Pancho+Villa

Pancho Villa was a Mexican revolutionary and was born in Doroteo Arango on June, 5, 1878. When his was only 15 years old, Villa became head of the household after his father's death. In 1894, Pancho shot a man who was harassing one of his sisters. Afterwards, he ran away for six years into the mountains and became a bandit when joining a group of fugitives during his time in the mountains. In his attempt to avoid getting caught for his crime, he changed his name after he became a bandit, as well as became a miner with the addition of selling cattle. Shortly after, it was recorded he performed many other crimes. In 1910, Pancho joined a successful uprising against the Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz. The rebels eventually ran Diaz out of power. The new president, Francisco Madero, named Pancho a colonel. Pancho Villa sought to protect the new leader’s authority, but was accused of stealing by General Victoriano Huerta. Pancho had an execution ordered but was reprieved shortly before. Madero was assassinated in 1913 by Huerta and began his rise to power. Pancho Villa formed allies, one named Venustiano Carranza, and overthrew the president. During the revolts, Villa controlled much of northern Mexico military forces.

Surprisingly, the bandit whose identity was once a secret loved to be photographed and filmed by the United States. In 1914, Carranza rose to power. Rebellions broke out again, led by Villa who had joined with Emiliano Zapata and Woodrow Wilson. Mexico was moving towards democracy, leading Wilson to withdraw his support. This infuriated Pancho Villa which caused him to kidnap and kill 18 Americans. Months later, he raided a city in New Mexico which killed 19 more citizens. President Wilson sent one of his generals into Mexico to capture Villa. Two hunts occurred in 1916 and 1919 with no luck. Carranza was assassinated in 1920 and a new president rose to power. The new leader negotiated with Pancho to have him remove himself from the battlefield. He retired and was killed three years later (1923) in Parral Mexico.