5. The Pastry War
The Pastry War of 1838 between France and Mexico began with a peculiar grievance. A French pastry chef in Mexico City claimed that Mexican officers had looted his shop during civil unrest, demanding compensation. When Mexico refused to pay the exorbitant amount demanded, the French government used the incident as a pretext to intervene militarily. French forces blockaded Mexican ports and bombarded the city of Veracruz, leading to a formal declaration of war. Eventually, under pressure, Mexico agreed to pay the compensation, ending a conflict that had its roots in a pastry shop dispute.
