No Mexican Expedition

What if the United States did not launch the Mexican Expedition, also known as the Pancho Villa expedition, from 1916 to 1917? Suppose that either Villa is dead beforehand or does not antagonize the US with cross-border raids.

What are the long-term results of this?
 
US-Mexico relations may be improved somewhat. Also some soldier who died in the expedition might survive and become a general or a politician.
 
US-Mexico relations may be improved somewhat. Also some soldier who died in the expedition might survive and become a general or a politician.

Think long term. The lack of experienced men, officers and leadership...the reorganization of the process for raising, deploying and supplying soldiers.
 
It is my understanding that the only way that the US was able to get men into Europe within the year was that we had veterans and experience putting men together from the Mexican Expedition. Now lets imagine that we don't have these vets or the experience. Imagine that we have to start from scratch in 1917.
 
It is my understanding that the only way that the US was able to get men into Europe within the year was that we had veterans and experience putting men together from the Mexican Expedition. Now lets imagine that we don't have these vets or the experience. Imagine that we have to start from scratch in 1917.

Thus Wilson would probably have to take Roosevelt up on his offer to lead 25000 Volunteer corps to France !

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
It is my understanding that the only way that the US was able to get men into Europe within the year was that we had veterans and experience putting men together from the Mexican Expedition. Now lets imagine that we don't have these vets or the experience. Imagine that we have to start from scratch in 1917.

The AEP would probably end up divided up into UK & French units as per Wilson's fears. The US takes an even more subservient role in the war and US men die at the behest of Foreign Generals, giving any later isolationist movements more ammo.
 

burmafrd

Banned
Pershing got a lot of publicity and influence due to the Expedition.
Without that maybe indeed Roosevelt ends up with a lot more influence when we go to war.
 
Pershing got a lot of publicity and influence due to the Expedition.
Without that maybe indeed Roosevelt ends up with a lot more influence when we go to war.

I still doubt Roosevelt would be given military command, he was almost 60 by then. Also I can't see how American forces would be weak without this expedition after all in OTL most of the US forces were new recruits anyway.
 
I still doubt Roosevelt would be given military command, he was almost 60 by then. Also I can't see how American forces would be weak without this expedition after all in OTL most of the US forces were new recruits anyway.

Teddy Roosevelt doesn't need "command." He goes over there and strangles the Germans with his bare hands. Then he finds Lenin and Stalin and beats them to death with the body of Trotsky. That's just how he rolls.
 
I still doubt Roosevelt would be given military command, he was almost 60 by then. Also I can't see how American forces would be weak without this expedition after all in OTL most of the US forces were new recruits anyway.

As a Volunteer corps, he is offering himself for command. If this is the only way to get a force organised, then the offer is basically take it or leave it for Wilson.

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
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