The Mexican Revolution for many conveys images of colorful figures – both hero and villain – as well as materials for popular culture and history. Numerous songs and films have used the revolution as its theme or even as a background to the main story. Of all the notables who made their niche in history, especially during the revolution, the most famous is Pancho Villa. For some he was a hero and military genius while for others he was little more than an opportunistic common criminal. In truth, he was somewhere between the two.
The motives behind Villa’s raid on a small border town within United States territory have long been debated. This one raid would doom Villa and his men, even as it established them as a force to be reckoned with. In his shadow grew another star that would eventually outshine Villa. General John J. Pershing’s Punitive Expedition, which was a result of the Villista Raid, would propel the United States into a campaign that would prepare the nation for an even greater conflict being fought in Europe at the time.
While the history of the Mexican Revolution definitely requires a larger volume, the purpose of this work is to primarily serve as a study of the raid on Columbus, New Mexico, and the subsequent Punitive Expedition.
General Álvaro Obregón, General Francisco Villa Arámbula, and General John J. Pershing on the International Bridge between Ciudad Juárez and El Paso on August 27, 1914. Within two years after this meeting Pershing would be chasing Villa across northern Mexico. Of interest is the 2nd lieutenant standing behind Pershing – a very young George S. Patton. (AdeQ Historical Archives)