The United States, therefore, recognized him as President
of Mexico, and very shortly many of the European powers did the
same.
It seemed as if peace might really come at last to Mexico.
But although Villa was worsted he was by to means crushed, and he
and his undisciplined followers still kept the country in a state
of unrest, doing many deeds of violence. In January, 1916, these
marauding troops seized and murdered a party of Americans. A little
later they crossed frontiers, and were only driven back after a
sharp encounter with United States troops.
This brigandage had to be stopped, and, as Carranza seemed unable
to subdue the rebels, five thousand American troops entered
Mexico intent on punishing Villa and his bandits. But the task was
no easy one. Villa was well suited to be a bandit leader, and he
was thoroughly at home in the wild and mountainous country. The
Americans, however, pressed him hard, and a battle was fought in
which he was believed for a time to have been killed. Soon, however,
he was discovered to be alive, and as aggressive as before.
Meanwhile President Carranza had grown restless and suspicious
of American interferences, and demanded that the United States
troops should be withdrawn from Mexican soil. Indeed he became so
threatening that Mr. Wilson called out the militia, and ordered a
squadron of war vessels to Mexican waters.
Pages:
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715