[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

Do you think it would still have been better if Robert E Lee had finished off Mexico in 1846 and made it a US state? What would life be like for us if we had done that?

You didn't ask me specifically, but I cannot resist (putting on my ex-grad student history hat).

First off, I believe the treaty was signed early in 1848, and the actual fighting was over by late 1847. Robert E. Lee was just a junior officer; the generals in command were Taylor in the north and Scott in central Mexico.

Short answer: making all of Mexico part of the USA would have been a bloody disaster. Think Quebec; think Yugoslavia. A bad idea.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

No problem, glad you joined in. Yes you're right on those points, it was Generals Zachory Taylor and Scott who led the Mexican expedition. But I do remember reading (my history is a little fuzzy at this point) that Lee was pushing the senior officers to take all of Mexico. But he was resisted fortunately. Lee, as he proved in the Civil War was a fighter. Not always right but a good general nonetheless.

[FITZ]

making all of Mexico part of the USA would have been a bloody disaster

It seems that's what is happening. Fox is calling for completely open borders, Castaneda says he wants the whole enchilada ---which means they get everything they are demanding. At least Lee's way, Mexico would have been placed under US rule, they'd follow the Constitution and there wouldn't be a President Fox today.

[FITZ]

You're right taking all of Mexico was a bad idea in 1848 ---but compared to what Fox is saying we must do now, it would have been a much better thing to do it the way Lee suggested.