Cinco de mayo is a minor holiday in a few parts of Mexico.
Primarily in Puebla, where the battle that it celebrates took place.
Simply put, it is a celebration of Mexico refusing to honor its debt payment, specifically interest on borrowed money, with France.
That's one the most convoluted stretches I've ever seen put on a cultural topic. Did you formerly write for
Pravda, explaining how the Russians invented the cotton gin and computers?
France was a rather dishonorable country in those days, led by Napoleon III. Mexico had been shattered by a 25-year civil war with Spain and its economy was in wretched shape. Defaulting on debt was unavoidable. France invaded Mexico, aided by Spain and England. On May 5, 1862, a small company of Mexican soldiers defeated a larger, better-armed French force at Puebla, giving hope to the entire population. This is what Cinco de Mayo celebrates: one battle.
The French were not defeated yet, and went on to capture the capital, which in those days was at Veracruz. But the Mexican army put up such a fight that the French were unable to divert any of their troops and material to help the Confederate army in the American Civil War.
France and the U.S. were not exactly allies at that time. Many Americans never forgave them for supporting the Confederacy, and when World War I broke out there was strong sentiment for entering on the side of the Germans.
Without the distraction of the Mexican war, it's likely that French interference in our Civil War would have caused it to drag on for many more years. As it is, it was possibly the bloodiest war since the era of Genghis Khan, killing two or three percent of the country's population, and creating rifts between Northern and Southern Americans and between light-skinned and dark-skinned Americans that have still not healed 150 years later.
The U.S. was extremely grateful to Mexico for their inadvertent help. When the Civil War ended, the U.S. jumped in to return the favor in Mexico's war with France. All American military personnel were offered passage to the Mexican border, where they were allowed to surrender their weapons and uniforms, accept discharge, and enlist immediately in the Mexican army.
With this assistance, the Mexicans prevailed over the French and retained their sovereignty. This cemented an enduring bond between the two countries. After Pearl Harbor, and again after 9/11, Mexicans queued up for blocks around the U.S. embassies and consulates, hoping to come to our aid and join the U.S. military. Just as, until the end of time, Americans will always die to defend England, Mexicans will always die to defend America.
This is what Cinco de Mayo is about. Nobody remembers why the Franco-Mexican War started. They only remember how it ended, that the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, was the turning point, and that America saved Mexico.
It has little in comparison to St. Patricks day . . . .
Again, your spin on the culture of the Melting Pot is certainly unique. Sociologists routinely compare Cinco de Mayo to Oktoberfest, St. Patrick's Day and Chinese New Year, all of which are celebrations of national cultures and the Americans whose ancestors came from those nations.
We don't have a day for Italy so we eat pizza all the time.