- Veracruz incident
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(1914) Occupation of Veracruz, Mex., by U.S. marines. In April 1914, after the crew of a U.S. ship that had anchored in Tampico was briefly detained for landing in a forbidden area, Pres. Woodrow Wilson demanded an apology from the Mexican government. When Mexican president Victoriano Huerta refused, Wilson sent a fleet to the Gulf of Mexico. After learning of an arms shipment to Huerta from Germany, Wilson ordered the port of Veracruz seized. By July the invasion had caused 200 Mexican casualties and had enabled the rival Constitutionalists under Venustiano Carranza (who had denounced the seizure by the U.S.) to take over the government. Huerta was forced into exile, and the U.S. marines were withdrawn on November 14.
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▪ United States-Mexican history(April 21–Nov. 14, 1914), the occupation of Veracruz, the chief port on the east coast of Mexico, by military forces of the United States during the civil wars of the Mexican Revolution.On April 9, 1914, several sailors from the crew of the USS Dolphin, anchored in the port of Tampico, were arrested after landing in a restricted dock area and detained for an hour and a half. The U.S. president Woodrow Wilson (Wilson, Woodrow) demanded a 21-gun salute to the U.S. flag as an apology. When Mexican president Victoriano Huerta (Huerta, Victoriano) refused, Wilson sent a fleet to the Gulf of Mexico.A report that arms had been dispatched to Huerta aboard the German merchant vessel Ypiranga bound for Veracruz prompted Wilson to order the port seized. The resisting Mexican force failed to stop the invading U.S. Marines and suffered about 200 casualties. Both Huerta and his rival Venustiano Carranza (Carranza, Venustiano) denounced the seizure. The action cut Huerta off from the source of needed munitions (although the arms aboard the Ypiranga did reach Huerta), but the United States permitted his opponents to be supplied. By July 1914, the Constitutionalists under Carranza were able to take over the government, and Huerta was forced into exile. On November 14 the U.S. Marines were withdrawn.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
