Why didn't the USA annex all of Mexico in 1848? (Short Animated Documentary)

In 1846 a war kicked off between the US and Mexico which the United States won. In the peace settlement, Mexico lost its northern territories but there were Americans who pushed for the total annexation of all of Mexico into the United States. So why didn't this happen? To find out watch this short and simple animated history documentary.

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[juanpablogomez]

As a Mexican, I've never heard of Trist and I'm pretty sure nowhere here teaches about him. Thank you for sharing, I'll research more about his life.

[joeylawn]

For those who don't know, the missing part of southern Arizona was acquired later in the Gadsden Purchase (1853).

[BluegrassGeek]

"Polk fired him. The problem was that Trist simply ignored him." Now THAT'S a baller move.

[RoseAbrams]

Trist just went "I'm the captain now" and saved Mexico's whole existance

[maxteraform]

You see, the US wanted to, but they couldn't demand territories that would exceed their war score over 100

[roflmywaffles]

Polk's ambassador going against him and letting Mexico exist is the political equivalent of you telling your friend you want a 10 peice and they bring back a 4 peice

[sakkra]

Fun fact: Yucatan wasn't actually Mexican at this time, but was an independent republic with a cool flag, and the Yucatecan delegation in Washington actually offered to be incorporated as a state, Polk agreed and made a bill, but the bill never passed in the Senate, which is the reason why Yucatan never became a U. S. state.

[edgargallegos]

In Mexico the educational system tries to not show too much of this war to us as mexicans. Many of us only learnt that we had a war with the USA and that's it, but they never explained to us why and how. I am from a city called Monterrey and I did not know Monterrey was invaded in the Mexican American wat until I was an adult (it was a shock to realize Monterrey battle was one of the worse in the Mexican American war)

[chaosXPRT]

Fun Fact: The famous Civil War general and later, President of the USA, Ulysses S. Grant served in the Mexican-American War as a Quartermaster. HIs first taste of combat saw a Mexican cannonball decapitate the man next to him. He personally resented the Mexican-American War as bold and greedy imperialist adventure. He viewed the American Civil War as a sort of punishment for the unjust war, saying: "Nations, like individuals, are punished for their transgressions."

[arturocevallossoto]

I could argue that taking the whole country would have led to a different version of the Civil War and might have ended, in part, with Mexico regaining its independence, while the rest of the US is distracted.

[alessiodecarolis]

Ironically there were also in Mexico a LOT of people that wanted war against the US, either for avenge Texas' loss and also bcz they wanted back Louisiana, given that when Nappy had sold those territories to the US, he'd sold also the SPANISH part of them. So a lot of generales and politicians tought that, with an army bigger than the US one, they could've gained back a lot of territories. Effectively the victory of the USA wasn't so foregone at the start, their army was very little and underfunded/undermanned(about 6500 men strong).
P.s. One of the oppositors of the war was a young congressman, a certain ...A. Lincoln!

[baronhausenpheffer]

Kudos to Nicholas Trist for having balls of steel and acting on his conscience. He knew that kind of unwelcome contest was wrong, and kudos to him for probably saving both nations an ungodly amount of bloodshed in any insurgency to follow.

[greenalienfromspace]

Ulysses S Grant once said “For myself, I was bitterly opposed to the measure, and to this day regard the war, which resulted, as one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation. It was an instance of a republic following the bad example of European monarchies, in not considering justice in their desire to acquire additional territory.”

[Spongebrain]

Abraham Lincoln notably opposed the Mexican American War when he was a Whig because it would've allowed slavery to expand out west. And thereafter for the rest of his political career this was an issue that rivals and enemies would point out and use to one up him. The land taken was seen as good and even the Whigs who had previously opposed the war ironically nominated war veterans for the presidency on the basis of being war vets

[gwgux]

I really like these videos. They're short, concise, and give you enough so that if you want to go learn more on your own later, you can.

[KC_FlightChief]

As an American we lucked out with our neighbors to the south. Great culture, great food, great weather, beautiful country.

[quuaaarrrk]

I am not sure if you read comments suggesting video ideas, but have you ever considered making a video about the *_principality of Neuchâtel_* ?
It was simultaneously a canton of the Swiss Confederation and a domain of the King of Prussia.

It just seems like one of those little historical things that are rarely talked about but are actually quite intruiging.

[pabcu]

Because they feared that they would lose funding from James bissonette or Kelly moneymaker

[edgargallegos]

It would have been impossible for the USA to maintain Mexico, because even Mexico was struggling to maintain all its states together. I'm from Monterey and here we had the Republica of Rio Grande that tried to secede from Mexico, in the South they had the Republica de Yucatán, In Sonora they had one, etc. Probably Mexico would have been turned into different countries

[scottgrey]

Polk: Get me this land or you’re fired

Trist: I’ve recognized that the president made a decision, but given it’s a stupid ass decision, I’ve elected to ignore it