Once enquired about the Mexican American war; Utmost Americans would probably give a lost and questioning reaction. Though, for Mexicans, they would undoubtedly remember this war passionately; "It is a scar for them."
Explanation:
Most American historians would call this war "The Mexican-American War," while Mexicans would call it "The American Invasion." The difference in referral is based on different perceptions of the conflict. While President Polk blamed the Mexicans for causing the war because the Mexican governments left the United States with no other option to defend their security and national interest; Mexicans did not see it this way.
To understand Mexicans' views on war, it is important to first understand the problem of Texas annexation. Texas' annexation to the United States was unacceptable for legal and security reasons from Mexico's point of view. Mexico declared that Texas' annexation to the United States was a violation of the 1828 border treaty, which recognized Mexico's sovereignty over that territory.
As little as Mexico knew, such acts constituted a violation of the fundamental principles of international law and, furthermore, the United States began to threaten the territorial security of Mexico. On July 4, 1845, the Texas government agreed to annexation.
The Mexican government had always wanted to negotiate with the United States. As confirmed by the Mexican administration to the America a month before the capture of Texas, "... although the Mexican nation was seriously offended by the United States because of its action in Texas, belonging to Mexico, the government was willing to receive a commissioner who would come to this capital from the United States who have full powers to resolve the current dispute in a peaceful, reasonable, and respectable manner. "
However, the United States not only settled for negotiations close to none, but also demanded the cession of the territories of New Mexico and California. The Mexican government had two options: it could yield and reestablish friendly relations with the United States, demonstrating to the world that Mexico would always be a "slave" to the United States or that the Mexican government would not surrender to such degradation and would resort to that degradation. war.
Therefore, on July 6, 1846, President Mariano Paredes approved the decree of Congress that upheld these principles in the following terms:
Article 1 - The government, in natural defense of the nation, will repel the aggression initiated and sustained by the United States of America against the Republic of Mexico, having invaded and committed hostilities in several of the departments that make up the Mexican territory.
Article 3 - The government will communicate to the friendly nations and to the entire republic the justifiable causes that forced it to defend its rights, with no choice but to keep away force with force, in reply to the fierce aggression committed by the United States.
Analyzing the previous decrees, it can be seen that Mexico never declared a war against the United States, but the need to defend the territorial integrity of the country and defend itself against the invasion of the United States. Therefore, from a Mexican point of view, the war was not the result of greed or arrogance, but a consequence to defend the territory of Mexico from the US invasion. And so, Mexicans would call this war as "The war of the United States against Mexico."
