Happy May 5th!

2 Responses to Happy May 5th!

1. foyle says:

   May 5, 2011 at 2:03 pm

   I find some interesting parallels between Cinco de Mayo and the current events in the world (debt crisis, unrest, Libya, etc).

   In July 1861 El Presidenté Benito Juárez issued a moratorium for bankrupt Mexico repaying their debts to Spain, Britain, & France. (Mexico had acquired serious debts during the Mexican-American War, the Mexican Civil War and the Reform Wars in 15 preceding years).

   In response Spain & Britain agreed to negotiate the debts but France decided to invade.

   The Battle of Puebla (May 5, 1862) resulted in the Mexican forces defeating the superior French forces. (The war went on for a few more years, but Mexico had scored an important victory).

   Meanwhile in Washington DC, a certain President breathed a huge sigh of relief. Had France won the Battle of Puebla they would have allied with and provided a continuous supply line for the Confederacy. Very likely the outcome of a certain conflict would have been very different.

   Events do not happen in a vacuum. Very important to remember as we examine the current world scene!

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   • Art Stone says:

     May 6, 2011 at 12:35 am

     My deficient public school education (in the North) vaguely mentioned that France considered supporting the Confederacy but hadn’t taught me why.

     The Southern version of things was that the North was using its power to set tariffs to protect the failing New England textile mills from better, cheaper cloth being made in England using more advanced steam powered looms.

     A subtext is that slaves were considered financial assets and Northern bankers loaned money to plantation owners using their slaves as collateral. Had slavery been outlawed and no compensation paid for freeing the slaves, the Southerners would have had their loans “called” and their land seized by the “Northern bankers”.

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