When the Mexican government of Juarez suspended payment on foreign debts, British, French and Spanish troops occupied Vera Cruz (17th December 1861). The British and Spaniards withdrew in the spring of 1862, but Napeleon III hoped to overthrow the sacrilegious Juarez and establish a Catholic Empire, besides making a handsome financial profit. His troops were repulsed at Pueblo (5th May 1862). but the place eventually fell to General Bazaine on 17th May 1863, The Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, brother of Franz Joseph of Austria, was installed as Emperor and Juarez fled across the U.S. border. In 1865 General Meriano Eschedo, who had reorganized the Mexican army, began a counter-offensive. The United States, the Civil War being over, was able to compel Napoleon III to withdraw his troops, and in consequence Maximilian was defeated and captured at Queretaro on 14th May 1867. The unfortunate Emperor was shot and President Juarez reigned in his stead. As may be imagined this episode did nothing for the French prestige at the moment when Bismarck's Prussia had just struck down Austria. Back to Table of Contents -- Wargamer's Newsletter # 105 To Wargamer's Newsletter List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1970 by Donald Featherstone. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com