The Battle of Panama City was a major siege lasting nearly three months. The battle was one of the most major battles of the American front of the First World War and following the collapse of the border defenses in southern Panama the US had dug in and was expected an attack from both Sides. Strategically important due to the Panama Canal, as well as the fact the United states First Army (a large Field Army) of about 250,000 had essentially been trapped. This Trapping led the Americans to believe that their armed forces in the new State of Panama would be completely eradicated unless a defensive war was fought until the US Navy breached the ever more threatening Brazilian navy and its very thorough patrols. The US Navy eventually reached Panama City foregoing stealth for an outright attack. However the fight to Panama was very poorly fought and only a few ships ever saw combat with each other. The Reasoning behind this was that Brazilian Troops too concerned with attempting an Invasion of Cuba and the Caribbean could not be diverted from their months of preparation to help the Colombians fight.
Unexpectedly the Mexica got involved during the three month conflict assailing the US lines which by this point had become heavily entrenched with artillery among other things. The combined Colombian-Mexica armed forces were unable to break the Cities defenses and on the final assault the pitched and desperate battle they failed and the American First Army wiped out the Mexica forces and half the remaining forces pursued the Colombian army to the border.
Prelude to the Battle[]
The battle was one of the unexpected conflicts that went unpredicted. The Mexica were thought unable to reach them and the Colombians were thought to be at least two months from mobilizing to fight them. The Border troops equaling 50,000 were summarily destroyed by their ill preparedness and many of them were captured. This shock led the First Army to fall back in a series of Delaying actions while supplies and other things were gathered throughout American held Panama. When it became apparent that the Americans would not be able to hold, large Defensive trenches were constructed. This preparation allowed the Americans to use the rudimentary (more coming later)