Pancho Villa’s attack on Columbus: historiographical analysis on possible german intrigues in the relationship between Mexico and the United States

In 1916, Mexican revolutionary Francisco Villa invaded the American town of Columbus. Various debates have broken out among historians regarding this event. However, one of the most controversial points has been the possible participation of Germany in the attack with the aim of provoking a war betw...

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Autor principal: Herrera Capetillo, Héctor
Formato: Artículo revista
Lenguaje:Español
Publicado: Centro de Estudios Avanzados. Facultad de Ciencias Sociales. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. 2024
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Acceso en línea:https://revistas.unc.edu.ar/index.php/revesint/article/view/45565
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Sumario:In 1916, Mexican revolutionary Francisco Villa invaded the American town of Columbus. Various debates have broken out among historians regarding this event. However, one of the most controversial points has been the possible participation of Germany in the attack with the aim of provoking a war between Mexico and the United States in the context of the First World War. To understand this possibility, we examine the work of Katz, Meyer, and Sandos. Although the three authors find German links in the Villista invasion, they present various nuances in their conclusions. While Katz finds that, in the absence of clearer information, the role of the Germans as the main cause of the attack on Columbus can be dismissed; Meyer considers that the circumstantial case for a German connection with the invasion is strong, however, the absence of compelling evidence means that German involvement cannot yet be presented as incontrovertible; and Sandos, although he seems convinced that the link between Rauschbaum and Sommerfeld with Villa is the key, leaves open the possibility that Germany’s role is not the only explanation. In this context, the Mexican Revolution appears as a scene of struggle between various powers and reveals the interests of the United States and some European countries in Mexico.