Eisenhower, John S. D. So Far From God: The U. S. War with Mexico 1846 – 1848. New York: Random House, 1989, xxvi, 436.
Mr. John Eisenhower is a retired Army General from Westchester, Pennsylvania. He is also the son of retired General and later President, Dwight D. Eisehower. He is an author as well as a military historian. Mr. Eisenhower’s other works include, The Bitter Woods, published in 1987 and critically acclaimed by Life magazine author, S. L. A. Marshall as being “written with power by a true military historian.” Reviews of his work from The New Yorker and New York Times Book Review describe his accounts as “Exceptionally interesting” and “Written with enthusiasm that is hard to resist.” Using his military background, Mr.
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S. was outnumbered. The level of discipline that Taylor and Scott’s men possessed stands as a testament to these two leaders’ resourcefulness. By including something as simple as sanitation in their training, they were able to conserve the additional strength for battle, which would have normally been lost through disease. This concept was considerably less effective with the volunteers. A clear and concise understanding of why as well as how many of the events took place on the battlefield and behind the lines was provided through maps and background information. A detailed description of the events that lead up to the annexation of Texas in 1845 through the troops departing Veracruz on July 15th 1848 allowed the reader to comprehend the entire story of this conflict.
The author provides background into the events leading up to the war, particularly the collapse, imprisonment, and exile of Santa Anna. Events and key personnel on the American side are also outlined in detail. President Tyler is described as “seizing the initiative” to shift public opinion against Mexico by assigning a troublemaker, Wilson Shannon, as the minister to that country in 1844. Eisenhower provides a detailed description on the implementation of weaponry and tactics during all stages of warfare. He often refers to the performance of the main characters in other conflicts such as the war of 1812 and forward to the civil war. The cause of this war is summed up early in the text followed by
The apprehension between the Texians and Mexicans began to shift towards a war when a Mexican force led by Francisco De Castañeda was instructed to take a cannon from the rebels in the city of Gonzales. Castañeda was instructed to try to retrieve the cannon without force in order to prevent it from being used against the Mexican authorities and because the slightest act of aggression would likely push the Texians over the edge. The Texians, led by John Henry Moore, refused to cooperate. They even attempted to negotiate with Castañeda and his force to convince them to side with the Texas cause, as they shared the same principles in regards to Santa Anna’s dictatorship. After Castañeda refused, because as a soldier, he was obligated to follow orders, a minor battle ensued. Although it was almost insignificant, it gave the Texians a spark and the rebel cause was able to increase recruiting efforts for the larger altercations that would occur in the next few months (Hardin, 2010).
The aftermath of the Mexican American warManifest Destiney, the annexation of Texas, and the actions of President John Polk are all factors leading up to the Mexican-american war. It is known that the annexation of Texas was what pushed Mexico leaders over the edge. In 1836 Texas gained independence from Mexico, after becoming an American State the relationship between Mexico and the U.S quickly came to an end. Polk not only had his eyes on Texas but also on California and New Mexico. Polk won the support of the american people by declaring he would complete Americas Manifest Destiny, to reach the West coast. Mexico denied Polk’s offer to buy these lands, leading America to send troops onto disputed territory. April 25, 1846 Mexican troops killed american soldiers on the disputed land, marking the beginning of the war, this was the battle of Palo Alto. The Mexican-American war had a major impact on both Mexico and U.S history. This essay will discuss the political, social, and economical effects between Mexico and the U.S after the Mexican American war.
Knowing that the Texans were not obeying Mexico’s laws, the Mexican President sent Antonio López de Santa Anna to fight and stop the revolting Texans. “Santa Anna gained his earliest military experience fighting for the Spanish army
It’s 1846 and a war has begun, thousands dead, and only half of Mexico is left. This war took place on the “Texas side” of the Rio Grande. The war ended in 1848 after mass destruction took place. The war was called the ‘Mexican War” or the ‘US Invasion” depending on what side you were on. Many things led to the Mexican War. One event was that John Sidell was asked to leave Mexico City because he angered the Mexican government. Also, James K. Polk became president of the United States in late 1844. The last major event that led to the Mexican War was that Congress voted to annex Texas (Background Essay, par 6-7). Other previous events that led up to this war was the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Texas
Every event in history contains a cause and effect. Every cause and effect is unique in its own way. Whenever deciphering certain events in history it’s important that those researching, keep an open mind to all intertwining factors. The Texas Revolution is an important and crucial event within the history of the United States and having a full understanding of the Texas Revolution is of extreme importance to understanding Mexican-American relations. Issues to be researched in understanding the Texas Revolution will deal with political, lawful, and social relations between the Texas colonists and the Mexican Republic. Understanding the politics, laws, and social relations between the Texas colonist and the Mexican Republic provide a crucial in-look as to why the Texas colonist revolted against Santa Anna and his Mexican Republic. Leading up to the beginning, as well as throughout the Texas Revolution, there are significant and credible amounts of crucial events that take place that provide a supporting backbone in justifying the Texas colonists and their revolt. It is these inhumane events, supported by the doctrine of the Mexican Republic with their politics, laws, and social relations with the Texas colonist, which would ultimately lead to the justification of the Texas colonist and their fight for their natural rights and for the Texas Declaration of Independence.
During the Mexican Revolution there were many prominent figures that emerged during the long struggle. Some of the figures had a positive impact on the region, and some others a very negative impact on the people of Mexico and their quest for an uncorrupted government. One figure that stands out in the border region between Mexico and The United States during this time is General Francisco “Pancho” Villa. To understand Pancho Villa’s significant role during this uprising it is important to understand who Villa was prior to the revolution, and what acts lead to his rise to power.
In 1846 throughout 1848, a war to conquer land from Mexico were orders held by James K. Polk. An unjust war is about to occur, In 1846 Texas becomes Independent from Mexico and the United States. To begin with, Mexico approves for the Americans to settle onto Texas with one condition to not bring slaves along with them. During this time period, slavery was one of the most important political concerns and they opposed slavery. The Americans didn’t hold the values of anti-slavery, during this time they valued Manifest Density strongly. Accepting some restrictions from Mexico placed was nothing compared to its own destiny to occur from preventing America to stretch outward towards the Pacific Ocean. The main conflict started with the annexation of Texas, a dispute on the nation’s border, the Mexicans consider the Nueces river to be the border of Texas as for Americans that wasn’t enough land so they consider, Rio Grande the border. A way to aim to
The perception of history is often crafted by the information given and the information available, however, almost too often the facts accessible are warped by the viewpoints of others before they can be properly assessed. Differing outlooks thus explicate the controversial nature of historical events and why the motives and conclusions behind certain occurrences are called into question. The Mexican American war as many American historians would call it ushers a contrary tone in Mexico as their own historians would claim the “war” as United States invasion; the difference in referral is based on the different perceptions of the conflict. In the American viewpoint, the Mexican American War was driven by economic, social and political pressures to bolster United States territories, through the annexation of Texas. In the converse, it could be argued that Mexico did not declare a formal war against the United States but rather was interested in defending their country’s territorial integrity and resisting United State’s invasion. In a Mexican viewpoint then, the war was not a result of arrogance but a consequence of defending Mexican territory from United States invasion. Nonetheless the aftermath of the war produced immense repercussions, furthering American exceptionalism, slavery, and disregard for international borders prompting the inquiry of not only the unjust methods applied but the unjustified results.
The factors that started the Mexican War lay heavily on American shoulders. Whether if the factors were created by social, political or economical needs, they have all become the center of attention for the question of being a national interest or disgrace. However, the Americans felt that they existed for “…spreading the blessings of peace.” according to Andrew Jackson. There will always be controversy between the two sides of this matter, the Americans who feel that it had to be done, to the Mexicans who felt that it was an injustice done to their nation.
The Mexican War of 1846-1848 was one of major importance to U.S. history, but has since fallen into annals of obscurity. It was the nation’s first war fought on foreign soil: a war that advocated the concept of “manifest destiny”, the United States God-given right to claim territory for the establishment of a free democratic society (Stevenson 2009). Even though many historians claim the war was forced on Mexico by slaveholders greedy for new territory, President John Polk viewed the war as an opportunity to defend the annexation of Texas, establish the Rio Grande as its border, and to acquire the Mexican territories of California and New Mexico (Stevenson 2009).
The Mexican-American war fought between 1846 and 1848 remains a topic of much contention amongst modern historians. Differing accounts and conclusions of the war are often presented and one must remain pragmatic when analysing both primary and secondary sources regarding the war. There is a clear time line of events that led to the outbreak of the war, but there is one major event, and one minor action, which directly resulted in the declarations of war on both sides of the conflict between Mexico and the United States. Most scholars agree that the annexation of the Republic of Texas by
Dr. Henderson’s purpose for writing A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and its War with the United States is to explain the causes of Mexico going to war with the United States in 1846, and the reasons Mexico suffered severely from it. Dr. Henderson’s focus throughout the book is not solely on the military tactics, but rather on the political and diplomatic maneuvering. This approach to the book is to provide to the reader the conflict’s real significance, as to the how and why the United States and Mexico went to war. This book does not point blame at either side, but tells the war from the Mexican point of view. Furthermore, Dr. Henderson explores Mexico’s weaknesses at the time and how those weaknesses led to the war with the United States.
This is the most comprehensive collection of The Texas Rangers during the Mexican revolution that has been published. Charles Harris III and Louis Sadler share the details behind this unstable period by uncovering the views and actions of the Rangers during the highest point of border violence up until that time. The Rangers remain as one of the most recognized law enforcement agencies in the United States. In the ten year span of 1910-1920, Texas was involved in a lot of turmoil around the border of The United States and Mexico. These were the years of the
In this book, Timothy J. Henderson examines the origins, outcomes, and modern-day consequences of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). A Glorious Defeat is organized around two central questions: why did Mexico go to war with the United States in 1846 and why did the war go so badly for Mexico? Henderson does provide the answers to these questions, based on the reader having some knowledge of the expansionist history that the US partook in with its southern neighbors, but who are “far less certain why Mexico went to war with the United States” (xviii).
The Mexican-American war was a conventional conflict battled y traditional armies made up of cavalry and artillery that were mostly European war tactics. The American’s managed to penetrate Mexican land which resorted to using guerrilla warfare as a defence strategy when the Americans penetrated their territory. After the hostilities began, the U.S. military embarked on a three-pronged tactic that was designed to capture Northern Mexico forcing them to retaliate. Two groups of American militaries went to southern Texas, and the third troop led by Colonel Kearny embarked to the western region-New Mexico. General Zachary’s army defeated the Mexican military after a series of battles in De Palma necessitating them to move to the south to gain more victory over the Mexicans. The seizure of Monterey and Los Angeles by the U.S. Navy granted them a second victory. A three-day