墨西哥“五月五日节”
True origin of the “Cinco de Mayo” holiday in Mexico.
“五月五日节”是墨西哥当地一个非常重要的节日。每年这天举国上下都会庆祝纪念“普埃布拉战役”的胜利。1862年5月5日，墨西哥军队顽强抵抗法国侵略军，这个战役就发生在距离墨西哥城200公里的普埃布拉市。
May the 5th (5 (cinco) de mayo in Spanish) is an important holiday in Mexico. Each year, the whole country celebrates the anniversary of the “Battle of Puebla”, won by the Mexican army against French invading forces on May 5, 1862, in the outskirts of the city of Puebla, around 200 kilometers to the east of Mexico City.
1861年底，墨西哥经历“改革战争”(1858-1861)陷入严重的经济危机背负了严重国际债务，英国、西班牙和法国以讨债为由，联合派出军队和战舰威逼。墨西哥政府与三国进行协商沟通达成协议，英西两个撤军，唯独法军受拿破仑三世指示，企图全面入侵墨西哥，建立法属的傀儡政权“墨西哥帝国”。
In late 1861, England, Spain and France had sent warships and troops to demand the payment of debts that the Government of President Benito Juarez had suspended due to the difficult economic situation of the country after the “Reform War” (1858-1861). The Government of Mexico and the three European powers held negotiations and after reaching an agreement, the English and Spanish troops left the country, however, the French Army did not retreat and launched a full invasion of the country, following instructions of the French Emperor Napoleon III, who had a plan to establish a puppet regime in Mexico under an European “Emperor of Mexico”.
法国军队从韦拉克鲁斯与当地墨西哥几近退役的老兵交火，进行了几场小规模的战役，直至五月初，法军大举进攻墨西哥最大和最重要的城市——普埃布拉市。墨西哥军队奋起反击，抵抗侵略。
The French troops advanced from the coastal Veracruz State under harassment from the retiring Mexican army. There were some minor combats, but in early May, they approached the city of Puebla, one of the largest in the country and the key to Mexico City, the national capital. The Mexican army finally decided to make a stand against the invaders.
1862年5月5日，当时被认为世界上最强大的法军，在普埃布拉市郊外的洛雷托和瓜达卢普堡垒登陆，连日派出步兵入侵墨西哥内陆，但均以惨败告止。墨西哥“东方军队”指挥官Ignacio Zaragoza上将出色指挥调动，与战地指挥官Manuel Negrete、Felipe Berriózabal和Porfirio Diaz一起，与墨西哥士兵英勇奋战抵抗侵略。经过几场硬仗，法军势力被极大地削弱，Porfirio Diaz率领的骑兵部队趁胜追击，法军溃败撤离韦拉克鲁斯。
In the morning of May 5, 1862, the French, considered at that time the best troops in the world, launched their attack on the Mexican positions around the forts of Loreto and Guadalupe in the outskirts of Puebla. Throughout the day, they launched several infantry attacks on the Mexicans, but all were stopped with heavy casualties for the invaders. The commander of the Mexican “Army of the East”, General Ignacio Zaragoza, maneuvered brilliantly, helped and experienced field commanders as Manuel Negrete, Felipe Berriózabal and Porfirio Diaz and the Mexican soldiers fought gallantly. After fierce combats, when the French army lost its momentum, the Mexican cavalry, leaded by Porfirio Diaz, launched a counterattack that disbanded the invading force. Overwhelmed, the French retired progressively to Veracruz.
一支4,000人的墨西哥军队一举打败了超过6,000人且装备精良的法国及其联盟军队。在上将Zaragoza及其下属指挥官的完美调动下，英勇的墨西哥军队瓦解了占有数量装备绝对优势的法军。上将在取得战役胜利只是简单地说：“墨西哥军队是为荣誉而战”。
That day the French army and their Mexican allies fielded around 6,000 troops, while General Zaragoza had around 4,000 soldiers. The Mexicans countered the numerical and technical superiority of the French using the fortifications, good artillery and, above all, their personal courage and the brilliant and inspired leadership of General Zaragoza and his deputy commanders. In the report of his victory, the Mexican General succinctly reported “The National Arms have been covered with glory”.
当捷报传来，整个墨西哥城人们和政府欢欣不已。不仅仅是为取得一场战役胜利，也不单单是为以少敌多战胜欧洲列强，更是为打败1829前西班牙殖民侵略和让墨西哥失去大半国土墨美战争之后，墨西哥人们顽强保护领土主权的第一伟大胜利。前墨西哥总统Benito Juarez亲自祝贺Zaragoza上将及其率领的精锐军队，并宣布将当天定为胜利纪念日以及法定假日。
When news of the Mexican victory reached Mexico City, the people and Government exploded in joy. It was not only a great victory against a theoretically superior foe, the army of one of the great European powers, but also the first victory of Mexico against a foreign invader since the Spanish re-conquest attempt of 1829 and the first after the disastrous war against the US (1846-1848), when Mexico lost half of its territory. President Benito Juarez congratulated personally General Zaragoza, his officials and troops, he also decreed the Anniversary of the battle to be a public holiday.
在法国，公众的反应截然相反。民众愤怒和无法置信自己国家耻辱地败给了一个“异国”和“下等国”，法国政府收到媒体舆论强烈批判，败将Lorencez被罢免，一支25,000人组成的更强大的军队被派往墨西哥。
In France, the reaction was the opposite one. There was disbelief and anger for the humiliating defeat against an “exotic” and “inferior” country. The French Government was severely criticized by the press that always believed this imperialist adventure was foolish. The defeated commander, General Lorencez, was substituted and a new, bigger and more powerful army of 25,000 troops was sent to Mexico.
尽管法国联军于1863年经过62天的苦战，占领了普埃布拉市，随后一年相继占领了墨西哥城以及其他城市，总统Juarez拒绝投降，率领大众反抗势力经过长达4年的不懈抗争，迫使法军于1866年全面撤离，傀儡政权Maximilian of Habsburg随之于1867年瓦解。
Even though the French army and their Mexican allies conquered Puebla in 1863 after a siege of 62 days, Mexico City shortly afterwards and the rest of the country in one year or so, President Juarez never surrendered, guided the popular resistance and after four long years of war of resistance, the French retired in 1866 and the puppet government of “Emperor” Maximilian of Habsburg was finally defeated by the Mexican forces in 1867.
墨西哥每年都会庆祝纪念这次伟大战争的胜利，特别是普埃布拉州。学生从节日中认识伟大的Zaragoza上将及英勇的墨西哥战士，他们来自Zacapoaxtla自愿军、朴素的农民和小镇的居民，靠着极其简单的武装，或者法军残兵的弯刀，战胜了强大的敌人。
Every year, the Anniversary of the Battle is celebrated in Mexico, especially in the State of Puebla. Schoolchildren learn about the great victory of General Zaragoza and the bravery of Mexican soldiers, like the Zacapoaxtla volunteers, humbled peasants and countrymen from small towns nearby Puebla, armed only with sharp “machetes” that were among the first to enter the battle and caused many casualties among the French. It is also common to make reenactments of the battle.
Zaragoza上将是国家英雄，普埃布拉市和科阿韦拉州均在增加其名为后缀：Puebla de Zaragoza和Coahuila de Zaragoza。1976被追封为民族英雄，葬于普埃布拉市人民英雄纪念碑以示敬意。他的肖像被印在了墨西哥最大面值货币500比索之上，直至2010年。
General Zaragoza is a national hero. To honor him, both the city of Puebla and his home state of Coahuila added his last name “Zaragoza” to their official name: Puebla de Zaragoza and Coahuila de Zaragoza. General Zaragoza himself was declared National Hero in 1976 and is buried in a Monument erected to pay homage to him in Puebla. His portrait even appeared in the 500 pesos banknote (highest denomination at the time in Mexico) until 2010.
“五月五日节”在美国
The “Cinco de Mayo” in the US
该节日在美国流行开来并无明确缘由，据说由于墨西哥战胜的消息流传到了加利福尼亚州、德克萨斯州和新墨西哥州几个美国1846-1848侵略取得的墨西哥领土。Zaragoza上将1829年出生于小镇Bahia del Espíritu Santo (Holy Ghost Bay)，如今的戈利亚德 (得克萨斯州)。随后于1836年举家南迁，1862年战后不幸地斑疹伤寒症不治身亡，年仅33岁。其死是墨西哥莫大的损失。
It is not clear at all how this holiday became so popular in the US. It is known that when news of the Mexican victory was known in the territories of California, Texas and New Mexico, that had been annexed by the US after the war of 1846-1848, many Mexicans celebrated loudly. General Zaragoza was born in a small town called Bahia del Espíritu Santo (Holy Ghost Bay), now Goliad in Texas in 1829. At that time, Texas was part of Mexico, actually part of the state of Coahuila-Texas. His family moved southwards after the Texan rebels defeated the Mexican army in 1836, so he never left Mexico. Sadly, General Zaragoza got sick of typhus and died in September 1862 aged only 33, just a few months after his victory. His death was a terrible loss for Mexico.
部分人认为美国庆祝“五月五日节”是收到当局支持，推广敌人的节日，如欧洲，尤其是1846在战后吸纳的部分人口会在9月16日会庆祝墨西哥国庆节。
Some say that in the US the celebration of May 5 was supported by the US authorities trying to promote a holiday directed against a foreign enemy, European in this case, different from the National Day of Mexico, celebrated on September 16 among the population that had been absorbed after the war of 1846.
“五月五日节”在20世纪后来自啤酒厂等的支持开始得到大范围推广。1970年至2000年早期大量墨西哥移民涌入美国，尽管移民热潮随后消退甚至部分墨西哥人开始回流本国，仍然有成千上万的美国墨西哥人及其下一代生活在美国。得益于这部分人口，西班牙语成为世界第二多使用的语言和墨西哥文化在美国几乎每个城市都得到推广。
The celebration grew in the late XX century, promoted by some companies like the beer breweries. As the Mexican migration to the US grew from the 1970’s to the early 2000’s grew, the celebration grew as well. Even though now the migration has ceased and actually some Mexicans are coming back, the migration of millions of Mexicans has created a community of around 30 million people in the US that trace back their origin to Mexico. Around 10 million people born in Mexico live in the US today and other 20 million are second of third generation migrants. Thanks to them Spanish is the second most spoken language and Mexican culture is present in almost all cities in the US.
如今“五月五日节”成为美国一个盛大的假日，依旧与墨西哥文化紧密相关。墨西哥音乐、食物和文化在狂欢中随处可见，但是Zaragoza上将的事迹已经少有人知，逐渐演变成了美国一个重要的墨西哥节日。
Nowadays, the “Cinco de Mayo” is a huge holiday in the US. It is still closely linked with Mexican culture. That day parades and other festivities with Mexican food, music and culture are held, but almost nobody knows or remembers General Zaragoza. It has become a kind of “Mexican holiday in the US”.
2005年国会要求总统以适当的方式庆祝“五月五日节”，以认可感谢墨西哥人为国家发展做出的巨大贡献。当天会在白宫举行酒会以及全国上下会有大大小小的上千次庆祝活动。
In 2005, the Congress asked the President of the US to celebrate the Cinco de Mayo in a proper manner, to recognize the contributions made by Mexicans to the development of the country. That Day, the President of the US organizes a Mexican party in the White House and thousands of celebrations centered in Mexican People and Culture are held in all the country.
尽管“五月五日节”起源逐渐被人淡忘，墨西哥和美国都以不同的目的庆祝这个节日，但是都是庆祝墨西哥的重要日子。
Even though the original history behind the “Cinco de mayo” is not properly remembered in the US and the holiday has acquired different meanings in Mexico and in the US, in the end, is a good day to celebrate Mexico.
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墨西哥之翼
豪尔赫·马林雕塑展
2016年3月22日-6月19日
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