Student Question
Was the United States justified in going to war with Mexico?
Quick answer:
The United States was likely not justified in going to war with Mexico, as it provoked an unnecessary dispute. Manifest Destiny fueled U.S. ambitions, leading to the annexation of Texas and offers to buy California. President Polk's actions, including sending troops to disputed borders, escalated tensions. Although the war resulted in significant territorial gains for the U.S., these could have been achieved peacefully. By modern standards, the war is entirely unjustifiable, although it was more defensible by the standards of the 1840s.
I do not think that there is any way to justify the US's decision to go to war with Mexico in 1846. At least, there is no way to justify it using modern standards of what is right and wrong. Using the standards of the time that the war happened, it is much more defensible.
The basic reason for the war was to get territory. Pres. Polk did give other reasons for the war, but the point truly was to take part of Mexico's territory. Today, starting a war to take territory from others is totally unacceptable and can be punished as a war crime. Back in the 1840s, however, it was much more acceptable. During that time, the idea of a country taking another country's territory simply because it had the power to do so was not unthinkable like it is now.
So, this war was completely unjustifiable under our modern standards. However, it was much more justifiable using the standards of the time in which it happened.
Why did the United States go to war with Mexico?
The United States of America had an ideology of Manifest Destiny. The idea of Manifest Destiny was that Americans were chosen by God to settle the whole continent. To many this meant that the country could be settled from "sea to shining sea". As Americans moved westward, they settled in Mexican territory. This was partly due to an invitation by Mexico to Americans. The Americans could live in the territory as long as they pledged allegiance to Mexico and converted to Catholicism. The Americans did not like how Texas was governed. Therefore, in 1835, Texas began fighting for its independence from Mexico.
In 1836, Texas obtained its Independence from Mexico.The United States annexed Texas into the nation in 1846. A dispute ensued over the southern border of Texas. The Mexicans believed the border was the Nueces River, and the United States stated it was the Rio Grande River. While patrolling the area between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande River, several American soldiers were shot and killed. President James K. Polk asked Congress to go to war against Mexico.
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