Episode 4: "Ohio v. Mexico". With America's military ramping up operations in the Western Hemisphere, Alex takes a look at America's last war on the southern border, the Punitive Expedition of 1916 in Mexico. The US invaded Mexico following the raid of Columbus, NM and the killing of 18 Americans by Mexican revolutionary, Pancho Villa. This conflict lasted nearly an entire year and would end in a diplomatic fiasco that helped push America and President Woodrow Wilson into World War I.
So many Ohioans were involved in this military adventure from the brand new Secretary of War Newton Baker, to Commander of the Southern Theatre, Gen. Frederick Funston, one of the most famous African American soldiers in Colonel Charles Young, even the son of an Ohio President was involved in this war, or sorry, expedition. We look at the circumstances surrounding the Mexican Revolution and how the chaotic situation on our Southern border led to an American invasion in March of 1916. We look at how Villa went from an ally to Public Enemy #1.
We're joined by John Sherman, author and professor of history at Wright State University in Dayton, OH to discuss Pancho Villa, the revoultion and the Punitive Expedition that resulted in boots on the ground in Mexico. John takes us through the political upheaval in Mexico, to Villa's attacks on America and the forceful, if unsuccessful, invasion that was waged to capture Pancho Villa. Check our John's new book Mexico: A Concise Illustrated History (2026), https://www.amazon.com/Mexico-Illustrated-John-W-Sherman/dp/B0FBR8LXC4
Bruce Carlson, historian and host of the podcast My History Can Beat Up Your Politics, rejoins the show to discuss the events in Mexico that lead to a full scale American invasion 110 years ago. Bruce expertly leads us through the Mexican Revolution, the difficult mission that was the Punitive Expedition and the Zimmerman Telegram. A controversial diplomatic situation that in part contributed to America's declaration of war against Germany and the Central Powers in April 1917. Forever changing the United States from an isolationist regional power to a global superpower in a few short months.
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