<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (April 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <P> The Battle of Puebla (Spanish: Batalla de Puebla; French: Bataille de Puebla) took place on 5 May 1862, near Puebla City during the Second French intervention in Mexico . The battle ended in a victory for the Mexican Army over the occupying French soldiers . The French eventually overran the Mexicans in subsequent battles, but the Mexican victory at Puebla against a much better equipped and larger French army provided a significant morale boost to the Mexican army and also helped slow the French army's advance towards Mexico City . </P> <P> The Mexican victory is celebrated yearly on the fifth of May . Its celebration is regional in Mexico, primarily in the state of Puebla, where the holiday is celebrated as El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (English: The Day of the Battle of Puebla). There is some limited recognition of the holiday in other parts of the country . In the United States, this holiday has evolved into the very popular Cinco de Mayo holiday, a celebration of Mexican heritage . </P> <P> The 1858--60 Mexican civil war (known as The Reform War) had caused major distress throughout Mexico's economy . When taking office as the elected president in 1861, Benito Juárez was forced to suspend payments of interest on foreign debts for a period of two years . At the end of October 1861 diplomats from Spain, France, and Britain met in London to form the Tripartite Alliance, with the main purpose of launching an allied invasion of Mexico, taking control of Veracruz, its major port, and forcing the Mexican government to negotiate terms for repaying its debts and for reparations for alleged harm to foreign citizens in Mexico . In December 1861, Spanish troops landed in Veracruz; British and French followed in early January . The allied forces occupied Veracruz and advanced to Orizaba . However, the Tripartite Alliance fell apart by early April 1862, when it became clear the French wanted to impose harsh demands on the Juarez government and provoke a war . The British and Spanish withdrew, leaving the French to march alone on Mexico City . Napoleon III wanted to set up a puppet Mexican regime . </P>

What was the actual battle called between the french and mexican forces on cinco de mayo