American History Tellers - History Daily: The Battle of Puebla on Cinco de Mayo

Episode Date: May 5, 2025

May 5, 1862. Following the French invasion of Mexico, Mexican soldiers succeed in defending the town of Puebla, sealing a victory that will be commemorated by the national holiday, Cinco de Mayo.You can listen ad-free in the Wondery or Amazon Music app. Or for all that and more, go to IntoHistory.comHistory Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's the morning of May 5th, 1862 in the town of Puebla in central Mexico. An army general named Ignacio Zaragoza strides along the ramparts of a stone fortress. Ignacio peers over the parapet into the valley below, where a force of almost 6,000 French soldiers march toward the fortress walls, their bayonets gleaming. As Ignacio turns to survey his own battalion, a force of only 2,000 men, a look of concern creeps across his face. He is outnumbered by close to three to one. He knows defeat is all but certain, but he also knows his men are courageous patriots who will stop at nothing to defend Mexico from the invading French army, who are readying their cannons. The deafening blast shatters the morning tranquility.

The air fills with smoke and debris as artillery shells rain down on the Mexican defenses. The sound of explosions and shrapnel and agonized screams reverberate around the fortress walls. Amidst the chaos, Ignacio orders his men to return fire, but there are simply too many French soldiers. Before long the invaders are at the fortress gates. Ignacio tries to rally his men, but morale is beginning to waver. But just when Ignacio himself is beginning to lose hope, a thunder clap echoes through the valley.

A split second later the heavens open and torrential rain begins pouring from the sky. Within minutes the steep incline toward the fortress has turned into a muddy bog, and the French attackers cannot find purchase in the slippery wet earth. The Mexican gunners take advantage of the moment, firing into the French lines and inflicting a heavy toll. Soon a bugle sounds as the commander of the French army orders an urgent retreat. Ignacio seizes his opportunity. At his signal, the fortress gates open and his Mexican soldiers charge, driving away the last of the French invaders.

During the Battle of Puebla, as this bloody clash will come to be known, outnumbered Mexican forces will be victorious as General Ignacio Zaragoza leads his men in repelling a superior French force. But the Mexican's heroics at Puebla will prove to be in vain. Soon the French army will regroup and seize Mexico City, forcing the Mexican president into exile. But in the years that follow, the Mexicans launched a counter-attack against their occupiers and the victory at Puebla will provide a vital source of morale. The date of the

battle, May 5th, or Cinco de Mayo in Spanish, will become a national holiday, a time to celebrate the heroic actions of the brave soldiers who fought and died for their freedom at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862. Blackjack Pro, where strategy meets top-tier gameplay. Drop in on the exciting Sugar Rush and Crazy Time slot games or play the dazzling MGM Grand Emerald Nights, a slot experience that captures the magic of MGM. With so many games, it's time to make your move. Download the app and visit BetMGM Ontario today to experience the next level of gaming. Visit betmgm.com for terms and conditions. 19 plus to wager, Ontario only. Please, gamble responsibly. If you have questions or concerns about your

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political minds is taking place. Tall man with wavy white hair stands to address the room. Juan Alvarez, a governor of the state of Guerrero, is an outspoken critic of Mexico's Prime Minister, the military general Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana. Ever since Mexico achieved independence from Spain in 1821, two political groups have been vying for control over the country, liberals and conservatives. When the conservative Santa Ana seized power in 1852, he established himself as a dictator to the dismay of most Mexican liberals. By 1854, Juan Oliver as his state Guerrero remains one of the few liberal strongholds left in Mexico,

and the region has become the epicenter of a resistance to Santa Ana's regime. Today Juan Alvarez has assembled a meeting of prominent liberals to draft a plan to overthrow the dictator. Alvarez believes this plan will receive widespread support. He knows that many Mexican people resent Santa Ana, largely due to his mishandling of foreign affairs. Following its defeat in the Mexican-American War, Mexico faced bankruptcy. Santa Ana sought to balance the books by selling Mexican territory to the United States, yielding vast swaths of what is now Arizona and New Mexico, a transaction known as the Gadsden Purchase. But this was seen by many Mexicans as a humiliating concession. In addition, Santa Ana increased taxes, putting further strain on the pockets of many ordinary

Mexicans. But even though Santa Ana's popularity is waning, he retains control over most of the country. Crucially, he still has the support of the army and the Catholic Church, two of Mexico's most powerful institutions. Only in Guerrero is Santa Ana's authority in question. And so, in April 1854, Santa Ana sends troops to Guerrero's largest city, Acapulco, hoping to extinguish the flames of dissent. His troops arrive in Acapulco

on April 19, but a liberal force commanded by Juan Alvarez's deputy, Ignacio Colmenfort, has readied the town's defenses. A week-long siege begins, but Santa Ana's men cannot breach the battlements. Forced to retreat, the government's army returns to Mexico City in defeat. But along the way, Santa Ana's soldiers burn down any villages they suspect are harboring liberal rebels. But this only serves to strengthen support for Alvarez's cause. By the summer of 1855, Santa Anna's authoritarian leadership has alienated many in his own army, and on August 12th, the dictator is forced to abdicate power and flee to Cuba. With Santa

Anna deposed, Juan Alvarez becomes president and appoints a cabinet of leading liberals, including Ignacio Comunfort, who becomes minister for war. Immediately, the new government begins dismantling the old conservative state. They introduce a series of reforms that seek to limit the power of the army and church by confiscating land and abolishing military courts. The new regime also safeguards civil liberties such as freedom of speech and freedom of the press. In 1857, they enshrined these laws in a brand new Mexican constitution. For many, Mexico has finally freed itself from a repressive conservative order and emerged as a modern, open-minded democracy.

But not everybody approves of these reforms. Conservatives in the Catholic Church and the military fiercely opposed the new liberal government, which they believe came to power unlawfully. But now Alvarez has been succeeded as president by his minister for war, Ignacio Colmenfort. And as opposition to the 1857 constitution grows, Colmenfort tries to quell the fires of rebellion by appeasing angry conservatives. He orders a second constitution to be written by a conservative general named Felix Huluauga. This document, known as the Plan of Tacubaya, renders the 1857 Constitution void and abolishes many of its democratic laws. Cohenford hopes that the Plan of Tacubaya will appease conservatives and stave off civil strife. But the gamble does not pay off.

Instead it polarizes the nation even further, splitting Mexico into those who support the plan and those who still support the 1857 Constitution. Unable to unite the nation, Colmanfort resigns in January 1858. He is replaced by another of Juan Alvarez's original cabinet members, a prominent lawyer named Benito Juarez. Juarez is a radical liberal and his appointment deepens Mexico's divisions.

Conservatives refuse to recognize him as president and instead they swear allegiance to the general who drafted the plan of Tacubaya, Felix Uluaga. Soon both sides assemble armies and prepare for war. Over the next two years, bloody skirmishes will break out between liberals and conservatives. Initially, the conservatives gained the upper hand by driving Benito Juarez out of Mexico City and into hiding in the port city of Veracruz. But after several failed attempts to capture the city, the conservative force is left weakened. In late 1860, Benito Juarez launches a counterattack. On December 22, a force of 16,000 liberal troops marches on Mexico City, clashing with 8,000 conservative soldiers.

The conservatives are vanquished, and the triumphant liberal army marches into Mexico City on January 1, 1861. The liberals have won the Reform War, as this conflict will come to be known and Benito Juarez is recognized as the undisputed leader of Mexico. But it will be a hollow victory. During the war both conservatives and liberals found themselves short of funds. They borrowed heavily from international creditors. And just as Benito Juarez begins settling into his presidency, those creditors will send fleets of ships to demand their money back.

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people who live to tell the tale. In our next season, it's February 14, 1979. Elmo Wortman and his three children are stranded on a remote Alaskan island after a massive storm destroys their sailboat. Miles from help, they have to face the brutal cold with barely any food, only a sail for shelter and a leaky plastic dinghy. To help, they have to face the brutal cold with barely any food, only a sail for shelter, and a leaky plastic dinghy. Desperate to survive, they build a raft and try to reach safety.

But as starvation and frostbite take hold, and days stretch into weeks, their endurance is pushed to the limit. Follow Against the Odds wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen ad-free on the Amazon Music or Wondery app. It's October 31st, 1861, seven months before the Battle of Puebla. On a cold autumn day in London, delegates from Britain, France, and Spain are meeting to sign a military alliance. During the Mexican reform war, in which the liberal forces of Benito Juarez defeated the conservative army of Félix Zuluaga, large sums of money were provided to both sides by creditors in

Britain, France, and Spain. But following his victory, Benito Juarez decided to delay debt repayments until the Mexican economy recovered. This was not acceptable to the European powers. So today, their delegates are in London to decide how to get their money back. As part of this new alliance, these three nations agree to send battleships to take control of Mexico's ports, where they will seize customs income on imported goods. The purpose of the alliance is to get their money, not to topple the Mexican government. And in fact, one term of the pact forbids any of the signatories

from attempting to overthrow the Mexican government. Delegates from all three countries sign the agreement, but only Britain and Spain will stick to the terms of the deal. For many years, France's leader, Napoleon III, has nursed a secret ambition to restore France to its former imperial glory. Political instability in Mexico has made the country vulnerable, and an obvious target for French expansionism. Napoleon also wants to limit the growing power of the United States and to establish a French puppet regime in the Americas. But despite his desire to conquer Mexico, Napoleon has not been able to invade, knowing the inevitable opposition he would face. The U.S. is committed to actively

resisting any European colonialism in the Western Hemisphere, a policy called the Monroe Doctrine, espoused by America's fifth president and a founding father, James Monroe. But earlier this year, in April 1861, America was plunged into a civil war. And with the U.S. government preoccupied with domestic turmoil, France was finally free to pursue its imperial designs on Mexico. All Napoleon needed was an excuse. And when Mexican President Benito Juarez refused to repay the wartime loans, Napoleon left at the opportunity to join the Alliance, knowing full well he intended to violate its terms. In December 1861, France, Britain, and Spain

deploy a fleet to seize control of Veracruz on the eastern coast of Mexico. According to their pact, these three countries are supposed to leave Mexico after they've recouped their loans. But it quickly becomes clear that France's ambitions go far beyond debt repayment and the alliance fractures. By April 1862, British and Spanish troops have withdrawn from Mexico, but the French remain. Then, on April 20, France declares war on Mexico, and the French army begins a march towards Mexico City. The first major town the French troops reach is Puebla, a hundred miles south of the capital, and on May 5th the invading force launches an attack. But the French artillery bombardment and their superior numbers are unable to break down the

stout Mexican defenses. Under the courageous leadership of Ignacio Zaragoza, the Mexican soldiers keep the invaders at bay. Their cause is further aided when heavy rainfall turns the ground around the fortress into a muddy swamp, slowing the French advance. The invaders are forced to disperse under heavy musket fire, and Mexico claims its first victory against the French. Soon, President Juarez declares the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla a national holiday known throughout the country as Cinco de Mayo. But the morale boost following the

Battle of Puebla will not last. Five months later, in October 1862, 30,000 French reinforcements arrive in Mexico. The newly strengthened French army proceeds to sweep through the country, capturing town after town until the invading force enters Mexico City on June 10, 1863. President Juarez is forced to flee north to the city of Monterrey, where he sets up a government in exile. The French military declares Mexico a client state of the French Empire. All that's left to do is install a monarch and Napoleon III believes he's found a perfect candidate. The Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria is an ambitious European aristocrat and an ally of Napoleon. He is the younger brother of the Austrian emperor Franz

Josef and a member of the illustrious Habsburg dynasty. With few career prospects in Europe, Maximilian is eager for the chance to rule Mexico and extend the Habsburg Empire. With few career prospects in Europe, Maximilian is eager for the chance to rule Mexico and extend the Habsburg Empire to the Americas. So in May 1864, Maximilian and his wife Carlotta arrive in Mexico City. There they are lavished with decadent banquets and extravagant exhibitions celebrating the glory of their new Mexican kingdom. But far from the opulence of the capital, a campaign of terror is being waged in the countryside. As the French army seeks to stamp out any opposition to the new imperial regime, they

often torture and execute suspected dissidents. And by 1865, President Benito Juarez and the remaining liberals have been pushed further north to the far-flung city of Chihuahua, where they lacked the resources to mount a challenge to Emperor Maximilian. Soon, however, events in the United States will ripple south across the border and spell the beginning of the end of French intervention in Mexico. Lamont Jones's world is shattered when his cousin dies in custody just weeks after entering prison.

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This isn't just another true crime story. It's happening right now. Follow Death County PA on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Death County PA early and ad free right now by joining Wondery Plus. As a contractor for the NSA, Edward Snowden had access to a range of top secret government programs. But as he learned more about these clandestine operations, he came to understand a devastating secret. The government was conducting mass surveillance on its own citizens. Hi I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of Wondry Show American Scandal.

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You can join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today. It's April 1865 in Mexico City, three years after the Battle of Puebla. Inside the Imperial Palace, the Empress Carlota of Mexico writes a letter to her husband, the Emperor Maximilian, who is away on administrative duty. The smiling Empress writes, The mood here in the palace is excellent, before going on to describe an incredible event that occurred just days earlier in Washington, D.C. While attending the performance of a play at Ford's Theater in Washington, American President Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed by a well-known stage actor named John Wilkes Booth. The news of Lincoln's assassination is welcome in the Mexican imperial household,

because Lincoln was a vocal critic of the Habsburg Empire in Mexico. For a time, Lincoln was unable to provide military support to Benito Juarez and the liberals due to the ongoing civil war in America. But then, earlier this month, the years-long conflict came to an end with a Union victory. And with the Confederate rebels defeated, many in the Maximilian regime feared Lincoln might turn his sights south. But, with Lincoln now dead, Emperor Maximilian promptly sends envoys to Washington to seek an alliance with the new president, Andrew Johnson. But Johnson, like his predecessor, resents European colonialism in Mexico. He

has no intention of recognizing the legitimacy of Maximilian's kingdom. He ignores the envoys and instead pledges his support for Benito Juarez. Soon American weapons and soldiers begin pouring over the southern border, equipping Benito Juarez and the liberals with the resources they need to oppose the French army. President Johnson also sends a threat to France's leader, Napoleon III, telling him that unless France leaves Mexico, there can be no friendship between the two nations. And by now, the cost of maintaining a military presence in Mexico has become too much for Napoleon to bear. In 1866, he writes to Maximilian to inform him that all men, money, and supplies from France will be cut off. One year later, following an

effective guerrilla campaign by Benito Juarez and his army, Maximilian is captured and forced to surrender. On June 19th, 1867, Emperor Maximilian is executed by firing squad. Benito Juarez will be reinstated as president and Mexico will finally enjoy a period of political stability. In a letter to an American officer who fought for the liberal army against the French, Juarez will express his gratitude writing, to make every sacrifice and to suffer every privation for the Mexican Republic was a spirit so noble that it could not be put into language. Today many who celebrate Cinco de Mayo outside of Mexico have forgotten or never knew the

true history behind the day. But in Mexico it is a prideful remembrance of some of the nation's greatest heroes, Ignacio Zaragoza and the patriotic men who bravely defended their country from tyranny on May 5th, 1862. country from tyranny on May 5th, 1862. Next on History Daily, May 6th, 1983, an explosive diary supposedly written by Adolf Hitler is revealed to be a hoax. from Noiser and Airship this is History Daily hosted edited and executive produced by me Lindsey Graham audio editing and sound design by Molly Bogg music by Lindsey Graham this episode is written and researched by Joe Weiner executive, are Stephen Walters for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiseman.

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