Conflict in Mexico: Tampico Incident; Pancho Villa and the U.S. Expeditionary Force (jan 1, 1913 – jan 1, 1917)

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In 1913, Mexican General Victoriano Huerta seized control of his country and killed the democratically elected president. Appalled by this attack on democracy, Wilson felt justified in going back on his policy of moral diplomacy in this instance, starting by imposing a weapons embargo on Mexico. But when Huerta refused to apologize for arresting several American sailors off the shore of Tampico – despite later releasing them – in what became known as the Tampico Incident, Wilson decided to strike back by dispatching the U.S. Navy to occupy Veracruz. War was just narrowly avoided when the 3 biggest South American powers (Argentina, Brazil, and Chile) offered to settle the dispute through joint mediation. Even after Huerta was removed from power, the new democratic government face challenges from a group of rebels, led by Pancho Villa, that raided the region along the Mexican-American border, killing Americans in New Mexico and Texas. Wilson responded to this new crisis by sending an expeditionary force (under the leadership of General John J. Pershing) to drive Villa into Northern Mexico – a move which was disliked by the new Mexican President: Venustiano Carranza. Ultimately, the looming World War caused Wilson to withdraw the expeditionary force early in 1917.

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