Alvaro Obregon, The Vertigo of Victory

Description

This Televisa of Mexico documentary series, produced here by the Independent Production Fund, recounts the struggle for power during the Mexican Revolution of 1910, using archival footage and photographs of the contenders. This program introduces Álvaro Obregón, farmer, general, and president whose social, educational and cultural reforms induced a cultural awareness of Mexican history illustrated by the Mexican muralists. As General of the Constitutional Army of the Northwest, his strategy won important battles that propelled him to the Convention of Aguascalientes where he confronted the Villistas and Zapatistas. Obregón's defeat of Pancho Villa in the Battles of Celaya using modern field artillery and machine guns enabled Carranza to become president. Obregón was named Minister of War, but broke with Carranza over unrealized Constitutional reforms, and returned to his farm in Sonora. Obregón campaigned in the 1920 Presidential Elections against Carranza's pick, Ignacio Bonillas, and when he was not elected, Obregón with the Governor of Sonora, Adolfo de la Huerta revolted against Carranza who was deposed and soon after, killed. Adolfo de la Huerta served as interim president until Obregón was declered President of Mexico. He crushed a de la Huerta rebellion after nominating Plutarco Elías Calles to suceed him. Obregón's later years were spent moderninzing his chick-pea farm and organizing the farmers, until Yaqui unrest and increasing violence impelled him to seek re-election. Months after his re-election, he was assassinated.

Runtime

40 min 57 sec

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