Does anyone know what this holiday is about?  I get conflicting answers as
to its origin/significance.

From:	MIKE::DIAZ          6-MAY-1992 08:53:45.70
To:	LICHAC
CC:	
Subj:	5 DE MAYO

5 DE MAYO
          "La batalla de Puebla".  The battle at Puebla, when the
  French army tried to invade Mexico coming from the Atlantic ocean
  they arrived at the city of Veracruz going towards Puebla to
  settled at the city and claimed it as a colony of France, they
  found themselves with a Mexican army that wasn't very strong in
  guns as the French army was at thart time, all they had was deter-
  mination to win and not to let anybody come and take their city
  and the richness the country had, after three days of fighting
  the French army started to realize that is wasn't so easy to se-
  ttled in and they had to retreat and give up the battle.
     Mexico takes this as a very important win because after this
  all other countries that were thinking on colonies on Mexican
  terretoty gave it a second thought to come and fight against
  Mexico.   
    
       THATS WHY THE CELEBRATION OF "5 DE MAYO"


     I hope this splains the reason of the celebration.