WI: US Occupation of Veracruz Starts a Full Scale War

What if the American occupation of the city of Veracruz in 1914 leads to a full scale war between the United States and Mexico?
 
Well Mexico will lose eventually, and the US might annex Baja and other parts. It would stir up American war industries, so if/when the US got into WW1, they might not have to take so much time to get weapons and troops up to needed levels.
 

TFSmith121

Banned
Over what?

What if the American occupation of the city of Veracruz in 1914 leads to a full scale war between the United States and Mexico?

Over what?

Wilson et al wanted economic domination of Mexico; no one of influence had any interest in territorial aggrandizement by the 'teens.

Best,
 

Delta Force

Banned
Over what?

Wilson et al wanted economic domination of Mexico; no one of influence had any interest in territorial aggrandizement by the 'teens.

Best,

Veracruz has a significant amount of petroleum, and in the 1930s Mexico was second only to the United States in petroleum production. Mexico was also one of the first nations to institute national ownership of its petroleum resources (1917 Constitution) and then national ownership of its petroleum industry (1938 nationalization).
 

TFSmith121

Banned
Yes, and in 1914, the Mexican oil industry was dominated by

Veracruz has a significant amount of petroleum, and in the 1930s Mexico was second only to the United States in petroleum production. Mexico was also one of the first nations to institute national ownership of its petroleum resources (1917 Constitution) and then national ownership of its petroleum industry (1938 nationalization).

Yes, and in 1914, the Mexican oil industry was dominated by US companies; territorial control was uneeded and unwanted.

Likewise, throughout the 20th Century, Mexican oil was a (literal) drop in the bucket compared to:

a) US production; and
b) SW Asia.

Best,
 

Delta Force

Banned
Yes, and in 1914, the Mexican oil industry was dominated by US companies; territorial control was uneeded and unwanted.

Likewise, throughout the 20th Century, Mexican oil was a (literal) drop in the bucket compared to:

a) US production; and
b) SW Asia.

Best,

Mexico had its first production peak of around 190 million barrels per year in the early 1920s. Production fell off after nationalization and didn't surpass the first peak until after the 1973 Energy Crisis, but that's irrelevant to the situation in the 1910s. What is relevant is that Mexico had significant petroleum production and petroleum revenues for the era.
 

TFSmith121

Banned
And the US had more ... much more.

Mexico had its first production peak of around 190 million barrels per year in the early 1920s. Production fell off after nationalization and didn't surpass the first peak until after the 1973 Energy Crisis, but that's irrelevant to the situation in the 1910s. What is relevant is that Mexico had significant petroleum production and petroleum revenues for the era.

And the US had more ... much more. I'd go get my copy of Yergin's The Prize for the exact figures, but it's down the hall...

Cripes, the US had more oil in production than could be sold in the early 'teens.

Who is going to advocate going for a land war in Mexico in this era, anyway?

Because it ain't going to be Woodrow Wilson.

Best,
 

cpip

Gone Fishin'
Who is going to advocate going for a land war in Mexico in this era, anyway?

Because it ain't going to be Woodrow Wilson.

William Randolph Hearst, for one, who was fervently advocating for that in editorials starting during the Taft years. Whether he's of Influence or not really depends on any number of matters -- certainly in OTL he and Wilson were hardly friends.
 
One bit of fallout from the Vera Cruz occupation was the migration of English speaking people back to the US. Since the 1860s there had been a small stream of migrants from the US to farm or work in Mexico. Wilsons intervention caused a counter migration that helped offset US influence.

Wilsons political objectives with the occupations ultimately were not met. His military intervention policy failed due to his very poor understanding of Mexican politics. This was a warning for his ideas about influencing the global political landscape with US intervention in the Great War.
 
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