Why fight an Unwinnable war over Texas
Feb 22, 2023 9:47:18 GMT -5
Post by Radrook Admin on Feb 22, 2023 9:47:18 GMT -5
Why fight an Unwinnable war over Texas?
As Secretary Upshur accelerated the secret treaty discussions, Mexican diplomats learned that US-Texas talks were taking place. Mexican minister to the U.S. Juan Almonte confronted Upshur with these reports, warning him that if Congress sanctioned a treaty of annexation, Mexico would break diplomatic ties and immediately declare war.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_annexationJust recently, I read an article outlining all the reasons why Mexico lost the Mexican American War. It mentions that Mexico's economy was in shambles. That it was undergoing a civil war. That its weapons were extremely primitive. That it could barely feed its soldiers or provide them with horses. That because of these important factors, the effect of any Mexican defeat was amplified out of all proportion since it demanded unavailable resources.
Now, the swift defeat under such a situation is certainly understandable. However, what is not understandable is why a nation under those conditions would not seek peace instead of making an issue over Texas. No, not saying that the USA would not have found some way to force a war on them in one way or another, since the war hawks in Washington wanted that Western land in harmony with their Manifest Destiney idea, and would have found a way to grab it by any means possible.
Their eagerness to do battle, is of course, also understandable since they knew that such a war was easily winnable. However, why did Mexico cooperate so enthusiastically in engaging in a war it obviously could not win while knowing full well that the motives of the USA war hawks was to take a full one third of Mexican territory is the question.
After all, if indeed Mexico was fighting with both hands tied behind its back, as the article points out, then why not seek peace instead of making an issue over Texas?
Any opinions? oops. I forgot that participation on this forum is considered taboo. Excuse me!