What was the history of the U.S.-Mexican War?

After the United States became independent in 1776, it took advantage of the European powers' competition for colonies in Africa and Asia to expand aggressively on the North American continent. In 1823, President James Monroe put forward the slogan "America is for Americans" and established the basic national policy of expanding territory and dominating the Americas. Soon, the US government's aggressive gaze fell on its neighboring country, Mexico. In 1835, American immigrant slave owners in Texas and California launched an armed rebellion. The Mexican government sent troops to suppress it, but the United States directly intervened and supported Texas in declaring independence the following year. In July 1845, U.S. President James Polk, known for his crazy expansion, officially announced the annexation of Texas to the territory of the United States. Almost at the same time, Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to lead a force to quietly stationed on the Nueces River at the junction of Texas and Mexico, waiting for an opportunity to launch a war of aggression. In November of that year, Polk threatened that Mexico should repay the United States a debt of 3 million U.S. dollars, and demanded that Mexico recognize the Rio Grande River as the border between the two countries. The United States "purchased" New Mexico and California for 15 million to 40 million U.S. dollars. The Mexican government flatly refused.

On May 13, 1846, the U.S. government declared war on Mexico, and the U.S.-Mexican War officially broke out. The declaration of war is just a trick to deceive the world. The US military's military operations had been carried out for more than four months before this.

In order to achieve the goal of attacking from north to south as soon as possible, dividing the territory of Mexico and occupying its capital, in the first stage of the war, the US military decided to invade Mexico in three groups: one group was commanded by Colonel Stephen Carney and was responsible for the expedition. New Mexico and California; one is commanded by Commander John Slott, responsible for blocking the Pacific and Gulf coasts and ports from the sea; the other is led by Commander-in-Chief Taylor, heading directly for Mexico City, the capital of Mexico.

On May 18, Taylor led his troops across the Rio Grande and captured the city of Matamoros. In June, Taylor's troops expanded from 5,000 to 14,500. On July 14, its leading troops arrived at Chamargo, 1,000 miles north of Mexico City, and established a base for the attack on Monterrey. During this period, the Mexican government tried to negotiate with the United States, but the negotiations ended in vain, and Mexican President Pasto resigned as a result.

Since mid-September, the U.S. military has launched multiple attacks on the strategic location of Monterrey, but has repeatedly failed due to the stubborn resistance of the Mexican military and civilians. The arrogant Taylor had to change his attack strategy and marched hand in hand with another American army led by Walls from the east and west sides of Monterey City to attack in a roundabout way. After fierce fighting, the U.S. military finally captured the city of Monterey on September 24. On the 25th, the Mexican defenders surrendered.

In the western region, a group of American immigrants living in the Sacramento Valley occupied San Normin on June 14 and declared the establishment of the "California Republic." On July 9, U.S. troops occupied San Francisco and San Normin without bloodshed. In less than a month, the U.S. military occupied Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. On August 17, the U.S. military announced that California had officially become a U.S. territory.

During this period, the expedition force led by Carney arrived at Fort Bent at the intersection of the Arkansas River and the Santa Fe Trail in June and July 1846. On August 15, he went to Dallas to declare New Mexico a part of the United States. In late September, Carney led a cavalry force across Colorado into Southern California. On January 13, 1847, in San Fernando, the remaining Mexican armed forces surrendered to the U.S. Army. So far, the United States has occupied large areas of Mexican territory. Someone pointedly commented: "The U.S. military is like a black bear that broke into the Mexican cornfield, but it does not care about the delicious corn, but regards the land as its only goal."

Starting from February 1847 , the United States once again sent a large number of additional troops to the combat front lines, and the war entered the second stage. On March 9, US Commander Scott mobilized 13,000 troops, equipped with 50 cannons, and with the support of naval forces, carried out an amphibious landing operation on Veracruz, the largest port on the east coast of Mexico. The morale of the 4,000 Mexican troops stationed at the port was low, they were not interested in fighting, and they had no naval support. The US military successfully landed without any casualties.

Subsequently, the U.S. military began a frenzied siege of the city of Veracruz. Starting on March 22, 72 U.S. warships and army artillery conducted brutal bombardments on Veracruz for several days. However, this time the U.S. troops encountered strong resistance from the Mexican defenders, and 82 U.S. troops were injured or killed. Scott, furious, ordered that no Mexicans would be allowed to leave the city alive unless they surrendered. Under the fierce American artillery fire, Veracruz flowed into rivers of blood. Seven days later, U.S. troops captured the city.

After the capture of Veracruz, the U.S. military cleared the biggest obstacle to attacking Mexico City and accelerated its march. Mexican President Santa Anna hastily gathered 13,000 people to fight the US military in Cerro Gordo. On April 18, the U.S. military passed through the dense forests of the valley, raided the Mexican left flank, and captured more than 3,000 people. Santa Anna had to order a retreat. On May 15, the U.S. military advanced to Puebla, 80 miles away from Mexico City. Because the upper class in the city betrayed their country and surrendered, the U.S. military easily captured the third largest city in Mexico. On August 6, the U.S. military arrived at the gates of Mexico City. The Mexican soldiers and civilians, who had no way out, started a fierce battle with the enemy on the outskirts of the suburbs. However, due to being outnumbered, the Mexican army retreated steadily. In order to seize the Mexican capital, Scott personally led 7,000 people to launch a general attack. At this time, 15,000 officers and soldiers had gathered in Mexico City, and the US military was unable to succeed for a while. In desperation, on September 12, Scott sent people to sneak attack the 200-foot-high Chapultepec hill fortifications in an attempt to control Mexico City from above. Faced with a tidal wave of attacks by the US military, the students of the Mexican Military Academy stationed here fought bloody battles, leaving US casualties everywhere. At dusk on September 13, Mexican President Santa Anna led members of the government to retreat in a hurry, and the city was in chaos. At dawn on September 14, the US military took the opportunity to invade the city. In order to show his authority, Scott ordered the US officers and soldiers to wear brand new uniforms to hold a grand entry ceremony. However, they were suddenly fired upon by the Mexican army, causing heavy casualties. After entering the city, the US military and the Mexican army engaged in fierce street fighting for a whole day. It was not until September 15 that they fully took control of Mexico City after suffering more than 860 casualties.

After the fall of Mexico City, the heroic and unyielding Mexican people launched a large-scale guerrilla war against the occupiers. In desperation, the US military mobilized 20,000 people to fight against the guerrillas and brutally suppressed the resistance of the Mexican people. The Mexican government could have seized the opportunity to organize a counterattack and turn defeat into victory. However, the Mexican rulers compromised blindly and dismissed Santa Anna from his presidential duties and established a new government with Pe?a Nieto as interim president. After Pe?a took office, he immediately called on the United States to hold peace talks. On February 2, 1848, the United States and Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The United States has seized nearly half of Mexico's territory, totaling approximately 2.3 million square kilometers. This is what today constitutes most of the U.S. states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, as well as parts of Colorado and Wyoming. The United States only paid Mexico $15 million as "compensation."

Through the Mexican-American War, the United States suddenly became a transatlantic and Pacific power, and has since become the master of the Americas. Even Grant, the famous American general who personally participated in the war, had to admit: "This war was one of the most unjust wars fought by a powerful nation against a weak nation."