Cinco de Mayo: La batalla Page #2

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Take the troops, cavalry

and supplies to Chalchicomula.

Order Oaxaca Division to move forward.

Here.

General Porfirio Diaz, too.

They are our best men.

What are you waiting for, Miguel?

Am I not clear?

I have more bad news.

It's your wife.

Rafaela died yesterday

of pneumonia.

I'm really sorry, brother.

If there is something

I can do for you...

- Maybe you should go to...

- We have no time.

If we don't take action now,

we will have more deaths to regret.

Virgen de la Candelaria.

I saw her on my way through

Canary Island.

And I find her here,

across the Atlantic Ocean.

In Mexico, like in Spain,

there are pious people, General.

Actually, we just celebrated her festivity,

on February the 2nd.

Although I'm far from my homeland,

I feel it so close.

I'm delighted to see

how similar our countries are.

And I am delighted that our similarities

put us on the path of peace.

I don't see any obstacle to that.

I know war pretty well.

And the pain

and the sorrow that it brings.

So, if I can avoid it...

It is a wise and noble thought,

General Prim.

Well, they must have

finished writing the treaty.

Shall we call it "La Soledad,"

like this hacienda?

All right, Minister.

One month later...

Charles Ferdinand Latrille,

Count of Lorencz.

I'm landing with eight battleships

and 5,000 armed men

at the service of the French Empire.

I don't understand, why bring in

more troops and a war commander?

With all due respect, Count.

Believe it or not, General Prim,

we came here

because our Mexican friends

invited us.

General Prim,

-it is an honor, sir.

- General Almonte,

we hadn't met,

but I know who you are.

What is wrong with you, Lieutenant Fauvet?

We are welcoming our war chief!

My respects, General.

Saligny, please forgive him.

I have known Lieutenant Fauvet

for a long time.

He is tough, sometimes excessive,

but efficient.

I have to give you this

urgently, General.

These are the updated geographic charts,

from the coast to Orizaba.

Excuse me, gentlemen,

but all this is not necessary.

You are right, General Prim.

It would be enough

if someone could tell me

where I can find President Juarez

to personally demand

the payment of the debt.

I am gathering all Conservative forces

and we'll join the French.

That peasant Juarez is gathering his

best men, ammunition and gunpowder

in Chalchicomula,

in order to resist an attack.

We have to stop them.

Don't worry about that,

General Marquez.

We won't let you down.

You better not.

You know what would happen to you.

- Get out.

- Yes, General.

Chalchicomula,

State of PUEBLA

Troop, stop!

General Alvarez,

we were waiting for you.

We come from Perote.

Okay, you will join Oaxaca Division.

- We are 1,200 men.

-It will be an honor, General.

We will rest at the barracks,

but the ammunition and gunpowder

must be carried to the prefecture.

Yes, General.

Hurry up, it will rain soon.

It's the Oaxaca Division! They are

the heroes of '47 and the War of Reform.

They're our best men!

Those f***ing Europeans

won't even know what hit them!

Look, Juan!

There is that pretty girl.

Which one?

What was her name?

I think it was Citlali.

What? Make a fierce face

and pretend to be a tough guy.

- Stick your chest out!

- Like this?

Yeah!

Let's go.

General Almonte's landing taunts

the work of the last months.

It is not honorable

that France supports this.

Almonte,

Morelos' son,

their independence hero

wants a European empire,

like many other Mexicans.

Those who live there,

the exiled ones.

His presence is the apple of discord

with the Mexican government.

Gentlemen, Mexico has been a republic

for the last 40 years.

They fought to get rid of a monarchy.

Why would they want another one?

We have to march over Mexico.

Such is the will of the Mexican aristocracy

and the French Empire!

But it is not the will

of Spain and England!

That would violate

"La Soledad Treaty"!

And our alliance, the Treaty of London!

Lighten up, guys!

Replacements are coming!

They're getting the chow ready.

President Jurez's government

has been despotic and tyrannical.

Not only towards its citizens,

but towards the French

and the Spaniards who live here,

and you know it, Prim!

I only know that we have signed

agreements and given our word!

General, you know an agreement between

nations can't be broken just like that!

Gentlemen,

I just follow the Emperor's orders.

I am here as

a military commander.

Your political issues

are none of my business.

The Mexican government is willing

to meet our requests,

but they won't allow

any menace to their sovereignty.

Have something to eat.

Here.

- Thanks.

- Look.

Would you like some

beans and tortillas?

- Okay.

- Yeah.

-Hey!

-yes?

Where are you from?

- Why do you want to know?

- Yes, why?

Well, just because...

I'm from Orizaba.

Right by the volcano.

I see.

We are from Cuetzaln, right?

It's in the mountains.

- Do you know where it is?

- Yeah.

- Citlali!

- Yes!

There are more beans back there,

in the hut. Share them out.

-It's too far, aunt!

- Come on, don't be lazy!

Come, there is no place

to sit here.

- Hey!

- Okay.

I ask you to reconsider your position

for the sake of our nations' alliance!

Or we shall break it

and have our troops retreat!

Don't you see?

This would mean war!

So, we made our decision.

We will march over Mexico.

Aunt!

Aunt!

Watch out, Juan!

Look for more wounded!

Someone blew the gunpowder up.

The Oaxaca Division,

our best men,

they are all dead.

Along with hundreds

of women and children.

Dark times are coming

for Mexico.

General Zaragoza!

Attention!

Citlali, the General is coming.

General Zaragoza.

At ease.

- How many casualties?

- More than 1,500, General.

Soldiers, women and children.

And many more are injured.

What about the ammunition?

We lost almost all our weapons.

Also the gunpowder

and all our horses.

Having you here

is an honor, General.

The General is here.

The General!

Are you trained nurses?

No, General.

We live on the surroundings

and we are just helping.

We also lost some of our relatives.

I know you're in mourning.

But you will deliver an important service

to our homeland if you go with the troops.

Go where, General?

Puebla.

We'll defend ourselves there.

General.

The Oaxaca Division is finished.

They are all dead.

We are outnumbered.

We won't have enough time

to reinforce our troops.

That's why we need

to buy some time

and find better

conditions to our defense.

We will try to hold them back on

the crossing of the Acultzingo Summit.

General Prim has behaved with honor.

But his efforts to avoid a war

have not been enough.

We have to take

extreme measures

and face a war.

We must believe

that our struggle is fair.

At the moment

that the Mexican government,

faithful to the commitments

that it has acquired...

A curfew will be imposed.

Mexicans will have to abandon the cities

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