Pros And Cons Of The Mexican War

Was the War Worth It?

Just war; is there ever such a thing? Think about it, when all wars are done, are they ever looked upon as the undoubted most ethical and the best proven solution to the problem? In some cases some may answer yes, however in other situations, some may say the contrary. When considering the Mexican War I believe that the conflict was a positive occurrence that greatly influenced America’s future for the better. It gave the State's vast amounts of fresh valuable land and settled the debt that the Mexicans owed the U.S.. However this war did have its fair share of cons. Thirteen thousand American soldiers lost their lives and the conflict stirred up stagnant issues of slavery. But in the end, i believe that the pro’s outweigh the con’s and that the Mexican war was beneficial.

First of all, the declaration of the Mexican War was acceptable because Mexico owed the United States of America three million dollars in damage to its citizens and their property, and showed no signs of repaying it. The Mexican government also denied all offers for California and the south-west region of the continent. For example on page 380 it states, “Polk was eager to buy California from Mexico, but relations with Mexico City were dangerously embittered. Among other friction points, the United States had claims against the Mexicans for some

First off, one negative side effect of the conflict was the loss of life. By the end of the war, around 13,000 U.S. lives were lost due to combat and disease. Although every war has its casualties, the outcome can never be truly justified when either nation loses its family members. On page 385 in the American Pageant, it states, “As wars go the Mexican War was a small one. It cost some thirteen thousand American lives, most of them taken by disease.” This quote proves the loss of American soldiers and also shows how soldiers can die from sickness, not only by