VIlla and Zapata the Civil War.

The war broke out between Villa and Carranza with Obregon and Zapata. Obregon started the war he saw that if Villa advanced from Mexico City to Veracruz without delay, Corranza scarcely survived. Obregon and Carranza had suspicions about each other. Everyone expected Villa to emerge from Mexico City and direct his army to Veracruz but he didn’t even though Angeles begged him to consider. The idea of Carranza vs. Villa presented landowners, the petit-bourgeois, the military, professional politicians and bureaucrats versus frontier horse men, pioneers, cowboys, the dispossessed. Only 3 issues divided Villa and Corranza. The role of central government, land reform and attitude toward the US. Corranza was for strong central government and iron grip on the military. Villa wanted full power in Chihuahua and Durango. Villa was only partly committed to land reform. Corranza was always anti-America and Villa was pro-American. Obregon liked to humiliate the rich. Corrranza’s propaganda really damaged Villa. Villa was suffering from shortage of exportable cotton and cattle, and the US wasn’t helping much. Carranza held most important cards he held most of Mexico’s export goods. Villista’s military campaign had a really good start with Angeles striking success in the north-east. Angeles threatened Monterrey, one of Carranzas places, Carranza finally fled the army and Angeles captured 3,000 prisoners , 14 locomotives, 19 wagons, 2000 cartridges, and 11000 artillery shells, but Angeles did not kill them but let them go if they promised not to fight for Carranza again. Villa was needed to come to Guadalajara. Once he entered he began to alarm the rich about land reform after he decided his next move was going to be oil port in Tampic. He sent 15000 men under Chao and Urbina to assault a heavily outnumbered enemy, but they were far from success. Oregon then decided to attack Villa. Angeles once spotted Obregon warned Villa but he ignored his warnings. One weakness in Oregon’s strategy was that he had to be supplied by rail from Veracruz, an if Villa was to move against Veracruz Obregon would face a serious shortage of ammunition. The battle of Celaya began on April 6. Obregon won, but Villa refused to accept Obregon as a better general. On April 13 Villa attacked Celaya again this time with 20000 men, but Obregon won again. Villa did not give up on April 29 Villa set a surprise attack on Obregon, a 38-day battle that took 500 lives. Although Villa seemed strong, Obregon hurt him much more than anyone realized. Villa lost again. When Villa returned to Chihuahua after the battle it was a land of chaos. Agricultural production fell; Villa also destroyed all rail communications with the world.

VIlla and Zapata.

Obragon and Carranza made it clear to Mexico City that the halcyon days were over by imposing tax, humiliating the churches, and by attacking all the business men who supported Huerta. Their number one concern was though Villa and Zapata forming a bond especially if allied by Felipe Angeles. Zapata wanted Carranza to accept the turns of Ayala, which he wouldn’t, so Zapata proposed they meet with conditions that if he decided no to show up he would disowning everything that has been said to Carranza. That means 70,000 men with Mausers would oppose any Carranza presidency. After some reconsideration Zapata finally showed up at dinner, but still Zapatistas would not negotiate about accepting the plan of Ayala, Zapata made some terms but Carranza rejected them on Sept 5. Then Obregon offered Villa a deal, he would abandon Carranza and make sure he did not become president if Villa in return would restore his position in Sonora. Villa and Obregon then traveled to Sonora to have a conference and eventually Obregon was made commander-and-chief in state, but the agreement only lasted 24 hours. Villa wanted Obregon to withdraw Hill, but Obregon refused, Villa then threatened to kill him, but Obregon made sure that he knew that if he did Obregon would become the a hero for the state. Soon after Carranza too messed up by wanting to unite with Zapata, and Villa announced he no longer recognized him as chief along he outlined step by step directions how to sabotage him. Villa was also planning on executing Obregon.

The Aguascalientes was originally a meeting for the military and four main groups showed up the villistas, a handful of Carranza men, independent and the Zapatistas. They were all tired of the war, and every one f the groups wanted something different. Villa could not recognize the convention until he accepted the terms of the Plan of Ayala. Zapata wanted to ally with Villa and on 26 of October a train carrying Zapatistas to Villas headquarters was their first move as an alliance. The Aguascalientes, the man himself started the meeting by tearing up the Mexican flag and ended by saying Viva Villa, Viva Zapata! His plan was to unite Villa and Zapata following up with Corranzas resignation.