The Cristero Rebellion - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

The Cristero Rebellion

Part I

Slide2

The Scene in Mexico

Porfirio

Diaz

Leader of Mexico in 1910

Mainly concerned with keeping power

Less able to cope with Mexico’s problems

This led to other people starting organizations

National Catholic Party

Formed to advance papal teachings on social justice

Supported Francisco Madera politically

League of Catholic Students

Aid political effort

Rally students to practice their faith

Slide3

1910 Mexican Presidential Election

Madera v. Diaz

First election since Diaz had taken power

Madera campaigned all over Mexico

Popular support for Madera

Diaz had Madera arrested for inciting riots

Election held in July

Results not announced until September 16

th

Diaz announced he had received 99% of the vote

Extreme numbers turned more people against him

Slide4

Madera’s Uprising

Madera escaped to Texas

Proclaimed election a fraud and himself President

Called for uprising

Failed miserably

Showed incompetence of Diaz’s army

Generals were over 80

Led to emergence of guerrilla bandits

Pancho

Villa the leader of these bands

Outbreak of violence

Slide5

Zapata

Emiliano

Zapata

Native Farmer

Organized attacks on wealthy land owners who had taken native’s land

Wanted justice, not fame and wealth

Attacks led Diaz to resign

Left Mexico for Paris

Slide6

More Upheaval in Mexico

Madera became president

Held elections to solve any rising problems

Victoriano

Huerta

Took power

Kidnapped and murdered Madera

Used murder to take out potential enemies

Rebellions broke out against Huerta

Led by Alvaro Obregon,

Plutarco

Calles, and

Venustiano

Carranza

Slide7

Pancho Villa

Pancho

Villa called for vengeance on Madera’s murderers

Led army which spread terror

Seized Church properties

US Newspapers made him into a Robin Hood

Got any supplies he needed from US

Pancho

Villa active in north

Zapata active in South

Huerta with

gov

. army, superior weapons

Slide8

Wilson and Mexico

Wilson believed democracy was the solution

Wilson told Madera he would not recognize his

gov

.

Would try to destroy it instead

Without invading

Embargo on selling them weapons

Slide9

Veracruz Incident

A few US sailors accidentally entered restricted area in port of Veracruz

Arrested but quickly released w/ apologies

US Admiral Mayo wanted public apology

Along with salute of US flag

Upset Mexican authorities

Wilson sent US fleet to intercept Mexican arms shipments

German ship

Ypiranga

about to land with arms shipments for Huerta’s government

US didn’t want to upset GER

Decided to take arms after they had been unloaded

US tried to seize port

Mexicans returned fire

US shelled town, killing 100s of civilians

Ypiranga

landed in another port, unloaded goods

US occupied Veracruz

US and Mexico on verge of war

Argentina and Brazil arbitrated dispute

Avoided war

US had effectively cut of Huerta’s weapon supply for a time

Slide10

Chaos Continues

Obregon took Mexico City

Huerta fled

Villa upset he didn’t take it

Zapata didn’t trust other revolutionaries’ motives

Carranza wanted to take it

Obregon organized convention of factions

Collapsed into chaos

Carranza and Obregon left convention upset

Villa and Zapata marched on city

Villa took over government

Focused instead on executing people he didn’t like

Zapata left when city ran out of food

Villa looked for food outside city

Obregon and Carranza retook Mexico City

Defeated attack by Villa

Carranza was considered president, but more in name only

Slide11

The End of Villa

Wilson withdrew support from Villa

Villa allowed open season on US citizens in Mexico

Raided Columbus, NM to try to get US to declare war on MEX and take out Carranza

Wilson running for reelection

Send Pershing to take out Villa

Villa forced into hiding

Neutralized

Slide12

The Carranza Government

Carranza inaugurated as president 1917

New

Consitution

Most power given to the President

President was elected for one term only

Government had complete power over the Church

Sought to destroy Zapata

Gen. Pablo Gonzalez sought fame and power

Sent colonel to fake defecting to Zapata

Allowed colonel to slaughter 59 of Gonzalez’s men to sell the fake

Zapata ambushed and killed at meeting with the colonel

Slide13

Carranza’s Demise

People ready to elect Obregon as successor

Carranza wanted to manipulate election to have a friend elected

Obregon and Calles marched on city

Carranza fled with gold

Local chieftain pretended to hide Carranza

Killed him in his sleep

Slide14

Anti-Catholicism under Obregon

US

gov

. recognized Obregon’s

gov

.

Anti-Catholicism under Obregon

Imprisoned priests, closed Churches/schools

Exiled/imprisoned bishops

Attempted bombings

Archbishop’s palace

Juan Diego’s

tilma

Public religious ceremonies prohibited

Dispersed the Eucharistic Congress

Fired

gov

. employees who attended

Slide15

Calles Takes Control

Obregon picked Calles to succeed him

More anti-Catholic than Obregon

“I have a personal hatred for Christ”

National League for Religious Defense

NLDR formed

Calles declared all priests must register

Bishops decided they wouldn’t

Would practice in secret instead

Slide16

The Cristero Rebellion

NLDR decided taking up arms the only solution

Catholic rebels named the

Cristeros

Because they shouted “Viva Cristo Rey!”

NLDR Led by

Capistran

Garza

Asked for US Catholic support for arms

US didn’t give

Forced to use guerilla warfare

Anacleto

Gonzalez Flores

Joined revolution as chief of military operations

MEX

gov

. raided his house, took him prisoner

Tortured, gave no information, then executed

Slide17

Part II

Slide18

Padre Miguel Pro

Jesuit

Fled Mexico as revolutions were going on

Got sick and doctor

Jesuits thought his body needed Mexican climate

Acted as a priest in secret

Wanted Catholics to be able to practice freely

Brothers were members of NLDR

Floated balloons w/ leaflets encouraging Catholics to stay strong

Calles sent 10,000 people to collect balloons before people saw their message

Pro arrested in connection, but released

Slide19

Martyrdom

Failed assassination attempt on CallesCar used had once belonged to Pro’s brotherPro family went into hidingA boy had visited him for confessionBoy was arrested and torturedRevealed Pro’s hiding spotPro and his family arrestedEvidence showed they were unrelated to the assassination attemptExecuted by firing squad

Slide20

So Close to Peace

Calles was going to meet with Catholic bishops to discuss ending persecutionIn order to end the fighting and preserve powerObregon electedHe and Calles had agreed to switch offObregon assassinatedPeople were suspicious that Calles did itAs he became President upon Obregon’s deathCalles blamed it on the ChurchRenewed persecutionDidn’t make people less suspiciousCalles resigned

Slide21

Another Attempt at Peace

Emilio Portes GilElected presidentReopened negotiations for peace with CatholicsCristeros didn’t want negotiationsNew attacks on gov.Gov. responded with attacks

Slide22

The War Wages On

Cristeros

planned to capture Mexico City-Guadalajara train

Use it to send their troops to Guadalajara

Take

gov

. weapons stash there

Train turned out to be troop convoy

Cristeros

forced into bloody retreat

Gov. ordered a ranch by ranch search for

Cristeros

Gov. could stop them from winning battles, but couldn’t wipe them out

Slide23

End of the War

Gil announced he didn’t intend to destroy Church or intervene in its spiritual function

Bishops believed this

Announced Catholics could worship publically

People started leaving the

Cristeros

Cristeros

said they would stop fighting if all were granted amnesty (pardon for the violence)

Gil agreed

War ended in 1929

Promises broken

Persecution continued off and on for years

Slide24

Becoming Catholic Again

Persecution relaxed in 1936President announced he was Catholic in 1979JPII came to Mexico in 1979