Zona

Happy Sink O Day My O!!

This holiday commemorates the day beer was discovered in Mexico. At least that's what you would think by the way it's celebrated.

Here's what really happened.

The French were in Mexico to collect a debt owed them. They also thought they could take the place over. During a break in the fighting the French were allowed to retreat to the coast. They asked the Mexicans if they could leave their wounded in the highlands to get better. The Mexicans said "si". The Mexicans spotted French wounded walking around with rifles and complained to the French. The Mexicans weren't too worried about it but the French Commander, fearing his men were going to be murdered, stopped the retreat and called his troops back.

There was a battle in which the Mexicans were beaten. The Mexicans retreated to Puebla. The HEAVILY fortified city of Puebla. The French commander thought that the populace of Puebla didn't like being Mexican and were only kept in check by the Mexican army. EVERYBODY told the French commander NOT to attack Puebla from the north. On May 5th, 1862 the French attacked........from the north.

When CNN reported the Mexican victory at Puebla, Napolean III sent 29,000 more troops. The French eventually conquered Mexico City. On their way to doing that, they decided to go around Puebla.

Some interesting things:

It's not a Federal holiday in Mexico.

The battle was great for morale and it also gave the Mexican Govt time to get out of Mexico City before the French got there and put Maximillian in power. The Mexican Govt, now based in the north, continued to be recognized as the legitimate government by most countries of the world.

The French intended to use Mexico, in part, to support the confederacy in the U.S. Civil War. That explains why some of the Confederates fled to Mexico after the Civil War ended. (Pinches Gringos)

The Mexicans defeated the French and drove them out in 1867.

And in case you're wondering, Mexican Independence Day is September 16th.