Pershing's Expedition

Pershing's Expedition, also known as the Punitive Expedition, was a military operation led by General John J. Pershing in 1916. It aimed to capture the Mexican revolutionary leader Pancho Villa after he attacked the U.S. town of Columbus, New Mexico. The U.S. government sought to deter further violence and instability along the border. Pershing's forces entered Mexico, but despite engaging Villa's troops, they never captured him. The expedition highlighted the complexities of U.S.-Mexico relations and the challenges of military operations in foreign territory, ultimately contributing to the debate over U.S. interventionism in Latin America.