“A lively, intricate narrative of America’s early-twentieth-century conflicts with Mexico, including the nearly year-long Punitive Expedition. . . . A rich examination of a thorny clash within the Mexican government and a quietly damning indictment of American foreign policy at a time when the U.S. expected Mexico to capitulate to every demand.”
NO MAJOR SPOILERS
Just finished War on the Border by Jeff Guinn. Non- Fiction.
This is a history of the border wars between the United States and Mexico. While there is a brief history of these wars going back to the time of The Alamo, the book mainly concentrates on the period just before World War One, the time of Pancho Villa, the Texas Rangers and General John Blackjack Pershing.
This is a time of revolution throughout Mexico, with people like Villa and Zapata controlling large areas of land and fighting against the Mexican Government, of the constant upheaval of the Mexican Government throughout that time, and the United States attempting to protect its own interests and the investments of rich American companies with large land holdings and businesses in Mexico.
Villa, who at times portended to be a friend of America received little recognition from our Government, and his border raids created mass hysteria in the area, sometimes causing American troops to go after him into Mexico, against the wishes and without permission of the Mexican Government.
The really interesting part of this book delves into the beginnings of WW One and Germany’s attempts to use the Mexican Government to their own advantage, trying to keep America tied down in a war with Mexico and keeping it out of the war in Europe. This is an amazing tale, culminating with the infamous Zimmerman Note which finally leads to our entering the War in Europe on the side of the allies.
A good , interesting history about a subject that still resonates in the US today, the Mexican border.
Reviewed by:
Richard Franco
Added 26th August 2021
