These events right at our door could not fail to involve the government of the United States.  In the disorders many American citizens lost their lives.  American property was destroyed and land owned by Americans was confiscated.  A new Mexican constitution, in effect nationalizing the natural resources of the country, struck at the rights of foreign investors.  Moreover the Mexican border was in constant turmoil.  Even in the last days of his administration, Mr. Taft felt compelled to issue a solemn warning to the Mexican government protesting against the violation of American rights.

President Wilson, soon after his inauguration, sent a commissioner to Mexico to inquire into the situation.  Although he declared a general policy of “watchful waiting,” he twice came to blows with Mexican forces.  In 1914 some American sailors at Tampico were arrested by a Mexican officer; the Mexican government, although it immediately released the men, refused to make the required apology for the incident.  As a result President Wilson ordered the landing of American forces at Vera Cruz and the occupation of the city.  A clash of arms followed in which several Americans were killed.  War seemed inevitable, but at this juncture the governments of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile tendered their good offices as mediators.  After a few weeks of negotiation, during which Huerta was forced out of power, American forces were withdrawn from Vera Cruz and the incident closed.

In 1916 a second break in amicable relations occurred.  In the spring of that year a band of Villa’s men raided the town of Columbus, New Mexico, killing several citizens and committing robberies.  A punitive expedition under the command of General Pershing was quickly sent out to capture the offenders.  Against the protests of President Carranza, American forces penetrated deeply into Mexico without effecting the object of the undertaking.  This operation lasted until January, 1917, when the imminence of war with Germany led to the withdrawal of the American soldiers.  Friendly relations were resumed with the Mexican government and the policy of “watchful waiting” was continued.

THE UNITED STATES AND THE EUROPEAN WAR

=The Outbreak of the War.=—­In the opening days of August, 1914, the age-long jealousies of European nations, sharpened by new imperial ambitions, broke out in another general conflict such as had shaken the world in the days of Napoleon.  On June 28, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was assassinated at Serajevo, the capital of Bosnia, an Austrian province occupied mainly by Serbs.  With a view to stopping Serbian agitation for independence, Austria-Hungary laid the blame for this incident on the government of Serbia and made humiliating demands on that country.  Germany at once proposed that the issue should be regarded as “an affair which should be settled solely between Austria-Hungary and Serbia”;