Mexicans at Arms

The decades that followed independence from Spain in 1821 transformed Mexico from a strong, stable colony to a republic suffering from economic decline and political turmoil. This chaotic state hindered efforts of the young republic to meet the aggressive expansionism of the United States between 1845 and 1848.

Santoni sheds new light on Mexican domestic history during the conflict—a much neglected subject—through a comprehensive examination of the only Mexican political bloc that wanted war...