1:20 - Chapter 1 - South of the (disputed) border 4:40 - Chapter 2 - A game of dominions 8:15 - Chapter 3 - War games 11:50 - Chapter 4 - Opening salvos 15:55 - Chapter 5 - Take me to monterrey 19:40 - Chapter 6 - The american cortés 22:20 - Chapter 7 - Aftershocks

That's pretty insane how one war fought paved the way for civil wars on both sides afterward.

So glad you got this quote in: "For myself, I was bitterly opposed to the measure [for war], and to this day regard the war, which resulted, as one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation." ~Ulysses S. Grant

You already covered the Franco-Prussian war but I think another really good, lesser known, war that you could cover would be the Russo-Japanese War. Highly influential to the way the Japanese military would conduct itself in WWII and often gets glossed over as a mere footnote leading up to WWI.

"Strictly speaking, it wasn't true, but strictly speaking Congress didn't give a f*ck." US Congress in a nutshell.

As a professional historian, I always refer to the Mexican American War as the "Cameo War". As in so many Civil War generals first appear in this war.

The Mexican-American War also led to the Comanche War which took decades to finish. The Comanches controlled more of Texas than the Mexicans or Spanish ever did. The Comanches were among the most skilled horse archers the world had ever seen.

Actually super happy you mentioned St. Patrick's battalion. Fairly unknown and a pretty important part of history.

Back when a president had to ask congress to start a war. Good times

This was a great breakdown of the setup, specifics and consequences of this war. Great Job 👍. Recommendation for next video would be Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

I’m half Hispanic half Caucasian and live in this area. It is because of this war that I am alive today. War is obviously bad but the past is why we are all here.

The st Patrick's batallion was comprised of Irishmen who deserted and fought with Mexico, the Americans were incredibly racist towards them that's why they decided to fight and die for Mexico. Very brave men

By giving West Point cadets a chance to use their book learning, the Mexican-American war gave those officers involved (Grant,yes, also Lee, whose performance on the road from Veracruz marked him as a rising star. ) experience. The early civil war was marked by battles lost by officers without this experience and battles won by officers who had already lived through the stresses of combat. Excellent show, how about a few more maps next time? Illustrate just what distances supply lines had to operate over.

Simon is on fire! Into the Shadows, Decoding the Unknown and now Warographics, the new channels are a treat!

The Mexican American War and the Spanish American War don't get enough attention. They really helped define the path the US would take on the world stage. A tv mini series about each, that tells the truth from each side would be good.

I served in the U.S. Army's 3d Cavalry Regiment, which was stood up in 1846 as the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen. On 20 August 1847, after losing almost all their horses and fighting dismounted in hand-to-hand combat at the Battle of Contreras, General Winfield Scott came upon the bloodied and exhausted Regiment and gave them a short speech that has stayed with the Regiment ever since. General Scott removed his hat, bowed low, and said: "Brave Rifles! Veterans! You have been baptized in fire and blood and have come out steel!" The Regiment has been known as the Brave Rifles ever since and the Regimental motto became "Blood and Steel".

Hey Simon & Co, Awesome vid as usual. Are you guys considering doing a video on the Paraguayan War (1864-1870)? One of the most bloodiest war in Latin American history.

You should do a video on the Batallón de San Patricio. The core was formed around US Army deserters, but they were more than that, and the reasons for their desertions shouldn't be swept under the rug. Plus their existence forced some changes in the US Army, including making sure soldiers were not denied the freedom to practice their particular religious beliefs. The US Army even denied their existence until a congressional investigation in 1915.

Hello! Thanks for the video. I'm a humanities professor, Mexican, and this is a great video. But personally, I would spend more time on the New Mexico and California campaigns. In both cases there were some Mexican victories, but they ended before the invasion of Veracruz and Central Mexico. By then the American objectives had already been achieved. Regards

I spend 10 hours a day 5 days a week listening to biographies, war history, and history in general. I'm glad I found you.

This war gained more territory but also had the effect of making the slavery issue more difficult for us to deal with and fast forwarding the arrival of the Civil War.

Thanks for a brilliant summation of this surprisingly little-known war. How about the French and Indian War next? Maybe with its tie-in with the Seven Years War.

I'm American but honestly I feel bad for Mexico. They have so many extraordinary figures like Father Hidalgo and Madero/Villa/Zapata, all a match for many American heroes, but all elevated by tragedy, while many American founding fathers ended up dying in their beds surrounded by loved ones. Yet try as hard as they all did it seems like their history was a constant lurching of one disaster to another. They've honestly come out pretty alright though compared to a country like Venezuela

"For myself," Grant wrote later about the United States war against Mexico, "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."

You should do the North-West Rebellion, when the Métis peoples of the Canadian plains rose up and fought pitched battles with government forces and the RCMP on the praries

12:41 My great great grandfather died in that battle. Major Samuel Ringgold. Aka "Father of modern artillery" Through his research at West Point it was one of his innovation to load lighter gun/cannons mounted on carriages and pulled by horses, called "Flying Artillery" it was a huge factor in winning the battle. An enemy cannonball however ripped through his legs & the horse beneath him & he died 3 days later.

Winfield Scott was a southerner who stuck with the Union. His Anaconda Plan was brilliant, but only the smartest Union commanders believed in it, such as Grant. When Grant took Fort Donelson, Scott sent him a copy of his memoirs with a note, calling him the "greatest general". Once Grant was in charge of the army, he enacted Scott's plan to the letter.

Love this new channel! If you've the stomach for it (and I'd totally understand if not) a video on the R*pe of Nanjing, and how it tied into the 2nd Sino-Japanese war, the Second Work War and even the subsequent Chinese civil war would be worth a deep dive. But again, it is truly horrific so I'd understand shelving it or not even touching it.

The US Marine Corps "Marine's Hymn" starts with "From the Halls of Montezuma" in recognition of the taking of the Castle of Chapultapec. Likewise the red "blood" stripes on the pants of the dress blue uniforms of NCO's and commissioned officers is in honor of the many marine NCO's and officers killed in the battle.

Hey Simon (i have the same name as you :p), I love how you're doing more obscure wars on this channel. I'd absolutely LOOOVE a video on the cod wars or the Falklands war! Love the new channel, keep up the awesome contemt, you mad lad

I'm glad you told the truth, cause most Americans don't know why this war was unjust

Yes! Finally, thank you Simon for covering this war, as well as mentioning the Niños Heroes and the St. Patrick's Battalion. Not many Americans knew about this war for years, unlike Mexico which remembers the Intervencion Estadounidense or gran zarpazo only too well.

Great video on the Mexican American war!, love the objective approach to the narrative!. It’d be nice if you did a video on the Peruvian Chilean war of the pacific, or so we call it as such down here in Peru. A war fought by a country to honor a secret defense deal with another, yet that “other” country (Bolivia) up bailing from the fight, pretty much leaving Peru fight a better equipped Chile. Greetings from Peru

The ,,San Patricios'' make an interesting subject. The whole subject of Irish immigrants in the US Military is a curious one. In the 1840s Irish immigrants were mocked and villified by the ''Native'' faction who were mainly WASPs. Even so the Army had recruiters at the NY docks eager to sign Irish men into the service, long before the Civil War. The Irish Brigades [mostly on the Union side] sagas in that War are well documented. What many Americans [Especially Irish/Americans] don't know much about is the 1866 Fenian invasion of Lower Canada by some of these same Union veterans, who retained their arms [or re-armed themselves]. It has been suggested that the Federal Gov't turned a blind eye to the build-up because of unnofficial resentment at perceived Pro-Confederate leanings by Canada, Great Britain and the Commonwealth during the War.

I know you've made videos on key figures of it, but I wonder if you'd just do a full video on the Mexican Revolution here?

Please note that there is a US National Cemetery located in the center of Mexico City. It is "owned" by the US Department of State and administered by the American Battlefield Monuments Commission. It was given to the US as a place to inter the remains of about 750 US unknown soldiers from the Mexican War. Burials and interments of US citizens, primarily diplomatic and military personnel and families, until the early 1920's. This is a unique site and worth a visit.

By far, this is the most entertaining way to learn history. Thank you!!

One interesting point: while Mexico lost 50% of its territory, it lost less than 1% of its population

The fact that the Mexican American war made dramatic changes to North America as a whole is amazing. Yet it is ignored by educators in North America. What are their motives?

"Manifested Destiny" is a nice way to call invasion and colonization

very interesting, it's nice to finally have a clear summary of this war

Another great video by Simon and his team. Recommendation - the American Civil War naval battle between the Merrimack and the Monitor. The technology, the tactics, the location etc.

Thanks for a great breakdown of a truly forgotten war. Just one thing, you kept calling The Mexican leader “Satarana” instead of Santa Anna or “Santana”. Just a small detail coming from a native Spanish speaker. Keep up the good work.

I can't wait until the prequel: *The Texas Revolution*

British English: if there is an "R" drop it. Digger is dig-ah. If there is no "R" then add one. Santa Ana is Santer Anar. I hope that helps.

Honestly I think that the worst part for the Mexicans wasn’t losing all that land to the United States as a result of the war. The worst part was having to sit by and watch as the US found gold in California a few years later. That had to sting.

I've always liked the term "Cameo War." With the exception of Sherman, basically every future famous Civil War general cut their teeth in Mexico.

This war reflects the Ukraine/Russian conflict the most.

Simon and crew are killing it! I learned a lot about the war that I never knew.

I'm in brooklyn 40 years never new none that. That was among greatest content iv seen. Ty for taking the time.

Annexation= "We'll take it when we want to M-Fers"

My mom grew up on a ranch in what she terms "Old Mexico". Their ranch was just south of the Arkansas River and right across the road from Bent's Old Fort in SE Colorado. Strange and twisted history in that area, but the best cantaloupes on Earth.

This is legitimately the first time I've heard about this was as more than a footnote. The most I've heard before was the last bit about it causing unrest between the pro and anti slavery factions. But it clearly has so much more to offer in terms of importance. The United States has an ugly habit of hiding any past it doesn't like, and this is quite clearly an example of this as it brings up a perhaps painful idea, the US is a colonial empire. But it is exactly because it is a painful idea that it Should be brought up. We can't hide from the past, but we can learn from it.

The texas rangers were the ones who suggested to smash down the walls in Monterrey.

Mexico inherited its claim to the Southwestern United States from Spain. There were very few Mexicans inhabiting that vast area.

Now I want a Biographic for General and President Zachary Taylor.

Battle Of Belleau Wood WW1, a defining battle that basically made the modern US MARINE CORPS. Definitely worth this channels time

As a Mexican American the territory is in better hands 😂

The Mexican American war looks a lot like what Russia is doing to Ukraine.

Great video guys, I have a suggestion for videos, do a four-part series of the Anglo-Dutch Wars. Obviously not all at the same time but I think that would be cool

Ah yes, as it's known in Mexico, the War of American Aggression

One thing you could improve in this video is the use of maps for invasion routes and battle details

Scott was quintessential military mastermind we speak of. Grant thanked him in his memoirs for the strategies he used against Mexico that later he himself used to crush the south in the Civil War. Scott was a Virginian, he stayed loyal to his country.

America has screwed up so many nations in latin america, but this was a really low blow, man. Not only Lincoln opposed, Thoreau did too, and spent time in jail for it. But the better angels didn't prevailed.

3:31 "Nueces" is pronounced "noo-Way-sess", for the record

Excellent video, as always. It's interesting to read Ulysses S. Grant's recount of his experiences in the Mexican-American War in his autobiography. As Simon indicated, he thought it an unjust and immoral war.

So basically, Texas is to the USA what Crimea, Kherson, Donbas and Lugansk were / are to Russia.

San Patricios battalion with the Gaeilge Slogan Erin go Bragh 🇮🇪

Winfield Scott did an amazing job on that campaign. I consider that his finest hour.

"White settlers vs Mexicans" yeah that's not quite how that went.

There is a residential section on the North Side of Pittsburgh,Pa called The Mexican War Streets. It was laid out at the time of the Mexican American War and streets were named after some of the battles. ,like Resaca Place.

It’s bizarre how nebulous American history classes are. It’s a whole argument that we only discuss American wars and don’t have time for wars anywhere else, but then we only discuss a few wars making Americans uniquely unknowledgeable in our own history. Ask the vast majority of people in the US about the Spanish American war, the Mexican American war, the Seminole wars, the boxer rebellion, or really any war with a native group before Sitting Bull and you will get blank stares

Great historical narrative of Mexican American war! I would have enjoyed a rolling map showing battle sites and change in territory of topography

Great video. I live in sunny Scottsdale Arizona, named after Winfield Scott.

Thanks for the history lesson today.. I really appreciate what your doing.

Love the new channel! I'd be tickled pink if you could cover the war of 1812! If you're open to suggestions that is 😁 Thanks for the awesome content!

As a native Utahn I already knew much about this war, including the story of the Mormon Battalion. Mormon pioneers settled Salt Lake valley in July 1847, in the middle of the war

Incredible presentation. Gracias, From Mexico

A most excellent discourse, sir!! Most informative, and entertaining!! Godspeed ❤😊

Grew up 80/90s. Knew almost nothing of this war. Thanks for the video Simon.

Winfield Scott is the greatest American general of all time. Both as a commander in chief and as a field commander.

You are one of my FAVOURITE youtube historians - top three for sure (along with mark felton and Ian McCollum)

You just made every South Texan's eye twitch with your pronunciation of ,"Nueces."

Am loving this new channel. Very informative and interesting videos. Excellent job Simon and team!

I highly recommend Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian which specifically addresses this period.

i remember that this war was barely taught in school (in the US). we spent maybe one class on it. but it was so monumental for the development of the US (and Mexico too).

It is so weird to see that painting of a building I drive by on a regular basis in one of these videos.

Vaquero is the Mexican term for cowboy not for irregular combatants. Not to say ranchers and cowboys didn’t act as militia but that just ain’t what the word means.

To the video editor on this one.... 👍Good job!!! That thumbs up from Napoleon, almost made me spew coffee out of my nose 👃

There's is a mistake regarding the battle of Buenavista. The American forces never "hold their positions" because they were the attackers charging uphill and the Mexican army the ones holding their mountain positions fairly successfully. Was Santa Anna's stupid decision to withdraw at night what decided the battle outcome

This is the first I have heard of the Saint Patrick's Battalion.

It takes a special kind of arrogance for a Brit to bang on the USA for empire building.

Wait you have another channel?! My Whistler collection continues to grow.

Loving how this channel covers the full scope and reason of conflict more like the other graphics channels. Goddamn Simon. I love 😘 u.

Mexico never included Louisiana, The Louisiana purchase took place in 1803, Mexican independence in 1820. New Spain might have once included Louisiana but never Mexico.

Southern politicians were especially fearful of British influence in Mexico because they feared losing a war with Great-Britian would end slavery (since the British were active anti-slavery advocates) So one of the reasons for the South to support the war was to protect (and expand) slavery

I really appreciate how this video really captures the essence of the conflict. It was one of the first instances of American exceptionalism picking on the little guy and calling itself king. Implementing shady anti-sentiment tactics that persist to this day. I would have liked to see other details about Mexico's struggles leading up to the war. Yes chaos, fragmentation, revolt, and desertion resulting from Santa Anna's centralist policies played a part, but this era is known by many Mexicans as the war on three fronts because of the war against the Americans, the war against itself, and the continued interventions of Spain and France. Spain continued to antagonize from it's stronghold in Cuba while France staged the first invasion with the pastry war while this conflict persisted. You don't want to take anything away from Scott's military genius. But it's not hard to march on a broken nation that is also fighting off other major European powers and insurrection at the time of these events. Since gaining independence mexico has been fighting unable to mend itself. First against the Spanish, then the French, then the Americans, then the French again, the Spanish again, and finally the revolution. It's nice to see someone shedding light on a nation that did not stop fighting despite the notion that we are weak and give up easily.

Zachary Taylor was a truly interesting man. I hope you do a Biographics video on him someday. Also, recommendations: Teutoburg ✔ Winter War ✔ Paraguayan War ✔ War of Spanish Succession Naseby

CLARIFICATION. Re: 23:02 "The war marked the first time the US (SUCCESSFULLY) expanded not with treaties or purchases but an imperialist war." (CAPS- mine). In the War of 1812, the US thought it would be "a matter of marching" to take the colonies of Upper & Lower Canada (now Ontario & Quebec) away from Britain. In a manner similar to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Americans thought they would be welcomed by the Canadians as liberators. Not at all. Not at the Battle of Queenston Heights, not at the Battle of Kiev. It was a close thing and Canada would not have survived except for the solid British regulars, the Redcoats, the Canadian militia units and, vitally, Canada's native allies. Why did the native people fight WITH Canada? Because they saw how the USA treated its own native peoples, dishonoring treaties, and definitely preferred the British crown, and respected treaties. To draw more parallels with current events, this is the same reason that Crimean Tatars are fighting on the side of Ukraine right now: Russia has always treated them like garbage, deported and killed hundreds of thousands, 'filtered' the rest. The Tatars know who THEY want to rule Crimea: if it's not them, let it be Ukraine. Same with the native Canadians in 1812.

Great video. so important to shed some light on this seemingly near forgotten chapter in history. As an American, I do believe it was so brushed over in history classes because you can’t hide the imperialistic motive. The revolution or the war to end slavery is so much more gratifying to discuss.