Preview

A Just War

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
865 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
A Just War
“The power to wage war is the power to wage war successfully” (Evans Hughes, Charles). In 1846 the United States and Mexico went to war against each other over disagreements mainly regarding the area of Texas. Mexico claimed the war was to protect its territorial integrity while the United States claimed the war was an act of self defense. In the Just War Theory actions and intentions of warring nations are upheld to a standard of justification. This Theory attempts to provide parameters of acceptable behavior when declaring and waging war. It also provides examples of offenses often committed in war. When examining the events leading up to the war, it becomes clear that the United States was acting in accordance with the principles put forth in the Just War Theory. The participation of the United States in the Mexican-American war was just because war was declared as a last resort, the war was fought on behalf of a just cause, and the war was declared by a legitimate authority. The participation of the United States in the Mexican war was just because war was declared as a last resort. According to the Just War Theory as explained by Alexander Moseley, “War should always be a last resort”. (Moseley, Alexander). Prior to the initiation of any armed conflicts the United States attempted diplomatic resolutions with Mexico. The United States sent John Slidell to Mexico in order to legally purchase the disputed lands in Texas, provinces in California, and territory in New Mexico. The disputed lands in Texas had been ceded by Mexico in the Treaty of Velasco; however, the United States government sought to peacefully settle any disputes the Mexican government was claiming. Slidell soon learned that the Mexican government was too unorganized to negotiate successfully due to rapid turnover. A new nationalistic government soon came to power in Mexico, and it unreasonably declared sole claim to Texas. Slidell’s attempts to negotiate were thwarted by a nationalistic


Cited: Evans Hughes, Charles. Washington D.C. Speech. Moseley, Alexander. "Just War Theory." Just War Theory. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2013. . Polk, James K. "Digital History." Digital History. 1846. Web. 25 July 2013. .
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Pros And Cons Of The US Invasion
    • 151 Words
    • 1 Page

    The Pros And Cons Of The US Invasion

    While most Americans call the war the, “American-Mexican War”, the other side would call it, “The U.S. Invasion”. If it is God’s reasoning to expand the U.S. territory as far as possible, then is it also his reasoning to murder those upon their own land? It is not only unjustified to take the land from the Mexicans, however to become inhuman enough to kill those while doing so is unspeakable. There was no need for any more conflict at that time, so to start a war was not ideal for anyone. Would a war be more beneficial or cost efficient than a compromise or a buyout? The Mexicans had only simple ideas of allowing outsiders into their land to increase population. In the words of General Francisco Mejia, “The right of conquest has always been…

    • 151 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Was The War Against Mexico Justifiable?
    • 785 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Was The War Against Mexico Justifiable?

    In president Polk’s declare for war on May 11, 1846 he states, “... after a long continued series of menaces, have at last invaded our territory and shed the blood of our fellow-citizens on our own soul…” This shows that Mexico took over America territory and killed 16 American soldiers without neigotate or any greetings. In Document D it states “The invasion was threatened solely because Texas had determined, in accordance with solemn resolution of the Congress of the United States…” This tells that it was plainly our duty to extend our protection over her citizens and soil… Also Mexico was passed the boundary of the United states, has invaded our territory, and shed American blood upon the American soil.…

    • 785 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Was The Us Justified In Going To War With Mexico
    • 833 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Was The Us Justified In Going To War With Mexico

    The US was justified in going to war with Mexico because of the appalling way Mexico was treating the US, and it was also truly Mexico who started the war. Mexico was treating the United States…

    • 833 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Mexican American War Dbq Analysis
    • 888 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Mexican American War Dbq Analysis

    The war between America and Mexico could have been resolved in many different ways instead of combat. Many people are glad to have so much land from the war, but it was an unjust war. It is important for America to learn that in order to start a war, there has to be justified reason to go to war. The Mexican American war was unjust in so many ways including manifest destiny, border dispute, and Americans not following Mexico's laws. Americans can now apply what happened with the Mexican American war to the future conflicts ahead, to know when to start a war and when to…

    • 888 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Chapter Summaries of 'Occupied America': Chapters 3-5
    • 1328 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Chapter Summaries of 'Occupied America': Chapters 3-5

    In chapter three of “Occupied America, A History of Chicanos,” Acuna explains the cause of the war between Mexico and North America. Eugene C. Barker states that the immediate cause of the war was “the overthrow of the nominal republic by Santa Anna and the substitution of centralized oligarchy” which allegedly would have centralized Mexican control (Acuna 39). Texas history is a mixture of selected fact and generalized myth. The expansion and capitalist development moved together. The two Mexican wars gave U.S. commerce, industry, mining, agriculture, and stock rising. The truth is that the Pacific Coast belonged to the commercial empire that the United States was already building in that ocean. In the Polk-Stockton Intrigue, Americans found it rather more difficult than other people to deal rationally with their wars. Many Anglo-American historians attempted to dismiss it simply as a “bad war”, which took place during the era of Manifest Destiny. Most studies on the war dwell on the causes and results of the war, and dealing with war strategy. The attitude of Mexicans toward Anglo-Americans was obviously influenced by the war and vice-versa. In the end, by late 1847 the war was almost at an end. Scott’s defeat of Santa Anna in a hard fought battle at Churubusco…

    • 1328 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Mexican American War Research Paper
    • 629 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Mexican American War Research Paper

    According to Jesus-Velasco Marquez from “A Mexican Viewpoint on the War with the United States,” he states that “mobilization of the U.S army was an outright attack on Mexico. As a consequence the Mexican government reaffirmed the instruction to protect the border, meaning the territory between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River.” This evidence shows the U.S was not justified in going to war because Mexico thought they were simply under attack by the U.S. America would have done the same thing if they thought they saw Mexicans crossing the land. It was all a misunderstanding until President Polk said that Mexico Murdered the 16 Americans on American soil.…

    • 629 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    President Polk's Justification For The US War With Mexico
    • 767 Words
    • 4 Pages

    President Polk's Justification For The US War With Mexico

    The United States war with Mexico continues to be a divisive topic, seeing as how the justification for the war may go both ways. It all began with Mexico offering cheap land in hope of bringing in settlers. Thousands of Americans came into Mexico only to end up having to follow untenable laws, and a dispute over who owned Texas’ land, as former Americans now outnumbered the Tejanos, and the majority of Texas wanted to break away from Mexico anyhow, broke out. Things escalated, and blood was eventually shed. Although this war is seen as controversial, evidence from the fact the U.S. government attempted to form an alliance with Mexico beforehand, the attack of American land, and the discord over Texas’ ownership points to the conclusion that…

    • 767 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Mexican-American War
    • 855 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Mexican-American War

    There are two main reasons for the causes of the Mexican-American War. One reason would be the idea of Manifest Destiny; the belief that the United States had a God-given right to occupy and civilize the entire…

    • 855 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Just War
    • 634 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Just War

    As reader leader, I decided to do my summary on “What Is a Just War?” by Jean Bethke Elshtain. Elshtain opens by discussing the main priority of any government: providing security, thus ensuring tranquility. Elshtain makes the point that civic peace and security are the foundations for all the other human rights. For example, for someone to exercise their right of freedom of speech, that person should be able to exercise their right without fear of consequence. A flaw, as Elshtain points out, in the overall tranquility of the ‘kingdom’ is that not everyone is ruled under the same law. Even though guns are allowed in the United States, other places like Australia prohibits them, the different laws between countries can cause tensions. These…

    • 634 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Was The Mexican War Justified?
    • 803 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Was The Mexican War Justified?

    The definition of “justified” is having, done for, or marked by a good or legitimate reason. The second definition is declared or made righteous in the sight of God. The war with Mexico was both of these definitions. It was justified. In 1836, Texas had won it’s independence and had become apart of America. Mexico had attacked U.S. soldiers on Texas territory. Polk became president. He believed in Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was the belief that God wanted America to spread across the continent. Polk wanted to fulfill that destiny and get Texas and California. The United States was justified in going to war with Mexico because they believed in Manifest Destiny, Texas was already apart of America, and Americans were killed on their own soil by Mexicans.…

    • 803 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Was The Mexican War Justified
    • 1411 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Was The Mexican War Justified

    “Was the Mexican War a justified act of self defence or an unjustified act of imperialism, and are there comparisons to the recently ‘ended’ wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?”…

    • 1411 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    DBQ Mexican War
    • 842 Words
    • 3 Pages

    DBQ Mexican War

    The Mexican War has been an issue of contention ever since the war was formally declared. As a result of James K. Polk getting the go ahead from Congress and then authorizing American troops to begin attacking the much weaker force just for the self betterment of America, the war earned itself the nickname “The most unjust war”. However, there were certain actions the United States government did implement before authorizing an entire war. Polk did send John Slidell with an offer to Mexico to purchase California, New Mexico, and Texas for a total of 27 million dollars (Doc 3). The Mexicans were in grave need of the money yet, they still entirely rejected the offer leaving Polk no other choice but to declare war. There were many factors that led to the Mexican War; nevertheless, it would be considered biased if we were not to address all the issues pertaining to, before, and after the war.…

    • 842 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Mexican War Causes
    • 527 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Mexican War Causes

    Mexico, thinking that Taylor and his men were on its land, attacked the American unit in an act of self-defense. Shortly after these affairs, the United States announced war on Mexico on May 13, 1846. Another purpose of the Mexican-American War was the westward movement of citizens of the United States. At this point in time Americans were constantly looking for land to begin farms or sell to approaching farmers. They found the most convenient land in Texas. There was also the idea that the Southerners traveled into Texas in order to get another slave state into the Union and surrender Southern power. Even so, as groups of people from the U.S. flooded into Texas, they began to question the authority of the Texans and the Mexican government. As if this were not enough, the invaders violated Mexican laws and regulations such as the antislavery laws. These actions combined greatly contributed to the discontent of U.S. citizens by Mexican officials. Next, there was the ideal of Manifest Destiny, which is the American ideal that the United States should span from ocean to ocean as one colossal nation. This idea has a great impact on the westward migration of Americans as they migrated across the continent in search of economic…

    • 527 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Mexican American War
    • 1156 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Mexican American War

    The United States war with Mexico is still a debatable topic to this day whether the United State’s reason for declaring war was reasonable or not. After years of tension between Mexico and the United States due to the Texas Revolution and boundary disputes, the U.S. government decided to declare war on Mexico. Although the United States war against Mexico resulted in the gaining of America’s most valuable land, the war itself was unjust because Texas was wrong from the beginning, the war was based on false pretense, and expanding slavery was the goal.…

    • 1156 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    War for the greater good
    • 735 Words
    • 3 Pages

    War for the greater good

    Through a course of history war has been a fact of life as we know it. It has caused destruction, and cost many lives. So how is it the greater good? For some, it’s the resources that are used in the result of victory or “victor goes the spoils” others my say. From diamonds to oil, resources have been one of the main reasons for war. Other people may see war a way out or freedom, such as slaves joining the army to fight in the war in exchange of being given their freedom. The cost of freedom impacted the slave trade of the 17th century causing massive numbers of recruits in search of independent lively hood. Political power has also played a part in war, for advantages in geographical location and in search of collaboration to strength forces. The romans use this strategy throughout ancient history as they conquered many lands and use the losing army as a part of their own war. The effects toward pride also consider a greater good. One of the greatest wars in 1800’s where the U.S. embraced Great Britain in combat during the Treaty of Ghent on February 17, 1815 where the beginning of national pride that struck the nation.…

    • 735 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More