Cinco de Mayo Special featuring The Alamo, The Magnificent Seven,and Cinco de Mayo La Batalla

In 1861, Mexico’s President, Benito Juarez took office and not without financial debt to European countries Spain, Britain and France. The three countries each sent forces to Veracuz, Mexico to settle the debt. At the convention of La Soledad, they were in agreement to handle affairs peacefully. However, French Emperor Napoleon III insisted on conquering Mexico as part of his empire-building plan which was to include a move north to assist the U.S. Confederate army.

Part of the French army’s grand plan was to defeat a small army of Mexican soldiers and countrymen at Fort Guadalupe in Puebla en route to Mexico City. However, General Ignacio Zaragoza and his army at Fort Guadalupe defeated the French army in a remarkable battle. It is estimated that Zaragoza’s army consisted of 2,000 men and the French army was well over 6,000 men. This became to be known as the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. While this battle did not drive the French army out of Mexico, it did  revive the Mexican forces to resist the French army. Napoleon’s plan did not succeed in Mexico therefore, they did not march in to the U.S. to lend a hand to the Confederate army which might have changed the direction of the American Civil War. The French forces were removed from Mexico six years later, in part thanks to support from the U.S.

The Battle of Puebla was an unlikely victory for Zaragoza and his men. Because of this, the state of Puebla continues to celebrate on May 5th (cinco de mayo) as remembrance and to honor the soldiers and countrymen who fought and won this battle. In the U.S., Mexican-Americans tend to celebrate Mexican heritage and culture on Cinco de Mayo. Note: Mexico’s Independence Day was 52 years prior on September 16, 1810. That’s Diez y Seis.

The Alamo

This film, directed by John Lee Hancock, stars Dennis Quaid, Billy Bob Thornton, and Jason Patric, and it portrays the 1836 standoff between Texan and Tejano men, led by Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, against Mexican dictator Santa Anna’s forces at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.

Additionally, you can also find “The Alamo” (1960) on Tubi for free, starring John Wayne and Richard Widmark.

The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event and military engagement in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Antonio de Béxar (modern-day San Antonio, Texas, United States). About one hundred Texians were garrisoned at the mission at the time, with around a hundred subsequent reinforcements led by eventual Alamo co-commanders James Bowie and William B. Travis. On February 23, approximately 1,500 Mexicans marched into San Antonio de Béxar as the first step in a campaign to retake Texas. In the early morning hours of March 6, the Mexican Army advanced on the Alamo. After repelling two attacks, the Texians were unable to fend off a third attack. As Mexican soldiers scaled the walls, most of the Texian fighters withdrew into interior buildings. Those who were unable to reach these points were slain by the Mexican cavalry as they attempted to escape. Almost all of the Texian inhabitants were killed.

The Magnificent Seven

refers to both a 1960 Western film and its 2016 remake. The 1960 film, directed by John Sturges, is based on Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 film Seven Samurai. It stars Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, and Charles Bronson as seven gunfighters hired to protect a Mexican village from bandits. The film received mixed reviews but has since become a classic in the Western genre, known for its memorable cast and Elmer Bernstein’s iconic score

The 2016 remake, directed by Antoine Fuqua, stars Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, and Ethan Hawke as a group of mercenaries hired to protect a town from a ruthless industrialist. This version received mixed reviews, with praise for the cast and action sequences but criticism for the screenplay.

Both films share the theme of a diverse group of individuals coming together to protect a community, though the 2016 version updates the setting and characters to a more modern context