Pulitzer Prize History Winner
The War with Mexico
by Justin H. Smith
Summary
Smith delivers a sweeping two volume account of the Mexican American War, drawing on archives in both countries to detail the campaigns, diplomacy, and politics behind the conflict of 1846 to 1848. His exhaustive research reshaped scholarly understanding of the war's causes and conduct, though his interpretation drew controversy for its sympathies. The study set a new standard for documentary thoroughness in American military history.
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Historical Context & Significance
Smith spent years researching in Mexican and American archives, and his work remained the standard scholarly account of the war for decades.