When was the Mexican army in the best shape (relative to USA)?

I'm putting this on the Before 1900 thread, even though I'm not sure which side it belongs...

Between 1821 and 2016, when has the Mexican army been in the best shape relative to the USA army? I'm talking relative power of the entire army to entire army here, being outnumbered 5-1 is still being outnumbered 5-1. (and I believe that all of the US Nuclear Weapons would count as being Navy or AF control)

My *guess* is in the 1880s when the Mexicans were under a *relatively* stable government under Diaz and the US Military was more or less a force to fight the Native Americans....
 
I'm putting this on the Before 1900 thread, even though I'm not sure which side it belongs...

Between 1821 and 2016, when has the Mexican army been in the best shape relative to the USA army? I'm talking relative power of the entire army to entire army here, being outnumbered 5-1 is still being outnumbered 5-1. (and I believe that all of the US Nuclear Weapons would count as being Navy or AF control)

My *guess* is in the 1880s when the Mexicans were under a *relatively* stable government under Diaz and the US Military was more or less a force to fight the Native Americans....
Never. And your 1880 suggestion has way too many Civil War vets in good shape to fight who have seen real war that Mexicans never did. Too many people on here talk about the absolute size of the US army and ignore the fact that West Point churned out amazing numbers compared to actual slots available, add in state militias, the fact Americans had experience in shooting guns and Indian raids that Europeans did not, and so more Americans were ready for the horrors of having to kill a man or shoot a gun in defence, than there counterparts in other nations when drafted or volunteer. And that applies to Mexico as much as Europe. And shear manpower size means nothing, the American economy could crush Mexico's in 1880, Mexico had no big gun manufactory on the scale of the Watervliet Arsenal for instance.
 
Never. And your 1880 suggestion has way too many Civil War vets in good shape to fight who have seen real war that Mexicans never did. Too many people on here talk about the absolute size of the US army and ignore the fact that West Point churned out amazing numbers compared to actual slots available, add in state militias, the fact Americans had experience in shooting guns and Indian raids that Europeans did not, and so more Americans were ready for the horrors of having to kill a man or shoot a gun in defence, than there counterparts in other nations when drafted or volunteer. And that applies to Mexico as much as Europe. And shear manpower size means nothing, the American economy could crush Mexico's in 1880, Mexico had no big gun manufactory on the scale of the Watervliet Arsenal for instance.
I didn't think my original question indicated that I thought there was a time when the Mexican Army was *better* than the US Army, I'm asking when it was in the best shape relative to the US Army. (One quarter of the ability rather than One eighth (or whatever))
 
I didn't think my original question indicated that I thought there was a time when the Mexican Army was *better* than the US Army, I'm asking when it was in the best shape relative to the US Army. (One quarter of the ability rather than One eighth (or whatever))
Probably during or before the Mexican American War, otherwise maybe during the French Intervention (The Imperial Army that is).
 
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