Argumentative Essay on The US Was Justified In Going To War With Mexico

There are a few reasons why I believe that the United States was justified in going to war against Mexico.  While I may believe this, others believe that the U.S. tried to provoke Mexico.  I will provide statements and factual evidence to show why the U.S. was justified.  Thirdly, there is proof of why there was a war in writings from that time period.  Before going to war, the U.S. tried to reason with Mexico.

One of the reasons that the U.S. was justified in doing to war against Mexico is because they had already tried to compromise.  I know this because Polk stated “The Mexican Government not only refused to receive him [the U.S. envoy] or listen to his propositions, but after a long-continued series of menaces have at last invaded our territory and shed the blood of our fellow-citizens on our own soil.”  He also stated “The strong desire to establish peace with Mexico on liberal and honorable terms, and the readiness of this Government to regulate and adjust our boundary and other causes of difference with that power on such fair and equitable principles as would lead to permanent relations of the most friendly nature.”  This shows that the Mexican government had soldiers come onto the United States’ soil, and kill her citizens.  That undoubtedly provoked the U.S. to declare war.

On the other hand, some believe that the U.S. provoked Mexico.  One of the U.S. Army Officers said that they had no right to be there.  He also said that it was like the government was trying to provoke Mexico.  The U.S. Army Officer, Regarding the April 24, 1847, Skirmish Between Mexican and American Forces stated “We have not one particle of right to be here.”  Secondly, he stated “It looks as if the government sent a small force on purpose to bring a war, so as to have a pretext for taking California and as much of this country as it chooses.”

In the end, there should have been no war.  Whether started by the U.S., or by Mexico.  It may have been wanted, but there was no reason why it had to happen.  In my opinion, the only reason that this war occurred was due to the fact that Mexico would not even listen to the United States’ proposition and along with that, they came into the U.S. and killed innocent people.

This shows why I believe that the United States was justified in going to war against Mexico.  I told you why some may believe that the U.S. tried to provoke Mexico.  I provided statements and factual evidence to show why the U.S. was justified.  I also showed  proof of why there was a war in writings from that time period.  Lastly, I showed that the U.S. tried to reason with Mexico.