Pancho Villa (1878–1923,) born José Doroteo Arango Arámbula, was a Mexican revolutionary leader known for his role in the Mexican Revolution (1910–20) and his command of the División del Norte, one of Latin America’s most formidable revolutionary armies.
Born in Durango, Mexico, he grew up in poverty and turned to banditry before joining the 1910 revolution against President Porfirio Díaz. He became a key military leader under Francisco Madero, helping overthrow Díaz. After Madero’s assassination (1913,) Villa opposed Victoriano Huerta, leading successful campaigns in Chihuahua and northern Mexico.
His forces played a crucial role in Huerta’s defeat (1914,) but he later clashed with Venustiano Carranza, leading to his decline. In 1916, he raided Columbus, New Mexico, provoking a failed U.S. military expedition to capture him. He retired in 1920 after negotiating peace but was assassinated in 1923.
Biographies include Alejandro Quintana’s Pancho Villa: A Biography (2012,) analyzing his life and revolutionary impact, and Friedrich Katz’s The Life and Times of Pancho Villa (1998,) a comprehensive study of his leadership and legacy.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Pancho Villa
Don’t let it end like this. Tell them I said something.
—Pancho Villa
Topics: Last Words, Famous Last Words
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