Abstract

RAMIREZ RANCANO, Mario. Federal army, political chiefs, amparos, defections: 1872-1914. Estud. hist. mod. contemp. Mex [online]. 2014, n.47, pp.41-78. ISSN 0185-2620.

The failure of the Federal Army during the 1910 Revolution was explained in several ways. Above all, its size, which was insufficient, associated to the severe corruption in its ranks, constant desertions and casualties. To solve the problem, the military authorities, and especially the political chiefs outdid themselves to recruit new soldiers through the levy or conscription. And the new recruits responded with a special injunction, which they won. In the middle of war, Francisco L. Madero as well as Victoriano Huerta declared increases in the size of the army, but it was fruitless. The levy acquired dramatic undertones, and desertions, injunctions and betrayals continued.

Keywords : Mexican revolution; Federal Army; injunctions; desertions; political chiefs; conscription.