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- Mar 2, 2013
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- #201
Morning IPUK, what you say is partly true, but it was because of the Apache's method of fighting in Mexico. He invariably used the ambush type of attack. He would fire a volley of arrows or bullets at the peaceful people working in the fields, then appraise the results, finish off the wounded by torture or simply fade away. I would equate his effectiveness as similar to the terrorists in Europe, just a few, cause fear among the general population, out of proportion to their numbers. to the extent that they are willing to give up some of their freedoms in the hope that the ovt will provide some (questionable ) security.
When you have small bands of say 50 or so, you can move faster and easier than a gov't military unit, and it is easier to live off the country if necessary However the attrition rate must be taken into account, even the loss of a few fighting men has a serious effect on your ability to fight, hence the ambush system of attack on the lonely homesteader, or field worker,
Don,
Care to state which part of what I say is "untrue"?
The Apache fought the Mexican with the intent of staying alive, gaining maximum 'goodies' for themselves/band/tribe, whilst minimising his exposure in order to live to fight another day. When needed, look how 'Geronimo' obtained his nom de guerre when looking for vengeance. The Mexican soldiers were on the verge of shitting themselves when faced with an Apache who was on the warpath. Again I will say that the comparison with 'terrorism' in Europe is a false enterprise. But you must also consider what is happening in the US. It is the States that is leading/led the "War on Terror", but that really is of no semblance of the Apache scenario. The Mexicans were in need of slave labour just as much as hilly-billy whitey in that rather questionable part of the States was in years gone by, but instead of buying them from traders in human cargo from Africa, they simply raided native villages to 'get' what they needed. The enmity that many tribes, not just Apache, had against the Mexicans, was built up over an extended period of time.
When the great, perhaps the greatest of Apaches, Chief Cochise made peace with the Americans and lived peacefully on his Chiricahua Reservation and even protected some routes for whitey to travel safely on, a Mexican came to the reservation to ask for Cochise's intervention with some raiding parties south of the border. The chief recalled in years gone by how duplicitous the Mexicans had been with his Apaches and he would never trust them ever or make peace with them.
As well as a 'Tucson Ring', there was also conniving Mexicans who dealt in stolen livestock, raided goods and traded weapons with the Apache.
You make a point of "front-facing" battles, this is a failure to understand Apache mode of warfare and their psyche. Why oh why, get yourself killed for nothing and have your family/band suffer your loss, than fight tactically and get what you need and keep yourself alive..?
When necessary they fought alright, they also had the great responsibility of having their children, women, infirm and injured with them whilst off the reservation. Look how the mighty Victorio died fighting. Imagine what they had to do in order to stay one step ahead of their pursuers, of which there was many and from two nations. Armies, officers, civil law enforcement, bounty hunters and other Injuns wanting to be the 'one' who got Cochise, Mangas, Juh, Victorio, Geronimo, Nana etc...
You talk about the Yaqui holding their own against the Mexicans but in their uprising in 1896, they did the opposite to what the Chiricahua did and left Mexico for Arizona. Out of necessity they also fought with guerilla tactics when it suited them...
IPUK