[3/4] -- PANCHO VILLA -- Anti-Hero of The SouthWest - Mexican Revolutionary Part III

Part I, Pancho Villa lives his young life as a Mexican outlaw and in Part II, the Mexican Revolution has started. Pancho Villa and other Revolutionaries have battled and won, ending Porfirio Diaz's 33 year rule. The Revolution is about to enter into the 2nd chapter of its young existence.

Francisco Villa (left), Emiliano Zapata (Right)
Source: Wikimedia

Part III.

A New President - Same System

Within six months of armed revolution, Mexico was finally free from its dictator on May 25, 1911. The Treaty of Juarez liberated Mexico of Porfirio Diaz, but it did not change much of the political base. Francisco Madero, the new self proclaimed President of Mexico, negotiated a treaty that exiled Diaz, but allowed for much of the political power structure to remain in place until elections were held. The revolutionaries like Pascual Orozco, Emiliano Zapata, and Villa wanted to distribute land to the soldiers of the revolution and to the poor. They were frustrated with the promises that were made but never fulfilled.

Elections were held in November of 1911 and Francisco Madero was elected President of Mexico. Madero was an inexperienced politician who would make critical mistakes very early in his tenure. He disbanded the revolutionaries, continued to rely on many of Diaz's prior political appointees and worse, created division among the revolutionaries themselves. Villa warned Madero that his political ideology would get them all killed. His warning would fall on deaf ears.

The new President Madero's initial mistake would be in appointing Venustiano Carranza, another rich land baron like himself, as his Minister of War. Carranza was also a leader in the Revolution against Diaz, and like Madero preferred to keep the political power structure in tact. This would split up factions of the Revolution. The Revolutionary leaders of the "People," like Pascual Orozco, Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa would come to realize that the Revolution, up to this point, was truly not for the poor or oppressed; land reform for 98% of the People of Mexico would have to wait.

Source: Wikimedia
Orozco (far left), Villa (middle with bandolier)

Pascual Orozco was so discontented with Madero's Presidency, that on March 3, 1912 he rebelled. With his men, the Orozquistas, he quickly defeated several of Madero's battalions. President Madero's fatal mistake would be to call out of retirement, Victoriano Huerta, a retired military general, to quash Orozco's rebellion. Madero would also call back into action Francisco "Pancho" Villa. Villa had won many battles and proved to be a great tactician. His cavalry, Los Dorados (the Golden Ones), hardened men, many with Apache blood and warrior traits, would prove to be an excellent military asset.
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Victoriano Huerta
Source: Wikimedia

Pancho Villa's earlier warning to Madero that he had put the Revolution and themselves at risk came to pass. Other revolts against Madero's Presidency sprang up in the south by the Zapatistas. Meanwhile, the Orozquistas won battles in the states of Chihuahua and Durango in the north, but with Madero's new "one two punch" in Huerta and Villa, Orozco was defeated and narrowly escaped with his life. General Huerta then turned against Pancho Villa on charges of insubordination, with intent to execute Villa. General Huerta realized that Pancho Villa's ultimate loyalty was to the lower class people of Mexico. Huerta viewed Villa as rebellious and a future threat to the current power structure. Luckily for Villa, the President Madero's brother intervened on Pancho Villa's behalf. Instead his life was spared and he was imprisoned in Mexico City in June of 1912.

Mexico was in turmoil now with factions revolting throughout the country against the government for lack of political and land reforms, and then some of those same factions would fight amongst themselves. Villa was out of the way in prison for the next six months, where it is said he would study politics, law, and even military tactics from other generals and politicians that were also imprisoned. Then disguised as one of his lawyers, Villa escaped on December 25, 1912 and fled north to El Paso, Texas.

Another President - Worse System

In February of 1913, several of the generals that were imprisoned in Mexico City were freed. What followed then was "La Decena Trágica"( Ten Tragic Days). On February 10, 1913, recently freed from prison Generals Reyes and General Diaz (nephew of exiled Pres. Diaz) began a coup de e'tat against President Madero. After much intervention by U.S Ambassador Henry Wilson, in protection of U.S. interests, President Madero resigned on February 20, 1913. Then after some fraudulent political maneuvering, General Victoriano Huerta was sworn in as 35th President of Mexico that same day. On February 22, 1913, as Villa had warned, ex-President Francisco Madero was assassinated.

Young Child Mexican Federal Soldier
Huerta increased Military conscriptions for his defense at all cost
Source: Wikimedia

None of the Revolutionary factions recognized Victoriano Huerta's Presidency as legitimate and caused them to uprise again. Pancho Villa left the U.S. and headed back into Mexico with only 8 of his men. He recruited men to join him. On March 9, 1913, Villa seized control of an hacienda owned by the largest land barons in the state of Chihuahua and opened the granaries to the poor. By the end of March 1913, he was commander of the La Division del Norte (the North Division) of the Constitutionalist Army. With a 3000 man strong cavalry, he secured the state of Chihuahua for the Revolution against President Huerta.

Gen. Alvaro Obregon - white uniform
Source: Wikimedia
Venustiano Carranza was the head of the Revolution against President Victoriano Huerta, who had assumed the Presidency by illegally bypassing Mexico's Constitution. Thus, the revolutionaries called themselves the Constitutionalists. Carranza divided his military campaign into 3 zones, and placed General Alvaro Obregon as Commander-in-chief of the Northwest Campaign. Obregon put Pancho Villa to the biggest test of his life. His task was to take the city of Torreon, Coahuila with 8000 men. On October 1, 1913, in the biggest battle of the Revolution yet, Villa won the Battle of Torreon. After many more successful campaigns, Obregon and Villa would secure the Northwest for the Revolution. Pancho Villa would be rewarded handsomely, and was made Governor of Chihuahua in December of 1913.

To Be Cont...

Mexican Federales 1913
Source: Wikimedia

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