Happy Cinco de Mayo to the Gungeon!

[RoadRunner]

Why Cinco de Mayo (the fifth of May), and why is it important to Americans and freedom lovers everywhere? A little background:

Eleven years after Mexico declared its independence from Spain, the French army under Emperor Napoleon III landed in Mexico and declared Mexico under French rule. The French detested the United States and wanted to use Mexico as a launching pad for an opportunistic invasion of the US, itself heavily engaged in its own civil war and vulnerable to attack. The French military had not been defeated in 50 years and they feared no one.

But on this day in 1862, a ragtag band of Mexican troops and everyday citizens routed the French at Puebla, Mexico. The French had double the troups and vastly suprerior weapons, but the Mexicans had heart, and courage. Many Americans crossed the border to help our friends in need, to fight side by side with Mexico, and Mexicans have never forgotten it. In every war since then, Mexicans have crossed the border into the US to volunteer to serve in the US military or do what they can to help their friends from the north.

So, this is a great day of celebration in the southwest US. Lots of parades, pinatas, fireworks, menudo, charizzo, y cervesa. On this fine day, we celebrate our friendship and bond with our remarkable neighbors to the south. On this day, we are all Mexicans.

VIVA! el CINCO DE MAYO!!

[slackmaster]

1. It was a glorious victory for the Mexicans

Get your work done EARLY and go celebrate responsibly.

Cinco de Mayo is a big party day here in SoCal.

:toast:

[OpSomBlood]

2. It's a good thing guns were banned in Mexico...

...because after all, armed regular citizens would stand no chance against a hostile military force with superior weapons.

Oh, wait.

[Wickerman]

3. I envy you, my friend, the celebrations will be great

the food fantastic, the cervaza cold.

I miss the Southwest in the Spring of the year.

[OpSomBlood]

4. Gun arguments aside...

...happy Cinco de Mayo to everyone, even those who don't go outside.

[TX-RAT]

5. Just came back from the festival downtown

Now i need a pillow and a nap. The fajitas were killer. The music was great.

[happyslug]

6. I hate to be picky

But Eleven years before 1862 is 1851, when Mexico Became Independent in 1821 i.e. 41 years before. This can be important for we invaded Mexico in 1846 which means that if it was not independent we fought Spanish not Mexican troops in 1846-1848....

Now Santa Anna was last removed about 1854 (he had been in and out of Power since 1821 and lived till the 1870s) so eleven years before is not even Independence from him.

[LibLabUK]

7. Hmmm...

"and why is it important to Americans and freedom lovers everywhere?"

How delightfully US-centric of you old boy..

I'm a freedom lover, albeit not gun-toting one, but Cinco del fuego ( :P ) has no meaning to me nor any of my fellow countrymen.

Out of interest...Will you be celebrating the 8th of May and the 6th of June with such gay abandon?

[Liberal Classic]

8. I'll drink to

Victory over the French.

:toast:

[LibLabUK]

9. ...

And then on the 4th of July you'll raise a drink to the French?

[happyslug]

10. You Traitor, the French were our ALLY at that time....

If you are thinking of the battle of Waterloo which was fought on June 15, 1815. Remember we and England were at war 1812 till 1815, I know it was about the English selling guns and booze to the Indians, but we were still at war with them.

Or maybe you are thinking of Tarleton's failure to Capture Jefferson and the Virginia Legislature In the first week of June 1781 (as part of what is now called the Yorktown Campaign)? What about the British defeat of the French Fleet on 9 and 12 April 1782, you back that British victory over the Fleet that forced Cornwallis to Surrender to Washington in 1781?

Any way the 8th of May is the Surrender of Germany, and the 6th of June is the Normandy invasion day. In BOTH situation France was again our ally. I think you are confusing this with the 15th of June (Waterloo) and the Nelson Defeat of the French on October 21, 1805. (Could also be the Battle of Agincourt on October 25, 1415).


Agincourt:
http://home.austin.rr.com/wdaniel/agincourt/

Yorktown:
http://www.patriotresource.com/battles/yorktown.html

Post Yorktown:
http://www.sar.org/history/global-2.htm

[Liberal Classic]

11. Eek! The 'T' word!

Of course, a French victory could have meant more supplies in Confederate hands at Gettysburg...