Mexican-American War
 

A Short, Offhand, Killing Affair
by Paul W. Foos
List Price: $18.95
Price: $10.69

Edition: Paperback


The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) found Americans on new terrain. A republic founded on the principle of armed defense of freedom was now going to war on behalf of Manifest Destiny, seeking to conquer an unfamiliar nation and people. Through an examination of rank-and-file soldiers, Paul Foos sheds new light on the war and its effect on attitudes toward other races and nationalities that stood in the way of American expansionism.
Drawing on wartime diaries and letters not previously examined by scholars, Foos shows that the experience of soldiers in the war differed radically from the positive, patriotic image trumpeted by political and military leaders seeking recruits for a volunteer army. Promised access to land, economic opportunity, and political equality, the enlistees instead found themselves subjected to unusually harsh discipline and harrowing battle conditions. As a result, some soldiers adapted the rhetoric of Manifest Destiny to their own purposes, taking for themselves what had been promised, often by looting the Mexican countryside or committing racial and sexual atrocities. Others deserted the army to fight for the enemy or seek employment in the West. These acts, Foos argues, along with the government's tacit acceptance of them, translated into a more violent, damaging variety of Manifest Destiny.

Mexican War
 

Thanks for posting this Beau. sounds interesting. i have a number of books on the Mexican War and the Alamo. Some intersting interpretations to be sure.

Read the Rogue's March by Peter Stevens if you want to read a great book about Irish deserting from the American army during the Mexican war.

Bill

re: Mexican-American War
 

I bet this war had many alarming facets --- too bad it is largely unknown. I am aware of the "San Patricios" ... my reading, if I get to it, has a bit to do with Quantum Mechanics (hopefully it will be readible down to the dumb level) .... this one looks good though

http://www.ibiblio.org/uncpress/chap...oos_short.html

Beau

Beau :

Speaking of Quantum Mechanics, have you read the book "Hyperspace : A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10th Dimension...by Michio Kaku
( 1994 ) ?

A good friend mine and I, who unfortunately died due to medical malpractice on the day he was eligible to retire and had a Masters degree in Physics, had many interesting discussions relating to topics herein. A very well-written and stimulating book.

Larry

Nah
 

I suspect that your friend knows alot of the answers that his gut feelings were probably screaming at him. I have listened and enjoyed radio broadcasts by Dr. Kaku but have not read that book. I am a very slow reader and being a late in life father (I do the cooking) and a commuter --- there is little time to read. I have enjoyed reading books like "The Quantum Hologram" and things on Morphic Fields/Resonance (Sheldrake, Biologist) --- often love to listen to Coast to Coast (formerly Art Bell) and whilst I am not here too often, I use to frequent Dr. Edgar Mitchell's site ( the former Apollo 14 Astronaut; retired Navy Captain --- Korean War Veteran; founder of the Noetics Institute; and on and on). I do not pretend to really, really follow all in such books but I get the basics and it is good --- things that break away from the separation/mechanics (brain vs mind) and indicated a big connectedness in space/time between .... all. On weekends, I paint for 3 or 4 hours in the morning --- limited time there as well, just when I am at a stage in life where I did the techie thing and the corporate culture thing .... likeing Art for more but finding little time.

Beau