We started with Mexico, and then repeated the pattern widely
Most U.S. citizens don't know that France occupied Mexico in the 1860's. In fact, they probably assumed that Spain was somehow in control, if they've thought about it at all. True, Spain was the main colonial bully, from the 1500's until, after eleven years of war (1810–21), New Spain became the sovereign nation of Mexico, with the signing of the Treaty of Córdoba. A brief period of monarchy (1821–23) was followed by the founding of the Republic of Mexico, established under a federal constitution in 1824.
That left free reign to the US to attack Mexico in 1846. We didn't really want to occupy the country like the Spanish--we just wanted to take half of the land, which we did in 1848 via the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. So much for the Mexican-American War, and the glory of San Antonio and Davey Crocker and Sam Houston. Now we have Beverly Hills and Phoenix!
So, 1848 passes. A half-sized Mexico continues, initiating a series of liberal reforms ("La Reforma") that are admirable by 21st century standards (further separation of church and state, for instance) that resulted in civil war with the conservatives and an 1857 update to the Mexican constitution.
The conservatives lost the battles, but remained a minority force within the government, so in 1861 they invited the French to invade on their behalf (the justification was that the liberal Mexican Senado under Benito Juarez had not made current debt payments to France). France jumped on the opportunity and installed Maximillian I.
What did the U.S. do? In 1861? Nothing, which was exactly what it was capable of, given the fact we were all killing each other. (Lincoln verbally supported the liberal rebels before he was assassinated.) But weeks after our Civil War ended in 1865, we started sending troops and weapons (what else does the U.S. know how to do?) to Mexico to fight the French. The Atlantic is a wide ocean and it only took a short period to dislodge the European invaders--France withdrew support and Maximillian was left holding the bag into 1867 when he, despite not being an evil guy, was executed.
So much for the French in Mexico.
Mexicans know this history well...we don't. We should, since we then went on to repeat the same behavior throughout our part of the world--Cuba, most infamously in the Philippines where we actually supported the rebels until they won, and then rounded them up for a big celebration and executed over 5000 of them in a day, Hawaii in a slightly different formula.
The Europeans may have really invented imperialism in the modern era, but you gotta hand it to the Americans--just ask Pinochet! Or Noriega! Or Justin Trudeau!
And we are uniquely good at fighting against our own weapons, since we learned that there was big money in selling deadly weapons to our ex-enemies. All of the US-sponsored wars since George Bush Sr. have been against people we don't like who are primarily armed with materiel we gave them earlier.
To any one still living in Afghanistan? Syria? Iraq? Puerto Rico (probably next at this rate)? Sound familiar????
That left free reign to the US to attack Mexico in 1846. We didn't really want to occupy the country like the Spanish--we just wanted to take half of the land, which we did in 1848 via the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. So much for the Mexican-American War, and the glory of San Antonio and Davey Crocker and Sam Houston. Now we have Beverly Hills and Phoenix!
So, 1848 passes. A half-sized Mexico continues, initiating a series of liberal reforms ("La Reforma") that are admirable by 21st century standards (further separation of church and state, for instance) that resulted in civil war with the conservatives and an 1857 update to the Mexican constitution.
The conservatives lost the battles, but remained a minority force within the government, so in 1861 they invited the French to invade on their behalf (the justification was that the liberal Mexican Senado under Benito Juarez had not made current debt payments to France). France jumped on the opportunity and installed Maximillian I.
What did the U.S. do? In 1861? Nothing, which was exactly what it was capable of, given the fact we were all killing each other. (Lincoln verbally supported the liberal rebels before he was assassinated.) But weeks after our Civil War ended in 1865, we started sending troops and weapons (what else does the U.S. know how to do?) to Mexico to fight the French. The Atlantic is a wide ocean and it only took a short period to dislodge the European invaders--France withdrew support and Maximillian was left holding the bag into 1867 when he, despite not being an evil guy, was executed.
So much for the French in Mexico.
Mexicans know this history well...we don't. We should, since we then went on to repeat the same behavior throughout our part of the world--Cuba, most infamously in the Philippines where we actually supported the rebels until they won, and then rounded them up for a big celebration and executed over 5000 of them in a day, Hawaii in a slightly different formula.
The Europeans may have really invented imperialism in the modern era, but you gotta hand it to the Americans--just ask Pinochet! Or Noriega! Or Justin Trudeau!
And we are uniquely good at fighting against our own weapons, since we learned that there was big money in selling deadly weapons to our ex-enemies. All of the US-sponsored wars since George Bush Sr. have been against people we don't like who are primarily armed with materiel we gave them earlier.
To any one still living in Afghanistan? Syria? Iraq? Puerto Rico (probably next at this rate)? Sound familiar????
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