From the April 28, 2022, History "7 things you may not know about Cinco de Mayo" by Jesse Greenspan.
1. Mexico had just gotten over a civil war in 1862.
2. European troops invaded because Mexico was broke. Owed lots of money to Spain, France and Great Britain. With the U.S. too tied up with its own civil war, it would be unable to enforce the Monroe Doctrine. Spain and Great Britain almost immediately left, but 7,000 French troops pushed on, aided by those Mexicans who had lost the civil war.
3. France was considered a major military power at the time. On May 5, they encountered Mexican forces at Puebla and despite three charges, were forced to retreat. A major victory for the Mexicans.
--DaCoot
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