Via Carl
Significance
The Battle of Puebla was important for at least two reasons. First,
although considerably outnumbered, the Mexicans defeated a much
better-equipped French army. "This battle was significant in that the
4,000 Mexican soldiers were greatly outnumbered by the well-equipped
French army of 8,000 that had not been defeated for almost 50 years."
[27][28] [note 4] Second, since the Battle of Puebla, no country in
the Americas has subsequently been invaded by any other
European military force.
[29][note 5]
Consequences to the United States
Donald W. Miles states, "At the time, there were fears in the United
States that the French would use Mexico as a base to back the
Confederacy, so President Lincoln and his Secretary of State went out of
their way to appear 'neutral' in the Mexican situation. They did not
want to take on the French and the Confederates at the same time".
Dr. Miles goes on to explain that "Napoleon III had hesitated to take
on the United States directly, but now the news of the Civil War changed
everything".
It meant that the Americans would be occupied with their Civil War for
some time. Upon hearing the Spaniards and the British had sailed off to
grab the customs house in
Veracruz
to start collecting their duties, Napoleon decided he would not only
send the French navy, but would also start looking for someone to place
as emperor in Mexico. He would then use Mexico as a base to help the
Confederates win their war against the Union. Napoleon saw this as an
opportunity not to be missed.
Historian
Justo Sierra has written in his
Political Evolution of the Mexican People,
that had Mexico not defeated the French in Puebla on May 5, 1862,
France would have gone to the aid of the Confederacy in the U.S. Civil
War and the United States' destiny would have been different.
[32][33]
Ignacio Gonzalez wrote, "Some scholars, including
José Antonio Burciaga,
believe that had the French defeated México at Puebla, France would
have aided the South in the American Civil War in order to free Southern
ports of the Union Blockade. During this time, Confederate General
Robert E. Lee was enjoying success, and French intervention could have
had an impact on the Civil War."
[21]
