VOA建国史话

[VOA

建国史话

] American History Series: Polk Sends

Troops to Border With Mexico

Welcome to THE MAKING OF A NATION

–

American history in VOA Special English.

In the middle of the eighteen forties, the United States offered to buy California

from Mexico. The government of Mexico refused to negotiate. American President

James Polk felt that the use of force was the only way to make Mexico negotiate. So,

in the spring of eighteen forty-six, he ordered American soldiers to the Rio Grande

River. The Rio Grande formed part of the border between the United States and

Mexico.

This week in our series, Larry West and Maurice Joyce tell about the conflict between

the United States and Mexico.

VOICE ONE:

General Zachary Taylor commanded the American force. He sent one of his officers

across the river to meet with Mexican officials. The Mexicans protested the

movement of the American troops to the Rio Grande. They said the area was

Mexican territory. The movement of American troops there, they said, was an act of

war.

For almost a month, the Americans and the Mexicans kept their positions. Then, on

April twenty-fifth, General Taylor received word that a large Mexican force had

crossed the border a few kilometers up the river. A small force of American soldiers

went to investigate. They were attacked. All were killed, wounded, or captured.

General Taylor quickly sent a message to President Polk in Washington. It said war

had begun.

VOICE TWO:

The message arrived at the White House on May ninth. A few days later, President

Polk asked Congress to recognize that war had started. He asked Congress to give

him everything he needed to win the war and bring peace to the area. A few

members of Congress did not want to declare war against Mexico. They believed the

United States was responsible for the situation along the Rio Grande. They were

out-voted. President Polk signed the war bill. Later, Polk wrote:

would, if possible, get California and other parts of Mexico.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Many Americans opposed what they called

and Abolitionists in the North believed that slave-owners and southerners in Polk's

administration had planned the war. They believed the South wanted to win

Mexican territory for the purpose of spreading and strengthening slavery.

President Polk was troubled by this opposition. But he did not think the war would

last long. He thought the United States could quickly force Mexico to sell him the

territory he wanted. Polk secretly sent a representative to former Mexican dictator

Santa Ana. Santa Ana was living in exile in Cuba. Polk's representative said the

United States wanted to buy California and some other Mexican territory. Santa Ana

said he would agree to the sale, if the United States would help him return to power.

VOICE TWO:

President Polk ordered the United States navy to let Santa Ana return to Mexico.

American ships that blocked the port of Vera Cruz permitted the Mexican dictator to

land there. Once Santa Ana returned, he failed to honor his promises to Polk. He

refused to end the war and sell California. Instead, Santa Ana organized an army to

fight the United States.

American General Zachary Taylor moved against the Mexicans. He crossed the Rio

Grande River. He marched toward Monterrey, the major trading and transportation

center of northeast Mexico. The battle for Monterrey lasted three days. The

Mexicans surrendered.

VOICE ONE:

Then General Taylor got orders to send most of his forces back to the coast. They

were to join other American forces for the invasion of Vera Cruz. While this was

happening, Santa Ana was moving his army north. In four months, he had built an

army of twenty thousand men. When General Taylor learned that Santa Ana was

preparing to attack, he left Vera Cruz. He moved his forces into a position to fight

Santa Ana.