Intervention: The United States and the Mexican Revolution, 1913-1917

By John S.D. Eisenhower

Book Overview

In May 1916, six American soldiers led by Lieutenant George S. Patton, Jr., surrounded a building near Rubio, Chihuahua. When the occupants burst out of the door, guns blazing, Patton and his men cut them down. A month later seventy American troopers charged into a strong Mexican position at Carrizal; ten were killed and twenty-three taken prisoner. In 1914, a powerful American naval force seized Mexico's principal seaport, Veracruz, and occupied the city for six months. Yet, all the while, Mexico and the United States were technically at peace.

The United States began its involvement in the Mexican Revolution in 1913 with President Woodrow Wilson's decision to remove Victoriana Huerta, leader of a military junta that overthrew and murdered Mexico's president, Francisco Madero. Diplomatic actions failing, Wilson occupied Veracruz, cutting off Huerta's supplies of arms from abroad. When in 1916 the legendary bandit Pancho Villa raided Columbus, New Mexico, Wilson sent General John J. Pershing into Chihuahua to capture him.

This story leads readers to increased respect for the people of Mexico and its revolutionary leaders--Zapata, Obregon, Carranza, and Pancho Villa. It shows that, while American troops performed well, U.S. intervention had no effect on the outcome of the Mexican Revolution. The American army had a taste of battle and Pershing went on to become the greatest American hero of the First World War.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393313182
• ISBN13: 9780393313185
• Release Date: July 1995
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.6" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Good and Easy-Reading History

Great book for an introduction to the subject! It does a good job of covering the topic with plenty of good historical context and in the framework of the political machinations of the time. John Eisenhower writes in a smooth and easy-to-read style, and he throws in personal experiences of some of those who lived (and died) through some of these events, to keep it personal and interesting. I highly recommend this book for the history-lover who wants to learn about this particular time of Mexican-American relations.

Intervention

Eye opening view of our conveniently forgotten military actions with our neighbor to the south. Also provides insight into our current intervention mentality. Must read!!

Pancho and Pershing

Tough as nails history that tells of Mexico during the years of revolution and civil war. Pancho Villa and John "Blackjack" Pershing's punitive expedition is the focal point of the book. The author explains that bungling interventions in Mexico by American politicians didn't alter the fact that Mexicans ultimately determined their own governement. The book is a good introduction to a subject that may be obscure to many American readers, especially 85 years later. Eisenhower does well fleshing out details in the text, in several appendices, and thorough notations. Only a fellow named "Eisenhower" can give one this powerful insider perspective of military and political history. Recommended for multiple reading and further study. ;-)

"Intervention: The United States and the Mexican Revolution"

I found this book to be extremely well written. It is a topic that engenders many passions, and, opinions on this topic often are based on these passions. The author plainly puts the historical events in perspective in a way that all the events and the characters make sense. The author does not take sides even though he may glamorize Pershing somewhat. The organization of the book is superb and the descriptions of specific events and of specific characters such as Madero, Zapata, Carranza, Huerta, Funston, Obregon and others are excellent. I would recommend this book to anybody, Mexican, American or otherwise, interested in the events of this inevitable and tragic period in the history of Mexico. A very "readable" book. Juan Cardenas

Excellent overview for the non specialist.

This book is an excellent sythesis of the latest research and writings of the specialists in the field of US Mexican relations. It is just enough for the non specialist to enjoy and frankly, for a specialist such as myself in this period, I found it well worth reading too. It reads well and can be read in a couple of days at most. While I have had for even longer a copy of Alan Knight's massive synthesis I admit that I have yet to read that one all the way through. Just the footnotes alone could take a day. If you want a good sort out of the major players on both sides of the border this is for you. Ronald Atkins' Revolution once was the "one book if you're having only one", but that one is long out of print. This is an even better one.