Cinco De Mayo: What Is Everybody Celebrating?Under the orders of French Emperor Napoleon III, French troops arrive in Mexico in 1861 with a dual purpose: to help the Confederacy win the war against the United States and to conquer Mexico. As President Benito Jurez suspends payment of Mexico's foreign debts, the French drop their faade of debt negotiations and head for Puebla, where they are soundly defeated in their attempt to capture the city. The French withdraw from their stunning setback and