Pancho Villa

Pancho Villa, the Mexican revolutionary whose guerrilla army destroyed corrupt dictators in the early 20th century and then invaded the United States;

vs. Crazy Horse, the fierce Lakota warrior of the 1870's who brilliant battle plans and fearless offensives annihilated General Custer at Little Big Horn.

History

Jose Doroteo Aerango Arambula (June 5, 1878 - July 20, 1923) was born was the oldest of five children in a poor family. At the age of sixteen, he shot Lopez Negre after Negre allegedly tried to rape Doroteo's sister. He then fled to the Durango hills, where he became part of a bandit band and adopted the name "Pancho Villa".

In 1902, Villa was arrested for stealing a mule and assault. Though he was spared the death penalty due to the powerful connections of Pablo Venezuela (whom Villa had sold the mule to), he was forced to join the federal army. Several months later, he deserted and fled to the neighboring state of Chihuahua. At the onset of the Mexican Revolution, Villa gathered his mounted troops and fought alongside General Victoriano Huerta to support Mexican President Francisco I. Madero. Huerta, seeing Villa as a threat, accused him of stealing a horse and insubordination and had him sentenced to death. While in front of the firing squad, Pancho Villa was saved by a timely telegraph from Madero, changing Villa's sentence to imprisonment, which he would later escape.

After Madero was assassinated, Huerta attempted to become dictator of Mexico. Villa, supported by American President Woodrow Wilson, joined the rebellion against Victoriano Huerta and helped force him from power on July 15, 1914. Nevertheless, the Mexican Revolution continued, eventually dissolving into civil war. After the United States stopped supplying arms to Villa and allowed Venustiano Carranza's troops, whom Pancho Villa opposed, to be relocated over US railroads (believing that supporting Carranza was the best way to stabilize the Mexican government), General Villa order 500 members of his revolutionary group to make a cross-border attack against Columbus, New Mexico.

After the Mexican Revolution ended in 1920, Villa was given an hacienda (estate) outside of Hidalgo del Parral, Chihuahua by the national government. While visiting the town on July 20, 1923, Pancho Villa was gunned down by seven riflemen while in the driver's seat of his 1919 Dodge roadster.

Weapons

Short Range	Bolo Knife
Medium Range	Colt Bisley
Long Range	1894 Winchester Repeating Rifle

Simulated Battle

Crazy Horse

Pancho Villa

The battle starts under a tree at Pancho Villa's campsite, where 4 Mexican Villistas are inspecting their weapons and Pancho slicing and eating a pomegranate with his bolo knife. Not far away, Crazy Horse and 4 Lakota indians come over the hill, himself and two other indians mounted on horseback. Villa and his men look over to the hill just as Crazy Horse and his men give loud war whoops. Sensing a fight, Pancho orders his men to arm up as he sheaths his knife. As the Lakotas charge forth firing their repeating Henry rifles, the Villistas take defensive positions and return fire with their repeating Winchester rifles. As one bandito rides into the middle of the field, another takes aim with his Colt Bisley and fires, killing the other mounted Lakota who slumps down in his saddle. As he rides past one of the mounted Lakotas, he is fatally shot by his Henry rifle, causing to fall down from his horse. The Mexican revolutionaries continue to fire until the indians come too close for comfort. Psyched out, the Mexicans retreat from the safety of their campsite, with Villa mounting a horse and escaping. Crazy Horse regroups with his fellow men and give celebratory war whoops to each other. The remaining 4 Native Americans then decide to split up into two groups: Crazy Horse and the other mounted indian on horseback, and the other two indians on foot.

Time passes, and in a nearby field, Crazy Horse and his fellow brave have dismounted and are navigating the tall grass with rifles in hand. The other indian suddenly steps on a large twig, giving their position to the other 2 banditos. Behind tree cover, one of the bandito fires his Winchester and shoots the other Lakota in the head. Crazy Horse ducks down and disappears into the grass. The banditos cautiously wait for Crazy Horse to make his move, with one of them shooting into the grass with his Bisley. The Lakota chief soon reappears and aims his Colt, shooting the bandito in the eye. The other bandito fires his Bisley at the Lakota chief as he makes a run for his life. Crazy Horse quickly holsters his revolver and gives chase.

Meanwhile, in the forest, the natives follow Pancho and the last Villista, cornering them behind trees. As the two natives take cover behind a log, both revolutionaries pull out their Colt Bisleys and fire, shooting one of the natives as he draws his revolver. While Pancho has a shootout with the other native, the other revolutionary attempts to reload his revolver, only to be shot in the neck by Crazy Horse who appears right behind the two Mexicans. Crazy Horse soon discovers he has depleted the last of his Colt ammo and pulls out his Inyankapemni, preparing to get the drop on the Mexican general.

Pancho soon stops firing at the last Lakota brave as he sees the last bandito run up behind him and run him through with his bolo knife. The bandito then runs past Villa, charging at Crazy Horse but is quickly put down by a blow to the head from Crazy Horse's war club. As the Lakota chief advances at the Mexican general, Pancho attempts to fire his revolver which has run out of ammo. Crazy Horse brings the Inyankapemni down on his left shoulder, causing him to shout in pain. Pancho Villa then drops his gun and draws his bolo knife. He lunges in close to Crazy Horse, cutting him across the chest and sending him to the ground. Villa goes in for a second chop while the Lakota brave is floored, but Crazy Horse holds out his club and blocks the swing, breaking the Inyankapemni. The Lakota chief rolls out of the path of another chop and tries to get back up. Pancho responds only by kicking him back to the ground. Crazy Horse then throws the stone end at Pancho's face. While he's stunned, Crazy Horse gets to his feet and grapples with the Mexican, trying to stab him in the neck with the splintered handle, but Pancho stops him and slashes him in the chest again, ending the Lakota's life and sending him back to the ground. Pancho then stands up and raises his arms while he shouts "Victoria!" ("Victory!") in triumph.

Expert's opinion

Pancho Villa managed to win due to his newer, more reliable 1894 Winchester Repeating Rifle and his bolo knife, able to slash out Crazy Horse's war club. Also, Pancho had a significant advantage in Logistics because Crazy Horse was unable to get the right supplies because he and his troops were taking firearms from dead soldiers they killed, while Pancho Villa had better weaponry, and medical supplies.

Trivia

According to the episode, Pancho Villia and Crazy Horse inspired the creation and tactics used by future rebels like the IRA, the Taliban and the Viet Cong.