436
pages, Random House, ISBN-13: 978-0394560519
Mexican-American
War has been given little attention by historians, possibly because the victory
has become tainted with the passage of time, or because the subsequent American
Civil War overshadowed it so. In the succeeding Century the war assumed the
mantle of a calculated move by an emerging power to steal land from a weaker
and defenseless neighbor; in reality, the issues involved in this war were far
more complex, yet historians disconcerted by the easy victory have declined to
fully examine the background leading to the conflict.
In
the 1840s Mexico was nation of contrasts; remnants of Spanish imperialism
juxtaposed against the backwardness of a native population. The Mexican
officers’ corps was a highly educated and strong force in Mexican politics that
were supremely confident of the outcome in any conflict with the United States.
Unfortunately, they commanded untrained, albeit brave, troops. This attitude of
elitism by the Mexican Army officers ultimately proved disastrous in the war
with the United States. The Mexican government resisted all blandishments for a
peaceful solution as they considered the United States a second-rate power with
little enthusiasm for war. Their mistrust of American motives began with the
Texas question and was heightened because of the recent intervention by
American officials in the internal affairs of California. Mexicans entered the
war with confidence and with the feeling that right was on their side. The war
resulted in thousands of deaths from shot and shell, disease and neglect.
Mexico sank into the turmoil and distrust bequeathed to a defeated nation. They
were racked by recriminations and political divisions that have impaired a just
relationship with the United States to this day. The United States, in
contrast, became a two-ocean power; the dominant country on the continent of
the Americas, and an aggressive nation that began to enforce its sovereignty
against Great Britain, France, Russian, and any other interloper in the western
hemisphere.
John
S.D. Eisenhower’s analysis refutes any question of a peaceful settlement.
Mexico was too proud and the United States wanted too much. The issues were
fairly clear cut and concerned the continued expansion of the United States
through sparsely populated areas ostensibly under Mexican control. There had
been prior discussions with Mexico over land acquisitions. Money was offered
along with mild threats – both coupled with promises not to interfere further
into Mexican affairs. Mexican pride proved unyielding. With their defeat,
Mexico paid the ultimate price assessed by a victor nation against a loser;
loss of territory and the breakup of a national identity. The war also provided
a rich cast of characters that dominated the American political scene for
decades. The conflict proved a training ground for the Civil War and many
future army generals from the Union and Confederate sides bloodied themselves
against the Mexicans. The war with Mexico obliquely led to the Civil War and
provided a bevy of “heroes” from which future American presidents were chosen.
This
is a well-written account of the Mexican-American conflict is a fascinating
story of the war with Mexico. It covers the political as well as military
aspects from the Mexican advance into Texas to the eventual purchase of
California and New Mexico. The military dominance of Mexico's world-class cavalry
and armed forces contrasts vividly with the greedy and egotistical leadership of
Santa Anna. Eisenhower does much to dispel the myths and impressions I remember
from grade school history, and Texans and Californians especially should find
this work extremely interesting. I was, however, left wanting about Santa Anna;
he is, to my knowledge, only known leader of a country that led a revolt and
overthrew himself. You can’t make this stuff up.
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