Everything said about keeping us out of the war was a lie to get reelected in 1916. Everything said in justification of entering the war was a lie also. It is true that the Germans sank the Lusitania. But where is it written that American citizens are somehow entitled to travel through a declared war zone on a vessel belonging to one of the belligerents carrying war supplies and publicly ordered to ram enemy submarines demanding surrender? As for the Zimmerman note, it is simply ridiculous to imagine that the Mexican government would have acted on it. Someone in the German foreign office was having delusions. And anyway if the US government had really believed there was a conspiracy for Mexico to invade and recapture the western United States then it isn't clear how fighting Germans in France was going to stop them. Shouldn't we have invaded Mexico?
‘it is simply ridiculous to imagine that the Mexican government would have acted on it’
It was only about a year after the ‘Green Grows’ under Pershing had invaded Mexico, chasing Pancho Villa. Some Mexicans actually remembered the Mexican American War and the loss of the American southwest, and none of them were very happy about it. (By the way, Pershing’s men sang the song ‘Green Grows the Lilacs’ as they marched, and Latin Americans have hated the ‘Gringos’ ever since.)
Everything said about keeping us out of the war was a lie to get reelected in 1916. Everything said in justification of entering the war was a lie also. It is true that the Germans sank the Lusitania. But where is it written that American citizens are somehow entitled to travel through a declared war zone on a vessel belonging to one of the belligerents carrying war supplies and publicly ordered to ram enemy submarines demanding surrender? As for the Zimmerman note, it is simply ridiculous to imagine that the Mexican government would have acted on it. Someone in the German foreign office was having delusions. And anyway if the US government had really believed there was a conspiracy for Mexico to invade and recapture the western United States then it isn't clear how fighting Germans in France was going to stop them. Shouldn't we have invaded Mexico?Good points.
"Delusions?" In fact, even after Pershing's 8th Army expeditionary force had withdraw from Mexico, an undeclared state of war existed on the southern border. During this time US military forces garrisoned in American border towns exchanging fire with both Mexican rebels and federals massed along that border. Then, in 1918, US military intelligence discovered both German military advisers training the Mexican military along the border and plans for cross border attacks.
After the US entered WWI, the "Battle of Nogales" soon erupted with the US 35th Infantry & the 10th Calvary eventually crossing the border and forcing the surrender of the Mexican military and German military advisers. The US Army reported their burial of 129 Mexicans & 2 German bodies.
See: Wikipedia
Mexico accepting Germany's military assistance in furtherance of her "Reconquesta" of American border states was not delusional but historical reality.
The Mexican ruling elite have NEVER given up their dreams or claims to the US Southwest. They have taught it in their schools and thinly couched it in their political rhetoric.