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Maraline Ellis Salem-‐Keizer School District 2013-‐2014
Pancho Villa, Villain or Hero? Use the following documents to compile information about whether Pancho Villa was more of a hero or more of a villain.
Document B Excerpt from Editorial in Newspaper Owned by William Randolph Hearst, May 4, 1914 You do your neighbor a service if you call a policeman to drive a sneak thief from his house, but you serve him ill if you send in a red-‐handed burglar and murderer to drive the lesser criminal away. (Editorial criticizing President Wilson for supporting Villa against Huerta in the New York American,
May 4, 1914)
Document A Excerpts from Editorial in Newspaper Owned by William Randolph Hearst, Sept. 26, 1914 The one man in this Mexican conflict and crisis who has appeared to tower above all others in personal power and capacity, in the magnetism to lead, the mastery to command, and the ability to execute, is Francisco Villa . . . . If Villa is made president he will remain as president and establish a stable and reliable government. If another man is made president by foreign interference he will have to reckon with Villa and with the masses who believe in Villa.
(Editorial in the San Francisco Examiner, September 26, 1914)
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Document C Eyewitness Account of a Meeting with Villa in Mexico, 1914 The rich Mexicans who had oppressed the people and opposed the Revolution, he (Villa) expelled promptly from the State and confiscated their vast holdings. By a simple stroke of the pen the 17,000,000 acres and innumerable business enterprises of the Terrazzas family became the property of the Constitutionalist government, as well as the great lands of the Creel family and the magnificent palaces which were their town houses. Remembering, however, how the Terrazzas exiles had once financed the Orozco Revolution, he imprisoned Don Luis Terrazzas, Jr., as a hostage in his own house in Chihuahua. Some particularly obnoxious political enemies were promptly executed in the penitentiary. The Revolution possesses a black book in which are set down the names, offenses, and property of those who have oppressed and robbed the people. . . .
(From John Reed, Insurgent Mexico. New York: International Publishers, 1969. Originally published and
copyrighted 1914.)
Document D Interview by Irish Newspaper Correspondent with Pablo Lopez, One of Villa’s Men, Who Was Captured After the Raid on Columbus, New Mexico, 1916 “Ah,” said López, “you are not then a gringo. Well, that makes little difference; you have revolutions in your own land. Is that not so? Yes, my friends keep me posted on outside news. If it was not for them I would starve . . .I do not care to say much about Santa Ysabel. You know that was different from fighting armed men in Columbus but you can imagine perhaps that when you are the devoted slave of a great leader you obey orders. “Even so, things might not have gone as they did if it had not been that there were other jefes (bosses) there among whom there was a spirit of deviltry. Perhaps we would have been content with only the Americans’ clothes and money. “But Señor, they started to run and then our soldiers began to shoot. The smell makes our blood hotter. The excitement and – ah well, Señor, it was all over before I realized it. Yes, I was sorry when I had time to cool down and reflect . . . . “I am not only a poor ignorant peon, Señor. My only education was gained in leading oxen and following the plow. However, when the good Francisco Madero rose in arms against our despotic master, I gladly answered his call. “We all knew Pancho Villa – and who did not? His exploits are recounted nightly at every fireside. He was the object of worship of all who were ground under the heel of the oppressor. “When the call came, I was one of the first to join him and have been his faithful follower and adoring slave ever since. . . . I am bound for Santa Rose (Chihuahuan execution site) when I am able to walk there. I would much prefer to die for my country in battle, but if it decided to kill me, I will die as Pancho Villa would wish me to – with my head erect and my eyes unbandaged and history will not be able to record that Pablo López flinched on the brink of eternity.”
(El Paso Herald, May 25, 1916. As found in Friedrich Katz, The Life and Times of Pancho Villa, 1998.)
Maraline Ellis Salem-‐Keizer School District 2013-‐2014
Document F Interview with Pancho Villa in the El Paso Morning Times, 1915 Never had I doubted the justice of our cause. Through twenty-‐two years of fighting for what I believe to be the cause of liberty, of human liberty and justice. When I was young I took cognizance of the great injustices being one to the great mass of compatriots. I too was a victim of that oppression. In my roughness I saw fifteen million people who were being oppressed under the cruel talons, and that millions had to suffer for the few who became rich and lived luxuriously. I saw and felt that very deeply, even when I was in prison. I solemnly swore that I would escape, attack that system, and punish it severely, as severely as I could.
(As found in Friedrich Katz, The Life and Times of Pancho Villa, 1998.)
Document E Letter from W.M. Stell to Lieutemnant H.O. Flipper Describing Villa Attempting to Recruit Volunteers for his Army, Oct. 30, 1916 Villa went at once to the main plaza, bringing with him a music band from Cusi. The band played and many shouted, “Villa, viva Villa!” etc. Then Villa made a speech, stating that the Americans were coming in from every direction to Mexico and that Carranza had sold most of the republic to the Americans, and urged all of his beloved paisanos to assist him to run the gringos out of the country, etc. Some three hundred signed at once. The number was so small that he became vexed. He took dinner and left at 3:30 PM for the station at San Isidro. . . . During the days that Villa was in San Isidro, Julio Acosta (one of Villa’s lieutenants) gave orders that every man that could walk must present himself to him and leave with him and Villa to fight against the Americans, that everybody must come to help and those that did not come were sent for and brought in by force. Three men were shot because they refused to go and many were badly treated and tortured and beaten and hung up, etc. One of the Rico boys was badly beaten and others burned with hot irons. All this was a great surprise to the peons, as they were certain they would have a free hand again.
(As found in Friedrich Katz, The Life and Times of Pancho Villa, 1998.)
Maraline Ellis Salem-‐Keizer School District 2013-‐2014
Document G
http://myhero.com/go/hero.asp?hero=Villa_JohnMuir_06_ul
Document H
"I've Had About Enough of This". Uncle Sam leaps across the border fence with Mexico to chase Pancho Villa, March 10, 1916.
by Clifford K. Berryman, via National Archive Berryman collection
Maraline Ellis Salem-‐Keizer School District 2013-‐2014
Document I
New York Times, 1914
Maraline Ellis Salem-‐Keizer School District 2013-‐2014
Pancho Villa, Hero or Villain? First, write definitions for the words “hero” and “villain”. Try to use your own words. If you do use another source, put the definition in your own words as you write it down. Next, reread each document carefully and identify whether it has any information about good or “heroic” qualities of Pancho Villa or whether it has any negative or “villainous” qualities of him. List the facts in the approporate spaces.
Definition of Hero:
Villain:
Good Qualities or Actions Negative Qualities or Actions Doc A
Doc B
Doc C
Doc D
Maraline Ellis Salem-‐Keizer School District 2013-‐2014
Doc E
Doc F
Doc G
Doc H
Doc I
After weighing the evidence from all of the documents, along with any outside information you have, write a paragraph that begins with one of the following two thesis statements. Be sure to use examples and information from the documents to support and defend your thesis. Thesis statement 1: Pancho Villa may have seen himself as a friend to the people, but his actions did more harm than good; he is more “villain” than “hero”. Thesis statement 2: Pancho Villa may have used violence to pursue his cause, but he did more good than harm to his people; he is more “hero” than “villain”.
