to today.
I would love to get my hands on this article but don’t know where to start. Any iders?
I just did a cursory study and found nothing relevant.
Given the poor relations between Mexico and the U.S. before and during World War I, it wouldn’t be surprising if the propaganda you read about was from that period. My grandfather was stationed in Columbus, New Mexico, during the war.
Anyone else?
When I was a young man living in rural New Mexico the holiday that New Mexican espanoles looked forward to was el cuatro ‘e Julio. not the fifth of May.
given the universality of may 1 as the day for all workers to celebrate, it is possible that this approximate date suits the shifting puppet masters who unofficially decreed long ago that there would be no may first labor day in north america.
such a deflexion would explain why 5/5 is essentially a NA occurence.