A Wicked War Summary

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Rachel Carpenter Gregory R. Jones Wild Wild West 28 March 2024 A Character-Centered Analysis of “A Wicked War” Most texts describing the Mexican-American War do this by analyzing the diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Mexico and the military strategies, campaigns, and battles of the conflict. Amy S. Greenberg, on the other hand, offers a unique perspective in her book “A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico.” Rather than focusing solely on the high-level political and military aspects, Greenberg examines the motivations, decisions, and consequences of this war by following five key figures. Through this character-centered approach, Greenberg “contends that the war was actively contested from …show more content…

Greenberg goes on to describe how Polk’s motivations for war with Mexico were deeply intertwined with his belief in Manifest Destiny. This means that he viewed westward expansion not only as politically advantageous but also as morally right (36). This understanding of Manifest Destiny is new to me. I had often heard of this term described more as the belief that America was destined by Providence to expand its territory across the North American continent. In other words, this expansion is seen as a divine blessing. However, Greenberg provided me with a new interpretation of Manifest Destiny. It was a calling or obligation. It was necessary for Americans to actively pursue westward expansion to fulfill what they saw as their God-given mission. Because of this, Polk believed that annexing Texas would be the first step to achieving a United States that stretched from coast to coast. Greenberg also discusses how Polk was a slave owner himself. She suggests that Polk’s support for gaining territory from Mexico might have been driven, at least in part, by his desire to expand the institution of …show more content…

For example, she mentions how Lincoln “married up” with Mary Todd Lincoln (50). Mary would help Lincoln with his appearance by encouraging him to dress more appropriately for formal occasions. She would select his wardrobe to ensure that he presented himself with a “certain level of polish and decorum” (50). Although Lincoln was a Whig, he disliked the use of Manifest Destiny. To Lincoln, America’s westward expansion would be “due to the superiority of its social and economic systems” (51). He would eventually get a congressional seat for the Wigs and focus on the US’s economic growth (51). In conclusion, Amy S. Greenberg’s character-centered analysis in “A Wicked War” is an insightful perspective on the Mexican-American War as it separates from traditional narratives. Through her exploration of key figures such as Henry Clay, James K. Polk, and Abraham Lincoln, Greenberg delves into their motivations, and personal lives, offering readers a deeper understanding of the humanity during this time in American history. By examining the politics, ideologies, and personal convictions, Greenberg reveals the many forces that drove American westward expansion and the Mexican-American

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