Original subtitles

''FRANCE IS NOT AT WAR WITH YOU, BUT THE EMPIRE.

''YOU AND I ARE FIGHTING AGAINST THE EMPIRE,

''YOU, IN YOUR COUNTRY, I, IN EXILE.

''BRAVE MEXICAN MEN, RESIST.

''THE ATTACK AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF MEXICO

''IS A CONTINUATION OF THE ATTACK AGAINST THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.''

VICTOR HUGO

Firing squad, ready!

Aim!

Fire!

AFTER LONG YEARS OF FIGHTING, ''THE WAR OF REFORM'' IS OVER,

AS BENITO JUAREZ AND HIS LIBERAL ARMY

DEFEAT THE CONSERVATIVE FORCES.

THE COUNTRY IS DEVASTATED AND IN BANKRUPTCY.

PRESIDENT JUAREZ IS FORCED TO SUSPEND

THE PAYMENT OF THE EXTERNAL DEBT.

THE CONSERVATIVE LEADERS FLEE TO EUROPE

LOOKING FOR SUPPORT TO THEIR CAUSE,

MEANWHILE, IN MEXICO, THEY TRY TO REGROUP THEIR ARMY...

PARIS, FRANCE, 1861

Is it your first time in France?

Yes, indeed. We came here because the Emperor invited us.

-Mr. Juan Nepomuceno AImonte? -Yes.

Mr. Gutierrez Estrada,

and Mr. Jose Maria HidaIgo?

His ImperiaI Majesty NapoIeon III,

Emperor of France, wiII receive you now.

I have been informed about your project

to estabIish a French monarchy in Mexico.

Interesting.

President Juarez has announced the suspension

of payments of the externaI debt.

This is the perfect excuse.

Spain and EngIand are very annoyed, too.

One way or another, we have their support.

I wiII send my troops, commanded by Count of Lorencez.

It is a great honor, Your Highness.

Give him your support in Mexico.

Wise decision, Your ExceIIency.

-Thank... -Enough.

This way, gentIemen.

Remember, GeneraI,

our victory must be fast and bIunt.

Your Highness,

Mexico wiII be no rivaI for us. In a month, it wiII be ours.

After that, take the troops to our aIIies of the U.S. Confederate Army.

As we agreed.

With our support,

they wiII defeat LincoIn's army, without a doubt.

GeneraI, one step at a time.

Mexico wiII be ours,

and the United States wiII be divided.

The future beIongs to the French Empire.

VERACRUZ HARBOR, MEXICO, 1862

CorporaI.

Artemio?

-Wake up! -What's going on?

Look.

We have to inform Captain Leon. You wait here.

France, EngIand and Spain.

-Those are battIeships. -BattIeships?

-Captain, what is going on? -Don't you see?

They're invading us.

-What are we going to do? -What do you think?

-We won't Iet them in aIive. -Are you crazy? Put that down!

You wiII get us in troubIe, Iike you aIways do.

They are stiII far, you idiot. Don't be a coward.

We have already protested and invaders have stopped.

Minister DobIado,

begin dipIomatic negotiations immediateIy.

I wiII, Mr. President.

We are confident that the weapon of reason wiII avoid

a greater bIoodshed.

Don't expect a country

to move its troops to another continent and come back empty-handed.

We have to get ready for the worst.

Our miIitary forces are inferior.

Mr. President, we don't have the resources to transport and feed our troops.

ExactIy. That is why

we have to use reason

and strategy,

not in order to attack them,

but to defend ourseIves.

Let's hope we don't have to fight against those three countries.

That

wiII depend mostIy on you, Minister.

You wiII be the right hand of this nation.

However, we must get the Ieft hand ready as weII.

I don't understand, Mr. President.

I sent the generaI in charge of the defense his designation.

-Who is he? -Our war secretary.

General Lgnacio Zaragoza.

Ignacio.

You have to go.

I wiII be fine.

I wiII Iook out for you from there.

For whatever you may need.

Don't Iet them take our country from us.

I won't.

I swear.

GeneraI Prim, these conditions are unacceptabIe!

This infernaI weather is breaking our soIdiers!

They throw up aII the time!

We have to order the Mexican government to aIIow us to take our troops

inside the country, where the weather is Iess harmfuI.

We cannot order them, but we couId ask for their permission, as a goodwiII gesture.

We French don't ask for anyone's permission!

-Before our whoIe troops get sick... -I remind you that you are not aIone.

France, Spain and EngIand are aIIies, aII decisions must be made in common.

-We must be carefuI. -CarefuI? About what?

The Mexican government shouId not take our request Iike a menace.

As if our troops were moving forward.

We have to show them our goodwiII.

Let us hope for a decent answer from our Mexican friends.

Friends?

Okay, then. But take us out of this heII, GeneraI Prim!

Give him some water!

Take him to the shade. Dismissed.

-How many do we have? -Sixty, Captain.

So, you are coming with us, ma'am?

Of course!

My husband, God save his souI, was a soIdier,

and now it's our turn to heIp our troops, isn't it?

Maybe the French wiII come to harm us and then what wouId we do?

What are you doing with that cannon?

It's stuck, Captain.

-Don't worry, we are puIIing it out, right? -Yeah!

-Hurry up! -Yes!

-Wait, Juan. -What?

I'II heIp the Iady.

-Here. -Oh, thanks.

Thanks.

Let me heIp you.

Thank you.

You're weIcome.

Here.

Come on, Juan! Hurry!

We need to get the cannon out of the mud!

Wait!

We have to heIp the Iady, right? Wait!

If I wore a skirt, wouId you heIp me with the cannon?

No, I... I'm sorry, Captain!

Hurry up!

-CitIaIi! -Yes?

-What are you doing? -Nothing, aunt.

-Come on, hurry up! -Yes, yes.

Minister Doblado, please understand that we are here to help the Mexican people.

We onIy want your debt with us to be guaranteed.

GeneraI, you are speaking for Mr. SaIigny and Commodore DunIop.

I wouId appreciate it if you sent these words to President Juarez in writing.

Yes, indeed.

We are going to send it to Mexico City immediateIy.

We shouId send our troops instead.

I don't speak French, but I understand it perfectIy.

And I see aII those soIdiers who arrived from so far, with you.

-More than we agreed, GeneraI. -It's just for protection.

For protection?

Or for expIoration?

As you know, our troops are at the port suffering from bIack vomit.

For your peace of mind, we wiII send haIf of them back to Veracruz.

WeII, now that we understand each other Iike the gentIemen that we are,

pIease aIIow me to offer you a cigar.

Now we understand each other.

We don't have whiskey, but we can get you a fine tequiIa.

Mexican beer wiII do. Thank you.

Return to the port?

We wiII take some other route.

Lieutenant Fauvet, those are not SaIigny's orders.

Sergeant Vache,

we are miIitary men and we have to expIore enemy territory.

Those are my orders, are you against them?

Aim!

Fire!

Attention!

TerribIe, gentIemen! You don't act Iike soIdiers!

If you don't want to be one, get out of here!

Ignacio,

I have bad news.

Give me that.

President Juarez aIso sent a statement from GeneraI Prim,

who is in charge of the Spanish deIegation.

According to Prim, they are here to demand satisfaction for our past affronts

and get guarantees for the future.

What affronts?

They are here to get their money the nasty way.

We are not ready to resist an attack.

Take the troops, cavaIry and suppIies to ChaIchicomuIa.

Order Oaxaca Division to move forward.

Here.

GeneraI Porfirio Diaz, too.

They are our best men.

What are you waiting for, MigueI?

Am I not cIear?

I have more bad news.

It's your wife.

RafaeIa died yesterday of pneumonia.

I'm reaIIy sorry, brother.

If there is something I can do for you...

-Maybe you shouId go to... -We have no time.

If we don't take action now, we wiII have more deaths to regret.

Virgen de la Candelaria.

I saw her on my way through Canary IsIand.

And I find her here, across the AtIantic Ocean.

In Mexico, Iike in Spain, there are pious peopIe, GeneraI.

ActuaIIy, we just ceIebrated her festivity, on February the 2nd.

AIthough I'm far from my homeIand, I feeI it so cIose.

I'm deIighted to see how simiIar our countries are.

And I am deIighted that our simiIarities put us on the path of peace.

I don't see any obstacIe to that.

I know war pretty weII.

And the pain and the sorrow that it brings.

So, if I can avoid it...

It is a wise and nobIe thought, GeneraI Prim.

WeII, they must have finished writing the treaty.

ShaII we caII it ''La Soledad, '' Iike this hacienda?

AII right, Minister.

One month Iater...

CharIes Ferdinand LatriIIe, Count of Lorencez.

I'm Ianding with eight battIeships and 5,000 armed men

at the service of the French Empire.

I don't understand, why bring in more troops and a war commander?

With aII due respect, Count.

BeIieve it or not, GeneraI Prim, we came here

because our Mexican friends invited us.

GeneraI Prim,

-it is an honor, sir. -GeneraI AImonte,

we hadn't met,

but I know who you are.

What is wrong with you, Lieutenant Fauvet? We are weIcoming our war chief!

My respects, GeneraI.

SaIigny, pIease forgive him.

I have known Lieutenant Fauvet for a Iong time.

He is tough, sometimes excessive,

but efficient.

I have to give you this urgentIy, GeneraI.

These are the updated geographic charts, from the coast to Orizaba.

Excuse me, gentIemen, but aII this is not necessary.

You are right, GeneraI Prim.

It wouId be enough

if someone couId teII me where I can find President Juarez

to personaIIy demand the payment of the debt.

I am gathering aII Conservative forces and we'II join the French.

That peasant Juarez is gathering his best men, ammunition and gunpowder

in ChaIchicomuIa, in order to resist an attack.

We have to stop them.

Don't worry about that, GeneraI Marquez.

We won't Iet you down.

You better not.

You know what wouId happen to you.

-Get out. -Yes, GeneraI.

ChaIchicomuIa, State of PUEBLA

Troop, stop!

GeneraI AIvarez,

we were waiting for you. We come from Perote.

Okay, you wiII join Oaxaca Division.

-We are 1,200 men. -It wiII be an honor, GeneraI.

We wiII rest at the barracks,

but the ammunition and gunpowder must be carried to the prefecture.

Yes, GeneraI.

Hurry up, it wiII rain soon.

It's the Oaxaca Division! They are the heroes of '47 and the War of Reform.

They're our best men!

Those fucking Europeans won't even know what hit them!

Look, Juan! There is that pretty girI.

Which one? What was her name?

I think it was CitIaIi.

What? Make a fierce face and pretend to be a tough guy.

-Stick your chest out! -Like this?

Yeah!

Let's go.

GeneraI AImonte's Ianding taunts the work of the Iast months.

It is not honorabIe that France supports this.

AImonte,

MoreIos' son,

their independence hero

wants a European empire,

Iike many other Mexicans.

Those who Iive there, the exiIed ones.

His presence is the appIe of discord with the Mexican government.

GentIemen, Mexico has been a repubIic for the Iast 40 years.

They fought to get rid of a monarchy.

Why wouId they want another one?

We have to march over Mexico.

Such is the wiII of the Mexican aristocracy and the French Empire!

But it is not the wiII of Spain and EngIand!

That wouId vioIate ''La Soledad Treaty''!

And our aIIiance, the Treaty of London!

Lighten up, guys! RepIacements are coming!

They're getting the chow ready.

President Juarez's government has been despotic and tyrannicaI.

Not onIy towards its citizens, but towards the French

and the Spaniards who Iive here, and you know it, Prim!

I onIy know that we have signed agreements and given our word!

GeneraI, you know an agreement between nations can't be broken just Iike that!

GentIemen,

I just foIIow the Emperor's orders.

I am here as a miIitary commander.

Your poIiticaI issues are none of my business.

The Mexican government is wiIIing to meet our requests,

but they won't aIIow any menace to their sovereignty.

Have something to eat.

Here.

-Thanks. -Look.

WouId you Iike some beans and tortiIIas?

-Okay. -Yeah.

-Hey! -Yes?

Where are you from?

-Why do you want to know? -Yes, why?

WeII, just because...

I'm from Orizaba.

Right by the voIcano.

I see.

We are from CuetzaIan, right?

It's in the mountains.

-Do you know where it is? -Yeah.

-CitIaIi! -Yes!

There are more beans back there, in the hut. Share them out.

-It's too far, aunt! -Come on, don't be Iazy!

Come, there is no pIace to sit here.

-Hey! -Okay.

I ask you to reconsider your position for the sake of our nations' aIIiance!

Or we shaII break it and have our troops retreat!

Don't you see? This wouId mean war!

So, we made our decision.

We wiII march over Mexico.

Aunt!

Aunt!

Watch out, Juan!

Look for more wounded!

Someone blew the gunpowder up.

The Oaxaca Division,

our best men,

they are all dead.

AIong with hundreds of women and chiIdren.

Dark times are coming for Mexico.

GeneraI Zaragoza!

Attention!

CitIaIi, the GeneraI is coming.

GeneraI Zaragoza.

At ease.

-How many casuaIties? -More than 1,500, GeneraI.

SoIdiers, women and chiIdren. And many more are injured.

What about the ammunition?

We Iost aImost aII our weapons.

AIso the gunpowder and aII our horses.

Having you here is an honor, GeneraI.

The GeneraI is here.

The GeneraI!

Are you trained nurses?

No, GeneraI.

We Iive on the surroundings and we are just heIping.

We aIso Iost some of our reIatives.

I know you're in mourning.

But you wiII deIiver an important service to our homeIand if you go with the troops.

Go where, GeneraI?

PuebIa.

We'II defend ourseIves there.

GeneraI.

The Oaxaca Division is finished.

They are aII dead.

We are outnumbered.

We won't have enough time to reinforce our troops.

That's why we need to buy some time

and find better conditions to our defense.

We wiII try to hoId them back on the crossing of the AcuItzingo Summit.

General Prim has behaved with honor.

But his efforts to avoid a war have not been enough.

We have to take extreme measures

and face a war.

We must beIieve

that our struggIe is fair.

At the moment that the Mexican government,

faithfuI to the commitments that it has acquired...

A curfew will be imposed.

Mexicans will have to abandon the cities that the French army may occupy.

Watch out!

No Mexican man between the ages of 20 to 60

will be exempt from taking up arms.

Otherwise, they will be punished like traitors.

CitIaIi?

How are you?

Fine.

So, you are coming to PuebIa.

Yes.

I want to thank you

for taking care of me.

You don't have to.

I did it for everyone.

Are you feeIing better, by the way?

Yes, much better.

Stop that!

Go away!

Here.

It's for you.

-I can't accept this! -HoId on!

This cross has taken care of me.

Just Iike you did.

It's the onIy way that I can thank you.

So take it, pIease.

In fact, here.

It's very pretty. Thank you very much.

-You're weIcome. -You are Juan, aren't you?

Attention, Iet them pass! It's a GeneraI.

Present saber!

GeneraI Leonardo Marquez.

I've come to put my army at NapoIeon III and the French Empire's disposaI.

Here he is. The ''Tiger of Tacubaya.''

GeneraI, it's an honor to have you among us.

It's time to settIe things with that usurper Juarez

and his pathetic LiberaI army.

Mr. Dubois de SaIigny, ambassador

and French poIitician.

-At your service, Mr. SaIigny. -Thank you, GeneraI.

PIease.

We have heard terribIe things about you.

Excuse me?

They say you are a tiger on the battIefieId

and that you eat your enemies aIive.

A tiger who Iikes to eat LiberaI men.

ExactIy.

This is exactIy what we need

to strangIe Juarez's army.

I have 7,000 men. They're ready to march over them.

7,000? WeII, you accompIished your task, GeneraI.

We have prepared a IittIe reception so you can sit and discuss with

our war chief, the Count of Lorencez.

This way, pIease.

We wiII pass through the AcuItzingo Summit.

It is the fastest way to get to PuebIa.

And the most dangerous one, GeneraI Lorencez, if I might add.

That fieId couId be favorabIe for the enemy.

Yes...

But we are the French army.

My men are on the other side, near AtIixco.

My proposaI is to move forward in paraIIeI, to surround them.

GeneraI Marquez,

do you have any avaiIabIe cavaIry?

Yes, indeed.

ExceIIent!

Our horses are in bad shape.

We didn't find any water or food on our way.

So we had to Ieave most of them in order to save them.

They don't have cavaIry either.

Most of their horses died in ChaIchicomuIa.

And we have not onIy French soIdiers...

But aIso African, AIgerian, Bedouin.

Let's say they're a IittIe bit savage.

Then it is aII settIed, gentIemen.

-Long Iive the Mexican monarchy! -Vive la France!

Lieutenant Fauvet,

escort GeneraI Marquez.

Yes, GeneraI.

After that,

set up an advanced party

on the other side of our Iine of attack.

Fine, GeneraI.

When wiII we meet again, GeneraI?

WeII,

I'II see you on the battIefieId.

-At your command, GeneraI. -We are counting on you, GeneraI.

I'II see you in PuebIa, gentIemen.

Hurry up or I'II see you when we enter Mexico City.

Or the United States.

AcuItzingo Summit

ApriI the 28th

Aim!

Fire!

Fire!

SoIdiers!

Today we are going to die for our homeIand.

But many more Frenchmen wiII die, too.

Forward!

Come on!

-Attack them! -To the horsemen!

Attack them!

Get ready!

ArtiIIery, artiIIery!

Fire!

Let's go!

Don't take any prisoner! KiII them aII!

Attack them!

God damn it!

Arteaga.

GeneraI Porfirio Diaz.

At you service, GeneraI.

The enemy is moving forward, even though they have more casuaIties than we do.

We estimate 10 of them have died for each one of ours, GeneraI.

StiII...

Night wiII faII soon, it wiII favor our withdrawaI.

WithdrawaI, sir? From this position, we can resist and attack them.

Porfirio, from the beginning, I knew this position was Iost.

We are moving to PuebIa, and you wiII cover our backs. Understood?

Yes, GeneraI. I am at your command.

They are not going to pass, untiI the Iast man has withdrawn.

You, go to the points where our troops are.

I need you to inform them what happened here.

-Move! -Yes, GeneraI!

We wiII bareIy have time to prepare our defense.

Fire!

FinaIIy!

Victory.

This is just the preIude of what is going to happen in PuebIa.

Retreat!

Protect the retreat!

Cannon number one, fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Gather around! Gather around!

ShouId we foIIow him?

That's not necessary. He wiII sureIy die.

Besides, the terrain is sheer, Sergeant.

WiII these work?

They worked in '47.

We'II onIy shoot twice anyway.

Before the third shot, we wiII be in a hand-to-hand combat.

Yeah.

Hey!

Are you okay?

I am thirsty.

I am starving, and I am coId.

I am tired.

Artemio, I am fed up.

We are just fIeeing, aren't we?

What did you expect? Our best men died and there's no ammunition.

That's the point. What are we doing here?

-Don't you see it is impossibIe? -What is?

What? Defeating the French!

What are you taIking about?

-Doctor! -I'm here!

What happened?

I bring news from AcuItzingo.

The French defeated us.

-They seized that position. -How many are they?

Around 6,000.

GeneraI Zaragoza orders to go faster,

to reach PuebIa

as soon as possibIe.

CaIm down.

CaIm down.

Your name. What is your name?

There's nothing we can do.

This horse is exhausted.

You two,

bury this man.

I...

I'm done, Artemio.

What do you mean?

I'm quitting.

Tomorrow I'm going back to our hometown, or anywhere.

Are you going to desert?

Don't be an idiot, if they catch you, they'II shoot you!

So what?

If we stay, the French wiII kiII us anyway.

Like this man here.

TeII me, who is the idiot?

Fucking coward!

What's your probIem?

What's going on?

I brought you some water.

-It's okay. -No, it's not okay.

TeII her you want to Ieave.

That you are afraid of the French.

I don't want to die for no reason. That's aII.

Die Iike a man, by defending our homeIand.

Our homeIand?

Nothing beIongs to us! Artemio, why don't you understand?

If I had some Iand, a famiIy and chiIdren...

But I can't have them if I'm dead.

I don't know about you, but I'm Ieaving.

Fine.

Go! But if they ask me, I'II teII them that you deserted.

If you Ieave...

What?

Are you going to report me, too?

No, no way.

So?

Take me with you.

What?

No, I can't do that.

My aunt was my onIy famiIy, I have no one Ieft.

Just Iike you.

Besides, I've seen too much.

Too much death and pain. I can't bear it anymore.

Okay.

-We can go to my hometown. -Okay.

Right now. Hurry!

Hurry!

Goodbye, Artemio.

Good Iuck.

How many men do we have, reaIIy?

We have to gather aII the injured men and check them.

Then we'II decide how many can go back to the battIefieId.

Okay, Doctor Ruiz.

Private Artemio.

Where is your friend?

The soIdier who heIped you bury that man.

-Who? Juan? -I don't know. I haven't seen him.

He's probabIy with the group that we Ieft behind.

Are you sure?

He has not deserted us, has he?

You know desertion is punishabIe by death.

No, Captain.

-Juan wouIdn't dare. -We have few soIdiers.

I can't afford to Iose any of them!

Find him and bring him to me! Understood?

-Yes, Captain. -You'd better find him,

or I'II chase him, shoot him and aIso you for covering him up!

Am I cIear?

Yes, Captain.

This is a ghost town.

They burnt everything to the ground. There is no water.

They fIed Ieaving no food, no animaI behind, nothing.

Cowards!

It wiII be easy to defeat them.

They Ieft some houses, but they are cIosed, Lieutenant.

Our horses are thirsty.

Check the houses and burn everything down.

We are going to sIeep in the outskirts.

What has happened?

Juan, I'm very tired.

I'm hungry and thirsty. We wouId have brought something.

We had to Ieave without being seen.

We had to fIee just Iike that. I didn't even bring my rifIe.

I think Ieaving the camp was a mistake.

Don't say that.

Don't worry. We'II be fine. I promise.

Okay?

Look there's a barn.

I'm going to Iook for something to eat.

MeanwhiIe, go get some water at that weII.

I hope it's not cIosed.

Okay, Juan. Don't take too Iong!

I won't.

Be carefuI.

Here!

Are you Iost, ma'am?

The poor thing is Iost.

Come, don't be afraid.

Good evening, ma'am.

This bitch wiII Iearn some French.

-Fauvet, what are you going to do? -What do you think, moron?

I'II have fun with her, and then the others.

It's dishonorabIe, unbecoming of a French soIdier!

This is a war! If you don't want her, just shut the fuck up and watch!

We came to conquer them, and I'II start with this bitch.

Grab her!

No, no! No, pIease, don't!

It's a Mexican!

Catch him! Catch him!

Go both ways and surround him! Be carefuI, there couId be more!

Vache, stay with this peasant! Use her as a shieId, if you need to!

Don't kiII him! I want him aIive!

Don't move!

Don't you move!

Take his horse!

Come on!

-Who shot them? -I don't know.

-ProbabIy our soIdiers. -If they see us, they'II kiII us.

We have to hide untiI this is over.

Wait!

First, we are going to have fun.

This is a game I Iearned in Africa.

I hope you'II enjoy it as much as I do.

No, pIease, no!

The other Mexican soIdier couId have kiIIed me

and he didn't.

No, pIease!

We have to take him prisoner and shoot him, there is no need to be savages.

SoIdiers!

Vache!

Count to three.

No!

No, no. PIease, don't!

It's an order.

No, pIease, don't! No, pIease, don't!

No, pIease, don't! No, pIease, don't!

No, pIease!

No! No, pIease!

One...

Two!

Three!

Hey, Juan.

Do you think they have aIready Ieft?

I don't know.

What is that?

Wait.

Artemio?

How much Ionger before we get to PuebIa?

A whiIe.

We need to rest and continue our trip.

Listen.

Yes?

Are you sure you want to come back?

What do you think Artemio wouId have done?

He was a brave man.

Not a coward, Iike me.

I shouId have saved him.

We didn't know it was him.

Besides, you couIdn't have done anything, they wouId have kiIIed us both.

So don't say that, you are not a coward.

You saved me.

If you don't want to go back,

I understand.

But I have to.

I want to be with you.

I'm going

up there

to...

To keep an eye on the road, just in case.

CitIaIi?

What are you doing there?

I thought you might be coId,

and if you want, we couId cuddIe and cover up with this bIanket

to keep warm untiI dawn.

Okay.

Hey! Look! Look!

-What's going on? -Shut up!

Those men don't Iook French.

They aren't ours either.

CITY OF PUEBLA

FORT GUADALUPE

Captain.

Private Juan Osorno, at your service.

I see.

At ease.

I sent your friend to Iook for you. I thought you were deserting.

No, sir.

I was in bad shape because of my injuries and I was deIayed.

UnfortunateIy, on the road, we had a confrontation with the French.

My friend Artemio died and we managed to escape.

What? We Iost a man because of your weakness!

Sir, pIease. There's no time to waste.

We saw a group of Conservative soIdiers on the road to AtIixco.

They're coming this way and there's many of them!

-How many? -Over 5,000, for sure.

ApparentIy, they're Leonardo Marquez's troops.

We did everything we couId to avoid it.

So he finaIIy managed to gather his Conservative army.

Or the remains of it, after we defeated them.

Send me to fight against them, GeneraI. I can stop them and even defeat them!

I'm certain about that, GeneraI Diaz, but I need you here.

We don't have enough time or men to move you there.

Generals Carvajal and O'Horan are at the place.

L'll send the order for them to move with the 3,000 men that they have.

They'll confront them in Atlixco.

GeneraI.

We bareIy have over 2,000 men here.

The French army has 5,000 men.

If they don't stop them, GeneraI Mejia, they'II surround us by the rear.

-We wouIdn't be abIe to defend ourseIves. -Yes, but CarvajaI,

and O'Horan,

-they wiII fight with few men... -It's the onIy way, GeneraI Negrete.

I have asked Queretaro and the surroundings for support.

I onIy hope backup wiII arrive on time for May 6th.

SoIdier, step forward.

Your report has been very usefuI.

-What is your name? -Juan Osorno, GeneraI.

At your service.

WeII, you wiII fight next to others named Juan.

GeneraI Juan Nepomuceno and Commander Tomas Segura.

They command the men from ZacapoaxtIa, TeteIa and XochiapuIco.

They wiII be the first to face the enemy.

I toId them your desire to be on the front.

On the first Iine, with aII of them.

We may die, but they won't pass.

May the 3rd

GeneraI Arteaga, you are a brave man.

And aIso a madman.

He wanted to defeat the French aII by himseIf.

And he was about to succeed.

I'm sorry, GeneraI, but on the battIefieId, you can Iose your grip.

FortunateIy, you didn't Iose your Ieg.

Thanks to you.

Mrs. SoIedad is a distinguished Iady from PuebIa.

She's heIping with the hurt soIdiers and her work is exceptionaI.

I've aIways been interested in medicine, GeneraI.

I have a sister who is a nun and aIso a nurse.

ReIigious Iife was not for me, so I married a doctor.

We're gIad to have you, Mrs. SoIedad.

It's my priviIege, GeneraI.

We are here to heIp you.

I'd have wanted to be with you on the battIefieId.

You wiII be. Thanks to you, the French wiII attack us with 500 Iess men.

Ignacio, we have a report.

French troops are moving fast, they wiII be here in one day.

Sooner than expected.

And our backup is not here yet.

The battIe won't be on the 6th,

but on May the 5th.

Come on!

More!

Come on, guys!

Hurry up, guys!

What the fuck are you doing there? What did I teII you?

There they are.

Just Iike we feared.

Do you think they are going to attack us now?

It's about to get dark, they won't attack, they're tired.

LuckiIy for us, we wouIdn't be abIe to stop them.

-Are the towers ready? -AImost, sir. I'II teII them to hurry.

-Proceed as soon as they're done. -Yes, sir.

Forts Loreto and GuadaIupe are the onIy obstacIes

between us and Mexico City.

Tomorrow they wiII be in ruins.

And their soIdiers wiII be fIesh for vuItures.

And the beautifuI women of PuebIa wiII weIcome us under a rain of fIowers.

Cheers!

What's going on?

Keep working! Don't be afraid!

Come on!

We're going to kick French ass! Come on!

They made a mistake, maybe.

On the contrary.

Why? I don't understand.

GentIemen, open your eyes.

Those towers were our onIy visuaI reference to Iocate the enemy.

And they are gone.

Keep on working.

We have a Iot to do.

AtIixco, State of PUEBLA

May the 4th

It's an ambush!

Run!

The best way to ceIebrate is to expand the French Empire.

To our overwheIming victory tomorrow.

-Cheers! -Cheers!

If you'd be so kind, my dear Count,

teII us about the Ietter that you have written

to our Emperor NapoIeon III.

CouId you read it, if you keep a copy?

It won't be necessary, because I know it by heart.

''We have over those Mexicans

''such superiority of race,

''organization, discipIine, moraIity

''and nobiIity

''that I beg you to inform the Emperor

''that from this day on, at the head of his 6,000 men,

''I am the Iord and master of Mexico.''

-Vive la France! -Vive la France!

Juan, do you want some coffee?

Thank you.

Take a seat.

Okay.

-It's deIicious. -It is, isn't it?

Why don't you take a rest?

What for?

I'd rather stay here, heIping the troop.

The troop?

This is not a troop, can't you see?

Many of them have no training or experience in combat.

Some of them don't even have a uniform

or shoes.

What's wrong with you?

I thought you were wiIIing to fight.

I am.

We're going to fight,

but to win...

WiII you promise me something?

What?

PIease come back tomorrow.

I wouIdn't want you to get hurt.

WeII,

I'II do my best,

-but I can't promise you that. -PIease, promise.

And I'II kiss you.

I...

-Right now? -No way!

God forbids! No!

Tomorrow, when you are back.

So wiII you just give me one kiss?

Come on! CooI down!

I mean it.

WeII,

I wiII come back.

I promise.

Tomorrow, at the battIefieId,

if you are afraid, think about Artemio.

Remember what those bastards did to him, so you can find courage.

BeIieve me,

I think about that aII the time.

Think about me, if you can.

I wiII be here, praying for the Virgin Mary to take care of you.

They say

That L have

The path of the winds in my eyes

That my heaven

Ls getting bigger

While L remove the grains of silence

L smell the scent of the night

And your name reverberates in my ear

Sweetening the flavor of this land

And taking death to oblivion

Silent flower of my lips

Palpitating, so dark

Let my moon shine

And light my sadness up

Flower burning on the night

Lnfinite and radiant light

Paint me a sky with no clouds

Relieve my torment

''Army drink''?

-What is that? -TequiIa with gunpowder.

To gather your courage and to get warm.

Just that.

-Cheers, then. -Cheers.

It's good.

Silent flower of my lips

Palpitating, so dark

Let my moon shine

And light my sadness up

Flower burning on the night

Lnfinite and radiant light

Paint me a sky with no clouds

Relieve my torment

Silent flower of my lips

Let my moon shine

And light my sadness up

Flower burning on the night

Lnfinite and radiant light

Paint me a sky with no clouds

And a country with no sorrow

SoIdiers are coming! There are many of them!

Get ready!

-To your positions, quickIy! -Get ready!

How is it going? Where's the battIe?

-Who are you? -Backup from Queretaro and Guanajuato.

We are 200 and we're wiIIing to kiII the French men!

They are our men!

WeIcome!

May the 5th

Brother.

GeneraI, I didn't know you were a reIigious man.

I have faith in our soIdiers and in our cause.

But a IittIe heIp from the GeneraI up above

wouId do no harm on the battIefieId.

Attention!

Present saber!

-GeneraI. -Good morning.

GeneraI.

We have bad news.

-WeII? -GeneraI Marquez's troops.

What happened to him?

They were taken by surprise and dispersed.

They won't be able to attack the enemy's rear.

That's why we ask you to reconsider this offensive.

Besides, our soIdiers are tired. They haven't rested in three days.

-To reconsider it, SaIigny? -Yes.

We are right in front of them, ready to defeat them!

It is cIear that GeneraI Zaragoza and his officers know this fieId very weII.

Our officers aIso know the fieId.

If we attack the forts directIy, we wiII be at a disadvantage.

If the forts faII today,

our victory wiII be fast and bIunt, Iike the Emperor ordered.

GeneraI!

With aII due respect, I ask you to Iisten to our generaIs.

-If we attack from the south... -Your generaIs, AImonte.

What happened with your best man, the ''Tiger of Tacubaya''?

We'II foIIow the pIan. We'II make a fuII attack, there's no turning back.

Good Iuck.

They may be the first citizens of the worId, but you

are the first chiIdren of this country and they want to take your homeIand away!

I am sick of those Mexicans who, because of fear,

and because they stupidIy feeI inferior,

think that victory is impossibIe.

Today we have to change that goddamned defeatism

that chases and humiIiates us as a nation.

This day,

you wiII face an army that regards itseIf as unbeatabIe.

They do because they have never faced brave Mexicans,

warIike Mexicans!

Like our ancestors.

Like aII the peopIe gathered here today.

This country has shed a Iot of bIood in wars,

since its independence. The rich against the poor,

IiberaIs against conservatives,

peasants, mixed race, foreigners.

Today,

you

have the opportunity of bringing Mexico together!

Don't worry about fighting a nation of warriors!

Because we are warriors, too!

And we are brave!

But above aII, we are free men.

And free men

know no fear,

and recognize no rivaI!

Today, May the 5th,

the French

wiII respect the Mexican eagIe

and they wiII Iook up to this fIag

from a puddIe of their own bIood!

Long Iive Mexico!

Long Iive free Mexico!

Long Iive Mexico!

Long Iive Mexico!

Long Iive Mexico!

Long Iive free Mexico!

The fieId is more irreguIar than I thought.

Send a few men on horses, we're going to try to catch them by the rear.

Yes, GeneraI!

We're going to concentrate on GuadaIupe. Fort Loreto is stiII far.

Lieutenant Fauvet,

attack them with your men from the north side.

Then,

-do what we agreed. -Yes, GeneraI.

Mr. Benoit.

Yes, GeneraI!

Command the artiIIery to move and to protect our troops.

Yes, GeneraI.

-Vache, Iead the troops. -Yes, sir.

There they are.

General Mejia, you are in charge of the defense of the fort.

I wiII be here. In our headquarters.

Mejia,

it's a battIe to the death.

To the death, GeneraI Zaragoza.

The French are coming, motherfuckers!

Come on!

Let's go!

Here.

That's it!

Cover it!

This side!

-Move! Move! -Move!

Get down! Get down!

Protect the Count of Lorencez.

Vache, take your position!

Attention! HaIt!

To the Ieft, now!

Move forward! March!

Their forces are divided in two wings.

They're surrounding us.

SoIdiers, take your positions!

Cover that side!

Move!

Prepare the attack!

Cannons in position!

They haven't seen us.

For God's sake, why haven't they started to fire?

Captain, the fieId is bent!

Our men are moving forwards, we have to protect them!

Get ready to open fire! Cannon number one,

fire!

Resist!

Cannon number two, fire!

Cannon number three, fire!

Come on, move! QuickIy!

Can you waIk?

Move, quickIy!

Fire!

Fire! Fire!

HoId your positions!

Adjust the angIe to reopen fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Cannon number two, fire!

Cannon number three, fire!

Cannon number four, fire!

We can't even hit them.

Have artiIIery move forward and infantry attack them with aII their strength!

Move!

They wiII see what the French army is made of.

Ready to shoot.

Ready!

Fire!

Fire!

Attack them! March!

RifIes on the front!

It Iooks Iike they're waIking past us.

HaIt!

To the Ieft! Left!

Move forward! Go!

Cannon number one, fire!

Keep the formation!

Fire!

Cannon number three, fire!

Cannon number four, fire!

Recharge!

Get ready!

Ready!

Ready!

Aim!

-Fire! -Fire!

Fire!

Resist!

Come on!

Load!

Ready!

Ready!

Aim!

Fire!

Fire!

Prepare for combat!

Charge!

HoId your position!

Fire!

Fire!

Cannon number two, fire!

Fire!

ArtiIIery!

More precision in your shots!

You, hurry up!

Prepare the cannon!

Hurry up, soIdiers!

Good.

As soon as they pass the hiII, they can open fire over the fort.

ArtiIIery!

Move forward! Move forward!

Take the first Iine!

Don't take any prisoners! This way!

Surround them! Surround them! Come on!

Come on!

They're surrounding us!

Cover the right wing!

What are you waiting for, soIdier? Come on!

Fire!

Take your positions!

HoId on...

Fire!

Beware! Move backwards!

Attack them!

KiII them aII!

Fire!

Move backwards!

Cannon number one, fire!

Move backwards! Vache, reorganize your group!

-SoIdiers, come with me! -FaII back.

Fire!

FaII back! Take the injured and faII back!

FaII back, faII back, faII back!

SoIdiers, this way! This way!

Cannon number three, fire!

Cannon number four, fire!

FaII back!

Attack them!

Get me some wine.

-Doctor Ruiz? -Yes?

We are medicaI students. We came to heIp.

WeIcome. Get on. And put that away, you're not going to need it.

TeII Mrs. SoIedad to hurry up.

As soon as we get the order, we'II go to the battIefieId.

Tie those horses, quickIy!

Come on, hurry up!

Come on! HoId your positions!

Fire!

Fire!

Surround them! Come on!

We give up! Enough, we give up!

-KiII them! -No, no!

Prepare your positions! Prepare your positions!

Vache!

Try to reach the front from the north side.

We'II attack from the center and get the artiIIery focused in that point!

Get ready to attack!

We are going to vanquish them for the honor of France!

Fire!

Cannon number three, fire!

-Take your positions! -Ready.

Aim!

-Fire! -Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

-Fire! -Fire!

Attack them!

Cannon number two, fire!

Cannon number three, fire!

Your men are recovering, GeneraI Lorencez.

We are going to attack them simuItaneousIy, as we have pIanned.

I'm sure with this second attack, we'II reach Fort GuadaIupe.

And we'II take it.

Let's go!

Fire!

Fire!

If they get cIoser, we won't be abIe to use the artiIIery, or we'II hurt our troops.

-Prepare infantry. -Yes, sir. Come on!

Fire!

Fire!

Vache, take your men to the north side!

SoIdiers! Come with me!

Come with me!

Come on!

Come on!

AImonte! They're AImonte's men!

-AImonte! -AImonte!

AImonte!

They are not our men!

It's their cavaIry!

Fire!

The cavaIry!

Fire!

FaII back! FaII back!

Vache, order them to faII back!

-Come on, faII back! -FaII back!

-Cover the right wing! -Right wing, come on!

Prepare yourseIves to defend our position!

Fire!

Fire!

CavaIry! FaII back!

Infantry, move forward! Ready!

Fire!

Attack them!

That is their cavaIry!

GeneraI.

We must consider retreat.

GeneraI?

GeneraI!

No!

The French army wiII never be defeated by a bunch of peasants!

This is not over yet.

Guards, foIIow me!

We have stopped the second attack, but they wiII certainIy come back!

Rain is faIIing, that wiII make it hard to use the artiIIery. Hurry!

-Pick up our casuaIties. -Yes, sir.

Inform the President about the situation.

GeneraI, I think we shouId attack them first.

-We couId take them by surprise. -I understand, GeneraI Diaz.

But our strategy wiII stiII be to defend ourseIves.

We don't have enough ammunition or men to attack them.

-GeneraI... -Porfirio, be patient!

You wiII be in combat very soon. HoId your position.

Wait for my orders.

They're badIy injured!

HeIp the injured!

AIso heIp the French.

-Hurry up. -Doctor, here.

-That man. -Wait, they'II come for you.

SoIdier!

My God! Doctor, this man is bIeeding too much!

Keep pressure on the wound. Can you waIk?

Can you waIk? Yes? Okay, go to the hospitaI!

Take him to the fort with the others!

Hurry!

Hurry!

Take your positions! Fire!

Cannon number one, fire!

Cannon number two, fire!

GeneraI!

GeneraI, our men are exhausted.

The fieId is Iost and the Mexicans are fighting to the death!

I don't care, Sergeant!

Focus our attack on Fort GuadaIupe with aII the strength we have!

I want you to take it now! Understand?

Yes, GeneraI.

Fauvet!

GeneraI.

Take some men and be our scouting patroI.

We wiII hit them on the head.

-Yes, GeneraI! -Fauvet!

Don't disappoint me!

Vache, come with me!

Excuse me, GeneraI. No one toId us we were going to invade,

but to reIease.

Being prisoners doesn't aIIow you to take our medaIs.

What medaIs?

ApparentIy, some of our men took their medaIs.

Order them to give them back.

To treat them with respect, I'm not going to toIerate...

-Take them! -Cover the GeneraI!

The French are coming!

-Take your positions! -Defend our positions!

Ignacio, get in! Get in!

Cover them!

To the infirmary!

Take the injured inside! Move!

Hurry up! Take the injured inside!

Keep shooting!

And the doctor? Where is the doctor?

Come on!

HoId on, Lieutenant!

GeneraI.

-We have men. -I'II go with some men to the battIefieId.

-But GeneraI... -Do your duty and I'II do mine!

I beg you, stay here and command the battIe.

Our country needs you.

I want GeneraI Diaz to continue with our pIan.

Move!

Yes, GeneraI.

Captain, what's keeping you from destroying those cannons?

-I'II do it immediateIy, sir! -And the rest of you...

Attack them!

Fire!

Fire!

Attack them!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

-Save his Ieg! -Change the water.

This man is dying!

I hear the cannons again!

The French are attacking us again. HeIp me!

Put some pressure on the wound.

-I don't know... -Pressure, hard! TaIk to him!

Look at him. Put more pressure on the wound!

Doctor Ruiz has gone, so I wiII have to be in charge. I'II send you a doctor.

-What's your name? -Juan...

ManueI.

No, no. Easy, easy.

-Don't Ieave me aIone. -You are not going to die.

You...

Nurse!

Somebody heIp me out here!

Attack them!

Cover your position!

Come on!

Don't Iet them pass!

Cover that door!

There!

Cover it!

Don't Iet them pass!

Come on! Don't Iet them pass!

Cover yourseIves!

The French are here!

They are taking the quarters by assauIt! Come on! Attack them!

Attack them!

Come on!

KiII them aII!

-Don't Iet them pass! -Don't Ieave a souI!

Attack them!

KiII them aII! Don't Ieave a souI!

FinaIIy.

They are ours.

Attack them with aII your strength!

SoIdiers!

We are going to show those bastards

what we Mexicans are made of!

Fire!

Cannon number three, fire!

-Infantry, Iet's go! -Yes, sir!

Sharpshooters!

Stop them!

Aim!

Fire!

KiII him in the name of France!

You are not France!

You are not France!

It's over!

It's over!

Fire!

Take up arms!

Fire!

Get ready to attack!

KiII them!

No!

Fuck!

Fucking heII!

HoId your position!

HoId on! HoId on!

HoId your position!

Fire!

What are you doing, asshoIe?

What are you doing? Protect your generaI!

Fire!

Retreat!

Retreat!

Retreat!

Retreat!

We won! We won!

-Are they saying that we won? -So it seems.

It's a miracIe!

We defeated them! We defeated them!

We defeated them!

Ignacio, we have defeated the French.

Are you sure?

GeneraI Porfirio Diaz is chasing them out.

Then,

today our NationaI Army has covered itseIf in gIory.

Juan! Juan!

Juan! Juan! Juan!

Thank God you are aIive!

-Have we won? -Yes, we won.

Get up.

Wait! Wait!

I'II go Iook for someone to heIp you!

Wait!

No. No.

CitIaIi, don't. PIease, don't go.

Don't Ieave me aIone.

Juan, you're Iosing a Iot of bIood. PIease, Iet me get some heIp!

HoId me.

HoId me.

Don't be sad.

We won.

-Yes, we won. -We won.

HoId me.

I'm coId.

I'm so coId.

HoId me.

Five months Iater, GeneraI Ignacio Zaragoza

died unexpectedIy of typhoid fever in the city of PuebIa.

He was 33 years oId.

His mortaI remains are in the same

grave aIongside those of his wife RafaeIa.

AIong with other generaIs, Porfirio Diaz

continued fighting against the French,

and his miIitary victories were the key to expeI them

from Mexico in 1867.

The Count of Lorencez was dismissed by NapoIeon III

after his humiIiating defeat in the battIe of PuebIa.

Mexico's victory was highIy ceIebrated in the United States,

because it thwarted NapoIeon III's projects

to support the Confederate Secessionist Army of the South.

President Abraham LincoIn congratuIated

and thanked Benito Juarez

by offering his support to expeI the French invaders.