If St. Patrick’s Day is when everyone claims to be Irish, Cinco de Mayo (Fifth of May) is when many Americans want to sip tequila or drink a few Corona beers. It was on this day in 1862 that a ragged Mexican army defeated the invading French at the Battle of Puebla. This was the only time Mexican troops ever defeated a foreign force, but it is not considered polite to mention that. Nor is it kind to note that the French returned and occupied Puebla, much to the delight of the local inhabitants. The French left when the American Civil War ended and Washington told them to go. Perhaps because of this, Cinco de Mayo is not a major holiday in Mexico. May 1, however, is. May 1 is Labor Day, commemorating the Haymarket Riots in Chicago a long time ago.
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Jimm Budd
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