Pancho Villa's Prelude to Pershing's Failed Intrusion

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Summary and Reaction to Scott Murphy's Pancho Villa's Prelude to Pershing's Failed Intrusion
In the early 1900s, during the Mexican Revolutionary years, the border between the United States and Mexico was in chaos. This period was occasioned by frequent cross-border raids in which properties were pillaged, some bystanders hit by stray bullets, and building left with bullet holes on the American side of the border. The then President, Woodrow Wilson, had adopted a 'watchful waiting' policy in which American forces were not allowed to cross the border despite constant provocation (Murphy 73). However, American forces under General J. Pershing crossed the border to punish Mexican bandits or raiders. This article summarises the key events that led to Pershing's intrusion and a brief commentary on these events.
Summary
Murphy's article is informative in the sense that it seeks to inform rather than to persuade. Persuasion would have required the author to take a particular stance. For instance, the author could have taken the view that it is Mexicans who provoked the American intrusions or that America's activities in Mexico led to the intrusions. However, because it is an informative article, it only provides information on the events that took place before the intrusion by General Pershing. What stands out is that the author produces an original feature, a combination of history and statistics, to inform the audience. In my view, the purpose of writing this article was to show that there was an accumulation of provocations that finally compelled American troops across the border into Mexico and that it was not a random abrupt decision. The author, Gregory Scott Murphy, holds an MLS degree from Queens College and a BA in history from Hunter College. I pursued an MA in history at Queens College when writing the article. Careerwise, Murphy was the head of information services at the Henry Birnbaum Library at Pace University. He previously held similar positions at SUNY Maritime's Stephen B. Luce Library, the Intrepid Museum, and the Associated Press.
The article introduces the audience to the situation at the border between Mexico and USA at the Battle of Juarez between 1900 and 1920. It becomes immediately clear that President Wilson's position of neutrality in Mexican affairs encourages raids from the Mexican side. After inheriting the Mexican problem from Howard Taft in 1913, Wilson held that America should not be concerned by Mexico's internal affairs. American forces were not allowed to cross the border; it seemed like Mexican bandits knew this and were not deterred by threats of the American invasion. In Wilson's speech during the Democratic National Convention in 1915, Wilson aimed to steer America away from getting involved in Mexican affairs. His policy became known as watchful waiting, in which his agencies only collected intelligence but did not act on it.
In the years before Wilson's ascension to the American presidency, incidences at the border had escalated, leading to the death of 47 Americans between 1910 and 1911. Between 1913 and 1915, an additional 76 Americans were killed in Mexico before the violence split across the border. This led to the demise ...