subject: The Mexican Revolutionary Pancho Villa [print this page] A very large role was played, during the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1929 (during the initial fighting years), by the famous general Jose Doroteo Aranga Arambula, also known as Pancho Villa. He had a profound impact on the outcome of the conflict, as he was the Commander of the Northern Division of the Revolutionary Army, and governor of Chihuahua state. Today he is recognized as a major figure in Mexico's history, and despite his strengths and shortcomings, modern Mexico is indebted to him.
Villa was born to peasants in Durango in 1878, and as a young man he quickly gained a reputation for violence and banditry against the rich, interspersed with the occasional legitimate pursuit (and as many pranks as he could pull). In 1910, the public tide had turned against the dictatorial Mexican President, Porfirio Diaz; Pancho joined the pro-democracy rebels that worked to strip his political power; his guerrilla tactics helped him win a few crucial victories and he supported the leader of the Revolution, Francisco Madero; it was, however, a very short-lived alliance.
Madero was overthrown and assassinated by General Victoriano Huerta in 1913 and this new leader saw a chance to become a dictator. Villa reluctantly allied himself with politician (and former Diaz supporter) Venustiano Carranza, who planned to oust the usurper President by forming a rebel army called the Constitutionalists. Pancho was given control of the northern provinces of the country; despite only starting the rebellion with eight men at his command, he quickly gained more as his abilities as general made recruitment a snap.
Villa's fame and success enraptured the Mexican people. He and his soldiers staged daring train robberies and forced hostile hacienda owners to pay a tax to prevent the destruction of their lands. His popularity was such that he was also named the Governor of the state of Chihuahua in 1913, against the wishes of Carranza. He used this position to raise even more money for the rebel cause against Huerta and endeared himself to the United States, who also opposed the dictator. The National Army was eventually defeated by the forces of Pancho, when they invaded the city of Zacatecas; this victory turned the tide of the rebellion and forced Victoriano out of office in 1915.
When Carranza became President, Villa's allegiance with the man ended. Pancho feared that he would be just as much of a dictator as Huerta had been, and he broke off relations. He fled back into the surrounding hills of Chihuahua, after he failed in his attempt to occupy Mexico City.. The general enjoyed years of public support in his fight but this marked a turn for him. However, the United States had become convinced that Venustiano's presidency was the best way to stabilize the Mexican government, and stopped supplying the rebel with arms. Further fighting proved less successful and his influence began to flounder..
In 1920, President Carranza was assassinated, and Villa negotiated a peace agreement with the interim leader, Adolfo de la Huerta; he would retire to a lavish hacienda and receive government pension. However, just three years later, Pancho was killed while running errands, when seven assassins bombarded his car with gunfire. The impressive General helped to shape the first few years of the Mexican Revolution, and his charisma and daring made him a folk hero for generations to come.
