Operation Punitive Expedition

Operation Punitive Expedition was a military mission conducted by the United States in 1916 against Pancho Villa, a Mexican revolutionary leader. After Villa's forces attacked the town of Columbus, New Mexico, killing several Americans, the U.S. government sought to neutralize him by sending troops into Mexico. The expedition aimed to capture Villa and prevent further violence but was largely unsuccessful. It marked one of the first major uses of military force across an international border to address a non-state actor and highlighted the complexities of U.S.-Mexico relations during that period.