In 1914, the biggest story in newspapers across the U.S. was the world war that had recently broken out in Europe with a big question mark hanging over whether the U.S. would take part. The same story dominated the U.S. newspapers in 1915, 1917 and 1918. But in 1916, another story captured the attention of the American public, one that is much less well known today.
In that year, the U.S. Army entered Mexico in pursuit of a Mexican paramilitary force that had attacked the town of Columbus in New Mexico. Its goal was to capture the force’s leader, Pancho Villa, who ultimately escaped having led the American troops a merry dance for several months. For the newspapers, the episode provided exciting stories that knocked World War 1 off the front pages.
