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In a controversial turn of events, the United States' military expedition aimed at capturing the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa brought the two nations dangerously close to war. The flashpoint occurred when Mexican government troops launched an attack on Brigadier General John J. Pershing's American forces at Carrizal, Mexico. The skirmish resulted in the deaths of 22 Americans and over 30 Mexican soldiers. Despite objections from the Venustiano Carranza administration, Pershing had ventured deep into Mexican territory in pursuit of Villa. After defeating the small Mexican force at Carrizal, the U.S. expedition pushed forward along its southern trajectory.
In 1914, following the resignation of Mexican leader Victoriano Huerta, Pancho Villa and his former revolutionary comrade Venustiano Carranza found themselves locked in a power struggle for succession. By the end of 1915, Villa had been forced north into the mountains, while the U.S. government officially recognized General Carranza as Mexico's president.
In January 1916, in protest against President Woodrow Wilson's backing of Carranza, Villa carried out the execution of 16 U.S. citizens in Santa Isabel, located in northern Mexico. Subsequently, on March 9, he orchestrated a raid on the border town of Columbus, New Mexico, resulting in the deaths of 17 Americans and the destruction of the town center. Responding to the attack, cavalry troops from the nearby Camp Furlong U.S. Army outpost pursued the Mexican raiders, engaging them on both American and Mexican soil and inflicting casualties on several dozen rebels before withdrawing. On March 15, acting on President Wilson's orders, Brigadier General John J. Pershing launched a punitive expedition into Mexico with the goal of capturing or eliminating Villa and dispersing his rebel forces. This expedition ultimately involved approximately 10,000 U.S. troops and personnel and marked the first instance of American military operations incorporating mechanized vehicles, including automobiles and airplanes.
Over the course of 11 months, Pershing's campaign failed to capture the elusive revolutionary, who benefited from his extensive knowledge of the northern Mexican terrain and enjoyed substantial support from the local population. Simultaneously, the U.S. incursion into Mexican territory fueled diplomatic tensions with the government in Mexico City. The situation reached a boiling point on June 21, when Mexican government troops attacked a detachment of the 10th Cavalry at Carrizal. Had it not been for the critical circumstances prevailing in Europe, war might have been declared. In January 1917, having failed in their mission to capture Villa and facing mounting pressure from the Mexican government, the American forces were ordered to return home.
Pancho Villa continued his guerrilla activities in northern Mexico until Adolfo de la Huerta assumed control of the government and drafted a reformist constitution. Villa reached an amicable agreement with Huerta and pledged to retire from politics. In 1920, Villa received a government pardon, but his life was tragically cut short three years later when he was assassinated in Parral.
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