Conversation so far:
who led the mexican army in the battle of puebla
Led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, an estimated 2,000—5,000 Mexicans fortified the town and prepared for the assault by the well-equipped French force.
is the battle of puebla related to cinco de mayo
Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over the French forces of Napoleon III on May 5, 1862, at the Battle of Puebla.

Question: why was the battle important
Self-contained rewrite: why was the battle of puebla important