On Apr. 25, 1846, Mexican troops crossed the Rio Grande and ambushed a small group of American solders under the command of Capt. Seth B. Thornton. President Polk didn’t find out about the attack until Saturday May 9th when he received a report from General Taylor. On Monday, May 11, President Polk sent word to Congress that we were attacked on our own soil and asking for a declaration of war. On Wednesday, May 13 Congress voted to respond to the unprovoked attack and declare war on Mexico. When the vote was taken neither Congress nor President Polk knew that Mexico had attacked the U.S. two more times as well, at Palo Alto (May 8) and Resaca de la Palma (May 9).
On September 14, 1874 Mexico City and the country fell to U.S. forces. The battle for Mexico City is commemorated by the U.S. Marines in their Marine Hymn and in the “Blood Stripe” on the trousers of the Marine dress uniform. Unfortunately, V-M Day (Victory in Mexico) isn’t celebrated as a holiday. Neither are V-E Day and V-J Day celebrated in our politically correct world.
President Polk bought land from Mexico rather than taking it as spoils of the war we won. He also withdrew from Mexico after chastising them for their unprovoked attacks on our nation. That was a mistake. From time to time we’ve had to again fight off Mexican attacks such as in 1915 and 1916.
He should have colonized Mexico and cleaned up the corrupt government rather than leaving it to fester and leaving a hostile cesspool of a country on our border.
I don’t think we could have colonized and reformed Mexico any more than we can reform Afghanistan today.