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Documentary, The Mexican American War of 1846-1848
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00:26Americans begin to see their country as eventually spanning the continent.
00:29This belief came to be known as Manifest Destiny.
00:33It was powered by patriotism, pride, and economic opportunity.
00:38Also by, of course, insecurity and greed.
00:41The United States now faced two difficult strategic questions, however.
00:45Oregon and Texas.
00:47Underneath these was the increasingly...
00:50...difficult and contentious sectional issue of slavery.
00:54Already in the 1840s, there were mutterings about secession of some...
00:59...the United States to protect a way of life.
01:01In the Oregon Territory, America...
01:04...the American settlers wanted the security of living under American laws...
01:07...and the safety of becoming...
01:09...is part of the United States.
01:11But Britain, as the co-administrator of the territory...
01:14...insisted on its rights.
01:16As for Texas, which had gained its independence from Mexico...
01:19...in 1836, it would be a slave state if it entered the...
01:24...union.
01:25President James Polk, a former Tennessee congressman and governor...
01:29...took office in 1845 with a clear expansionist agenda.
01:33Despite...
01:34...that some in his party who wanted to claim the territory from Oregon...
01:37...all the way to Alaska, Polk worked...
01:39...at least a compromise agreement with Britain along the 49th parallel.
01:44It gave Britain Vancouver Island...
01:47...while bringing most of Oregon...
01:49...to the sole control of the United States.
01:51And it enabled Polk to skirt...
01:54...a problematic conflict with Britain.
01:57But our stories...
01:59...to the South and West.
02:00Everyone understood that...
02:02...annexation of Texas would bring war...
02:04...with Mexico.
02:05There was already a running border war...
02:08...consisting of...
02:09...exican raids and Texan counter-strikes.
02:11The strategic problem Polk faced was...
02:14...how to achieve annexation with the least force possible.
02:17And while he was at...
02:19...the strategic...
02:20...polk figured...
02:21...he might as well...
02:22...angle to take California...
02:23...and the lands...
02:24...in-between known as New Mexico.
02:26At the time...
02:27...Major General Winfield Scott was...
02:29...America's greatest serving military hero.
02:32Born in June 1786...
02:34...Scott fought against the British...
02:36...as a young officer in the War of 1812.
02:38Then...
02:39...Oversaw a campaign...
02:40...to remove Cherokee Indians...
02:41...east of the Mississippi.
02:42He had a lot of political...
02:44...cloud in Washington...
02:45...and across the country.
02:46And...
02:47...he was...
02:48...angling for the...
02:49...presidency...
02:50...as a member of the Whig Party.
02:52In July 18...
02:54...1945...
02:55...President...
02:56...Polk...
02:57...ordered a small American force...
02:58...to the Texas...
02:59...border...
03:00...under the command of...
03:01...Brevet Brigadier General...
03:02...Zachary Taylor.
03:04It was a fateful move...
03:06...that changed the course...
03:07...of American history.
03:09Taylor, like Winfield Scott...
03:11...had fought in every conflict...
03:12...of his generation.
03:14He was what we used to call...
03:15...Muddy Boots...
03:16...a troop-oriented warrior.
03:18His nickname was...
03:19...old, rough, and ready.
03:20But he was essentially...
03:21...a plantation owner...
03:22...who'd taken a...
03:23...go...
03:24...great deal of time...
03:25...off from the military...
03:26...to tend to his...
03:27...several plantations.
03:29He wasn't a Washington guy.
03:32By the end of July 1845...
03:34...Taylor's advanced party...
03:35...had reached...
03:36...Corpus Christi, Texas.
03:37It took another month...
03:39...for the remainder of the force...
03:40...to close up.
03:41And his diplomacy...
03:42...with Mexico ground...
03:44...forward.
03:45There they sat...
03:46...through the autumn...
03:47...and into the winter...
03:48...of 1845.
03:49...46.
03:50American negotiator...
03:52...John Slidell...
03:53...had been...
03:54...authorized to...
03:55...pay Mexico...
03:56...for the territories...
03:57...beyond Texas.
03:58Five million...
03:59...for New Mexico...
04:00...20 million to include...
04:01...San Francisco Bay...
04:02...25 million...
04:03...to include...
04:04...Monterey...
04:05...and the rest of...
04:06...California.
04:07But by the beginning...
04:08...of 1846...
04:09...Slidell's mission...
04:10...to Mexico...
04:11...had failed.
04:12President...
04:13...Pol...
04:14...Pol...
04:15...now ordered...
04:16...Taylor's...
04:17...observation force...
04:18...up...
04:19...the Rio Grande.
04:19...beyond...
04:20...the Nueces River...
04:21...and...
04:22...authorized...
04:23...offensive operations...
04:24...if he were to be...
04:25...attacked.
04:26Of course...
04:27...this was the...
04:28...mid-19th century...
04:29...the...
04:29...president's letter...
04:30...took weeks to arrive...
04:31...and...
04:32...three weeks passed...
04:33...before Taylor's...
04:34...35...
04:34...100 troops...
04:35...and...
04:36...307...
04:37...ox carts...
04:38...and mule wagons...
04:39...reached...
04:40...up the Rio Grande...
04:41...opposite...
04:42...Matamoros, Mexico...
04:43...where...
04:44...on the other side...
04:45...of the river...
04:46...about 6,000...
04:47...Mexican soldiers...
04:48...awaited...
04:49...now...
04:49...begin a period...
04:50...of uncertainty...
04:51...no hostilities...
04:52...had been declared...
04:54...Taylor could not attack...
04:56...and the Mexicans...
04:57...looked friendly...
04:58...the Mexicans...
04:59...even employed...
05:00...what...
05:01...we would today...
05:02...call a...
05:03...psyops plan...
05:04...psychological...
05:04...operations...
05:05...promising land...
05:06...for American...
05:07...deserters...
05:08...U.S.
05:09...groups...
05:10...some of whom...
05:11...have been deployed...
05:12...for nine months...
05:13...or more...
05:14...actually...
05:15...begin to...
05:14...desert...
05:15...by ones...
05:16...and twos...
05:17...and usually...
05:18...at night...
05:19...over a period...
05:19...perhaps...
05:20...200...
05:21...of Taylor's men...
05:22...quit...
05:23...and by mid-April...
05:24...the Mexicans...
05:24...were...
05:25...threatening war...
05:26...if the general...
05:27...didn't withdraw...
05:29...on the 25th of April...
05:32...1846...
05:33...the Mexicans...
05:34...
05:34...dispatched...
05:35...1600...
05:36...caval...
05:37...across...
05:38...the Rio Grande...
05:39...upstream...
05:39...Taylor sent a small force...
05:41...to investigate...
05:42...when he heard about it...
05:43...but that force...
05:44...was...
05:44...ambushed...
05:45...there were...
05:46...casualties...
05:47...and on May 13th...
05:48...1846...
05:49...Congress...
05:50...when he heard...
05:51...the news...
05:52...declared...
05:53...war...
05:54...Taylor...
05:55...realized...
05:56...his forward troops...
05:57...lacked...
05:58...adequate supplies...
05:59...and that his...
05:59...ear base...
06:00...was vulnerable...
06:01...so he left a regiment...
06:02...to defend the fortifications...
06:03...he'd built...
06:04...near...
06:04...foros...
06:05...and he moved...
06:06...the rest of the force...
06:07...to the rear...
06:08...to pick up the supplies...
06:09...the Mexican command...
06:09...general Mariano...
06:10...Arista...
06:11...had good intelligence...
06:12...and he moved...
06:13...to surround him...
06:14...and cut off Taylor...
06:15...but he was too slow...
06:16...so instead of...
06:17...trapping...
06:18...Taylor...
06:19...Arista fell back...
06:20...on his plan B...
06:21...which was to lure...
06:22...Taylor...
06:23...into a fight...
06:24...when he came back...
06:25...up the Rio Grande...
06:26...now...
06:27...in war...
06:28...there are two kinds...
06:29...of plans...
06:30...those that might work...
06:32...and those that...
06:33...won't work...
06:34...so you want to...
06:35...pick a plan...
06:36...that might work...
06:37...and then...
06:38...make it work...
06:39...unf...
06:39...unfortunately...
06:40...Arista...
06:41...couldn't do it...
06:42...he arrayed his forces...
06:43...a mile wide...
06:44...in double ranks...
06:45...across the road...
06:46...to Matamoros...
06:48...he was...
06:49...anchored by a swamp...
06:50...on one side...
06:51...and by a wooded knoll...
06:52...on the other...
06:53...and when...
06:54...Taylor's men...
06:55...closed up...
06:56...he outnumbered them...
06:57...three to one...
06:59...they were about...
07:00...700 yards apart...
07:01...but...
07:02...here was mistake...
07:03...number one...
07:04...Arista...
07:05...didn't understand...
07:06...the superiority...
07:07...of the American artillery...
07:08...which was...
07:09...much more capable...
07:10...and maneuverable...
07:11...than...
07:12...Mexican artillery...
07:13...so when...
07:14...opened up...
07:15...and...
07:16...cannon balls...
07:17...went lumbering...
07:18...across the ground...
07:19...the American artillery...
07:20...answered with...
07:21...devastating shot...
07:22...and explosive shells...
07:23...and...
07:24...the Mexicans...
07:25...begin to fall...
07:26...mistake number two...
07:27...Arista realized...
07:28...he could...
07:29...couldn't just stand there...
07:30...and slug it out...
07:31...so he...
07:32...tried cavalry assaults...
07:33...against Taylor's...
07:34...forces...
07:34...but by the standards...
07:36...of the day...
07:37...Taylor's men...
07:38...were extremely...
07:39...well trained...
07:39...they were...
07:40...regular army...
07:41...we'd learned the lessons...
07:42...from 1812...
07:43...they formed a square...
07:44...they engaged the enemy...
07:46...and in a...
07:47...in a fight of...
07:48...well-disciplined troops...
07:49...with bayonets...
07:50...firing at horsemen...
07:51...the cavalry...
07:52...almost...
07:53...always lose...
07:54...Arista tried again...
07:56...on the other flank...
07:57...same result...
07:58...meanwhile...
07:59...the...
07:59...artillery...
08:00...by the Americans...
08:01...continued to chip away...
08:02...one round...
08:03...per gun...
08:04...per minute...
08:04...Arista's force...
08:05...had to fall back...
08:06...they moved...
08:07...six miles...
08:08...back...
08:09...they set up...
08:09...by the fence...
08:10...across...
08:11...a dry lake bed...
08:12...at a former...
08:13...bend in the river...
08:14...reached...
08:14...his men...
08:15...forward and rear...
08:16...blocking the road...
08:17...and here...
08:18...the chaparral...
08:19...was even thicker...
08:19...and higher...
08:20...than the day before...
08:21...so...
08:22...mistake number three...
08:23...Arista wasn't...
08:24...positioned...
08:25...to see the battle...
08:26...and by the time...
08:27...he realized...
08:28...what was happening...
08:29...he'd already lost...
08:30...the key terrain...
08:32...Taylor arrived...
08:33...with the American lead...
08:34...once...
08:35...he read the battlefield...
08:36...instantly...
08:37...better than...
08:38...Narista had...
08:39...he saw...
08:40...that the chaparral...
08:39...blocked...
08:40...flank...
08:41...actions...
08:42...and that the road...
08:43...itself...
08:44...was the key terrain...
08:44...and that if he moved...
08:45...quickly enough...
08:46...most of the Mexican...
08:47...force would be...
08:48...out on the...
08:49...the flanks...
08:50...completely irrelevant...
08:51...so...
08:52...Taylor ordered...
08:53...the 8th Infantry Regiment...
08:54...commanded by Lieutenant Colonel...
08:55...William Belknap...
08:56...to assault...
08:57...on foot...
08:58...right...
08:59...up the road...
09:00...into the guns...
09:01...this was the battle...
09:02...of Risaca de la Palma...
09:03...on...
09:04...May 9th...
09:05...1846...
09:06...a junior...
09:08...officer...
09:09...general...
09:10...and president...
09:11...named Ulysses S. Grant...
09:12...was on hand...
09:13...as a lieutenant...
09:14...fresh from West Point...
09:15...the Americans...
09:16...attacked...
09:17...and the entire...
09:18...Mexican line collapsed...
09:19...it was a rout...
09:20...the remnants of...
09:21...General Arista's force...
09:22...fled back across...
09:23...the...
09:24...Rio Grande...
09:25...hundreds of his men...
09:26...drowned...
09:27...four days later...
09:28...Congress...
09:29...in the past...
09:30...legislation...
09:31...authorizing...
09:32...50,000...
09:33...volunteers...
09:34...to serve up to...
09:34...months...
09:35...or until the end...
09:36...of the war...
09:37...General Winfield Scott...
09:38...is the Army's...
09:39...command...
09:39...the commander...
09:40...was now ordered...
09:41...to move out...
09:42...to head to mission...
09:43...General Scott...
09:44...smell trouble...
09:44...for himself...
09:45...President Polk...
09:46...saw him...
09:47...as a rival...
09:48...he...
09:49...and...
09:50...the general fear...
09:51...that if he went to the field...
09:52...he had no one...
09:53...to protect his backside...
09:54...in Washington...
09:55...meanwhile...
09:56...Polk sensed...
09:57...that Scott...
09:58...wanted to hang...
09:59...around the Capitol...
10:00...so...
10:01...he ordered...
10:02...his Secretary of War...
10:03...to get Scott moving...
10:04...or replace him...
10:06...now...
10:07...here's where generals...
10:08...can get in trouble...
10:09...Scott saw the political...
10:10...perils of his job...
10:11...but he dealt with them...
10:12...the wrong way...
10:13...he wrote a...
10:14...to his boss...
10:15...against the deployment...
10:16...giving Polk...
10:17...the opportunity...
10:18...to replace him...
10:19...with Taylor...
10:19...then Scott begged...
10:21...not to be replaced...
10:22...all of which...
10:23...hurt his prestige...
10:24...if you're going to be...
10:25...a Washington warrior type...
10:26...you need to know...
10:27...how the system works...
10:29...Scott would have been...
10:30...much better served...
10:31...by asking a friend...
10:32...in Congress...
10:33...to raise concerns...
10:34...rather than doing so...
10:34...himself...
10:35...in the end...
10:36...the victory was Taylor's...
10:38...and he...
10:39...was promoted...
10:40...to two stars...
10:41...Scott kept his position...
10:42...in Washington...
10:43...with...
10:44...diminished prestige...
10:46...by August 1846...
10:48...Taylor was on the move...
10:49...again...
10:50...he got as far...
10:51...upstream as...
10:52...Camargo, Mexico...
10:53...in eastern...
10:54...Chihuahua...
10:54...State...
10:55...but here is...
10:56...logistics failed...
10:57...poorly sighted...
10:58...encampments...
10:59...lack of...
10:59...potable water...
11:00...field sanitation...
11:01...issues...
11:02...out of a force...
11:03...of 11,000 men...
11:04...he lost...
11:04...1,500...
11:05...to sickness and disease...
11:06...in just...
11:07...eight...
11:08...weeks...
11:09...but by early...
11:10...September...
11:11...Taylor and about...
11:12...7,000 of his men...
11:13...were en route...
11:14...to their...
11:14...next objective...
11:15...in northern...
11:16...Mexico...
11:17...the city of...
11:18...Monterey...
11:19...Mexicons...
11:20...under...
11:21...General Pedro de Amprudilla...
11:22...said a defense...
11:23...spread...
11:24...300...
11:24...160 degrees...
11:25...with 10,000 men...
11:26...anchored by...
11:27...mountains...
11:28...and an...
11:29...imposed...
11:29...forcing fortress...
11:30...north of the city...
11:31...but Taylor...
11:32...already had...
11:33...the rudiments...
11:34...of a plan...
11:34...which was to bypass...
11:35...the fortress...
11:36...and the town...
11:37...seize the high ground...
11:38...on the road to the west...
11:39...to the city of...
11:40...Saltillo...
11:41...and...
11:42...that would enable him...
11:43...to cut off...
11:44...the Mexicans...
11:44...reforcements...
11:45...and then take the town...
11:46...down...
11:47...at leisure...
11:48...Taylor...
11:49...Brigadier General...
11:50...William Worth...
11:51...to lead the flanking maneuver...
11:52...moving out on the morning...
11:54...of September 21st...
11:55...1846...
11:56...with about 2,000 men...
11:58...worth...
11:59...a tough...
12:00...short engagement...
12:01...with the Mexicans...
12:02...cavalry...
12:03...but...
12:04...be succeeded...
12:05...in taking the...
12:06...Saltillo road...
12:07...meanwell...
12:08...the main body...
12:09...of Taylor's force...
12:10...prepared to execute...
12:11...a diversionary effort...
12:12...attacking a fortified...
12:13...leather factory...
12:14...on the town's...
12:15...eastern edge...
12:16...these troops...
12:17...came under fire...
12:18...at a cost of...
12:19...$25...
12:19...men killed...
12:20...and 75 wounded...
12:21...the rest of the army...
12:22...tried entering the city...
12:23...but was beaten back...
12:24...a confused order...
12:26...had turned a diversion...
12:27...into a main attack...
12:29...with little to show for it...
12:32...meanwell...
12:33...General Wirth's men...
12:34...wound their way back...
12:35...from the...
12:36...Saltillo road...
12:37...they seized...
12:38...two hilltops...
12:39...including an assault...
12:40...400 feet up...
12:41...through rough brush...
12:42...under fire...
12:43...to take a sight...
12:44...called Federation Hill...
12:45...and from there...
12:46...in darkness...
12:47...and rain...
12:48...they assaulted up...
12:49...independence Hill...
12:50...at the summit...
12:51...they struggled...
12:52...to get a cannon up...
12:53...they...
12:54...blew in the main door...
12:55...of the Bishop's Palace...
12:56...and took out a garrison...
12:57...with raking fire...
12:59...Werth's division...
13:01...begin to enter the city...
13:02...on September 23rd...
13:04...simultaneously at last...
13:06...troops advanced...
13:07...from the leather factory...
13:08...the tailors...
13:09...the men had seized...
13:10...during the botched...
13:11...diversionary action...
13:12...two days earlier...
13:13...for the American...
13:14...it was a house-by-house...
13:15...fight...
13:16...smashing through walls...
13:17...taking back...
13:18...some of the ground...
13:19...taylor's main force...
13:20...had lost...
13:21...a couple of days before...
13:22...artillery...
13:23...and mortar...
13:24...fire rained down...
13:26...a Mexican general...
13:27...Ampudilla...
13:28...negotiated...
13:29...a surrender...
13:30...which was concluded...
13:31...during the early morning hours...
13:32...of September 25th...
13:34...the Mexicans got to keep...
13:35...six tubes of artillery...
13:36...and their cavalry horses...
13:38...the American...
13:39...the Americans got...
13:40...the town...
13:41...and the fort...
13:42...but when word reached...
13:43...Washington...
13:44...on October 11th...
13:45...1846...
13:46...President Polk...
13:47...was livid...
13:49...Taylor...
13:50...the field commander...
13:51...hadn't seen the big picture...
13:53...and if you're the commander...
13:54...you have to see the big picture...
13:56...you have to understand...
13:57...your boss's intent...
13:59...and actually we teach it...
14:01...understand intent...
14:02...two levels higher...
14:03...that...
14:04...that meant...
14:05...Taylor had to understand...
14:06...why he was fighting...
14:07...and what was Polk's vision...
14:09...in order to compel...
14:11...the Mexican government...
14:12...to surrender...
14:13...and that was...
14:14...Polk...
14:14...intent...
14:15...Taylor...
14:16...needed to have destroyed...
14:17...the Mexican army...
14:18...instead...
14:19...he let it march away...
14:20...to fight another day...
14:22...now...
14:23...it's hard to fault...
14:24...his own force...
14:26...was smaller than that...
14:27...of the Mexicans...
14:28...and he was bleeding...
14:29...battered...
14:30...and at the end...
14:31...of a long supply line...
14:32...a determined enemy...
14:33...might have...
14:34...finished off...
14:35...Taylor...
14:36...Taylor saw...
14:37...a culminating point...
14:38...in the campaign...
14:39...he took...
14:40...what I think...
14:41...was a wise move...
14:42...but it didn't sit well...
14:43...in Washington...
14:44...in Washington...
14:46...it was now clear...
14:47...that operations...
14:48...in northern Mexico...
14:49...were unlikely...
14:50...to force...
14:51...the country's...
14:52...capitulation...
14:53...after consultation...
14:54...Polk decided...
14:55...it was necessary...
14:56...to seize...
14:57...the southern port...
14:58...of Vera Cruz...
14:59...and carry the fight...
14:59...all the way...
15:00...to Mexico City...
15:01...and...
15:02...despite the earlier...
15:03...problem...
15:04...Polk...
15:05...picked...
15:06...General...
15:07...Winfield Scott...
15:08...to take command...
15:09...Scott did see...
15:11...the big picture...
15:12...he was...
15:13...the...
15:14...perfect...
15:15...choice...
15:16...for strategic...
15:17...and operational...
15:18...command...
15:19...meanwhile...
15:19...Baylor was furious...
15:20...when he received...
15:21...a letter from Washington...
15:22...telling him to...
15:23...cancel a truce...
15:24...he didn't...
15:24negotiated with the Mexicans. By early January 1847, there was confusion.
15:29In the American military leadership. Scott wanted Taylor's forces.
15:34Taylor wanted his own forces because he was in enemy territory and needed to put up a good defense.
15:39Taylor decided to move his command further into Mexico to Saltillo.
15:44The capital of northeastern Coahuila state.
15:49In Mexico City, a new leader had taken over, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana.
15:54Of whom it has been said he fought on both sides of every issue.
15:59Only recently, President Polk had arranged for the exiled Santa Ana to be returned.
16:04To Mexico to work toward peace. Instead, Santa Ana pushed north.
16:09To seek battle. Losing perhaps one quarter of his 20,000 men along the way.
16:14To cold, heat, and fatigue.
16:16Taylor's forces occupied defensive terrain.
16:19In the south of Saltillo.
16:20In a 40-foot wide pass, flanked by a bluff on one side.
16:24And a river with steep ridge lines.
16:27Santa Ana had an excellent plan.
16:29He would have appeared to advance right up the central road into Saltillo.
16:32But his main attack.
16:34Would come across a steep slope overlooking the road.
16:37Santa Ana gave Taylor.
16:39For an option to surrender first.
16:42With safe passage home.
16:44But Taylor politely refused.
16:47The battle began at mid-Africa.
16:49Good afternoon.
16:50On February 22nd, 1847.
16:52Santa Ana opened with a death.
16:54Diversionary maneuver up the pass.
16:56Taylor moved in cavalry and infantry to block the...
16:59the action.
17:00An indecisive battle ended with darkness.
17:01The next day, the Mexican army called the slurs to the
17:04consounded an early reveille. They attacked both up the road into the pass and on the
17:09upper plateau or the escarpment. Taylor's Indiana Infantry
17:14gave way and broke along with two cavalry regiments. The Mexican advance
17:19continued despite strong flanking fire from the Americans and the Mexican cavalry.
17:24Galloped toward nearby Rancho Buena Vista. When Taylor showed up at a
17:29ground 9 a.m., his commanding officer on the ground, General John Wool, told him,
17:33General,
17:34we are whipped. Taylor replied, that's for me to determine.
17:39Taylor and Wool send in infantry reinforcements, including the Mississippi Regiment commanding
17:44by Colonel Jefferson Davis, and they dispatched American cavalry to run down the Mexican
17:49In turn, Santa Ana committed his reserve in an unorthodox manner.
17:54To the far left ridgeline, which he knew was undefended. But he'd have to ascend that ridge.
17:59He's lying four miles in front of the pass, and his maneuver was observed.
18:04Taylor sent infantry, artillery, and cavalry to cut down the Mexicans at close range and attack the
18:09survivors.
18:09Even if they had to do so with their knives. It was a desperate fight.
18:14Meanwhile, the Americans on the upper plateau saw the enemy falling back.
18:20One U.S. regiment, consisting of a few hundred soldiers, counterattacked.
18:24Two more U.S. regiments moved forward to assist, but it was a losing game.
18:29Against superior force. The Mexicans held, the American infantry had to
18:34give way, and they fled toward the pass. The American artillery, though,
18:39now had clear fields of fire, and it tore the advancing Mexicans to peace.
18:44With rapid fire, and grape, and musket balls at close range.
18:49Taylor owned the battlefield. Santa Ana had lost.
18:54As a young officer, I had the privilege of having a personal dinner with Israeli
18:59Prime Minister and former General Yitzhak Rabin. I asked him,
19:04what was the most important lesson that he had learned that he could give me as a young officer?
19:09He cited his experience in Jerusalem during the Arab-Israeli War of 1940.
19:14Twice, he said, the regular army forces of Jordan, the
19:19famed British-trained Arab-Legion, attacked his position. Twice, they were put
19:24back. After the second attack, Rabin's battalion commanders begged him to
19:29withdraw. They said, we're out of ammunition. We'll be overrun in the next assault.
19:34We're down to two or three rounds per man. Rabin said, no. We hold
19:39no matter what. On the other side of the battle, the Arab-Legion
19:44was also in dire straits. Its commanders begged the commander of the
19:49legion, please, no more assaults. We're almost out of ammunition. We
19:54got wounded men. We're exhausted. The Arab-Legion did not...
19:59attack again. Rabin's unit held the area, winning a critical...
20:04battle. Persistence, he told me, that's what wins. And that is...
20:09indeed what won at the Battle of Buena Vista. Persistence.
20:14America had a new military hero in Zachary Taylor.
20:19Several hundred miles to the southeast, Major General Winfield Scott
20:23made the final...
20:24push to compel the Mexican nation and its government to capitulate.
20:29On March 9th, 1847, the Americans landed at Tampico.
20:34in southeastern Tamaulipas state. And they marched inland through the
20:39soft sands and brush to occupy the landward side of the fortifications at Veracruz.
20:44The Americans dragged their heavy guns forward through the sand.
20:47They emplaced them facing the sea.
20:49Army mortars were slow to arrive, so the U.S. Navy dismounted its own cannon.
20:54And crewed by their own sailors, they moved ashore to help.
20:59Scott...
20:59Scott issued an ultimatum to the Mexican commander, General Juan Morales, to surrender
21:04Morales answered defiantly, and Scott began the bombardment of the city.
21:09The Americans were able to keep four to six shells in the air continuously
21:13and pummel the sea.
21:14By the evening of March 25th, Morales had resolved...
21:19The Americans were inclined to the inevitable, and the Mexicans were asking for terms.
21:24Two days later, it was over.
21:28Scott established...
21:29With martial law in Veracruz, he moved north toward Mexico City, climbing from sea level to...
21:34above 7,000 feet.
21:36This was the march of a professional army...
21:39He was swelled by volunteers, but stiffened by the regular infantry and cavalry regiments.
21:44And...
21:44Led by officers who were trained and disciplined...
21:47They could march...
21:48Maintain...
21:49Maintain...
21:50Field...
21:51Sanitation...
21:52Handle their weapons...
21:53Manage their logistics...
21:54Decisions were made...
21:54Made based on reconnaissance and study and analysis.
21:58The officers shared...
21:59values...
22:00And for the most part...
22:01Mutual respect...
22:02They possessed...
22:03All the functions...
22:04Of...
22:04Modern command...
22:05They did reconnaissance...
22:06Collected intelligence...
22:07They could maneuver...
22:08Had artillery...
22:09Car support...
22:10They were concerned about mobility...
22:11They knew how to block the enemy...
22:13They had logistics...
22:14They worried about...
22:15And worked their command and control...
22:17They even knew how to manage...
22:19The civilian population...
22:20They had everything today...
22:21We see in operating systems...
22:22In our armed forces...
22:24Except for...
22:25For air defense...
22:26And...
22:27And...
22:28Cyber...
22:29If you want to consider it that...
22:29Scott proved himself...
22:30A strong...
22:31Analytical...
22:32And agile...
22:33Commander...
22:34He was the most experienced...
22:35And capable general in the army...
22:37And...
22:38It showed...
22:39General Santa Ana...
22:40Back from...
22:41Buena Vista...
22:42Assembled a new force...
22:4312,000...
22:4418,000...
22:45Men...
22:46With 43 pieces of artillery...
22:47He set the defense...
22:48At...
22:49The first line of hills...
22:50Inland...
22:51From...
22:52Veracruz...
22:53The American force...
22:54Moved up...
22:54National Highway...
22:55Enclosed to within...
22:56Four miles...
22:57Of the Mexicans...
22:58At a...
22:5915,000 foot tall...
23:00Hill...
23:01Called Cerro Gordo...
23:04Scott's lead brigade...
23:05Stumbled into a Mexican...
23:06Covering force...
23:07And was repulsed...
23:08After dark...
23:09But...
23:10Santa Ana...
23:11Misread the battlefield...
23:12Thinking he'd blocked...
23:13The main attack...
23:14Instead...
23:15The main attack...
23:16Came the next day...
23:17But...
23:18One of Scott's officers...
23:19Brigadier General...
23:20David Twiggs...
23:21Misread the terrain...
23:22He attacked straight up...
23:23Cerro Gordo...
23:24Porto Hill...
23:25Leaving only two...
23:26Regiments...
23:27To cut the main road...
23:28To the west...
23:29Leading to Mexico City...
23:29And that had been...
23:30Scott's intent...
23:31It became...
23:32A bitter fight...
23:33Up...
23:34To a Gordo...
23:35With bayonets...
23:36At close quarters...
23:37But...
23:38Now...
23:39The much larger...
23:40Mexican...
23:39Marine force...
23:40Panicked...
23:41And it was over...
23:42Santa Ana...
23:43Had lost again...
23:44Afterwards...
23:45Some 3,000...
23:46American troops...
23:47And volunteers...
23:48Whose year of service...
23:49Had expired...
23:50Were sent back...
23:51To Veracruz...
23:52For the voyage home...
23:54By early summer...
23:56The effective...
23:57American force...
23:58In Mexico...
23:59Under Scott's command...
24:00Was fewer...
24:01Than...
24:026,000...
24:03Men...
24:042,000...
24:05Additional...
24:06Wounded...
24:07And sick...
24:08Scott brought...
24:09The men together...
24:09At Pueblo...
24:10About...
24:1166 miles...
24:12Southeast...
24:13Of Mexico City...
24:14Across the...
24:14Pointless...
24:15Terrain...
24:16And he held there...
24:17By July...
24:181847...
24:19Scott...
24:19Receiving...
24:20Replacements...
24:21Several...
24:22Thousand...
24:23Every few...
24:24Weeks...
24:25Who...
24:26Had to...
24:27Fight...
24:28Their...
24:29Way...
24:30Up...
24:31To...
24:32To...
24:33To...
24:34To...
24:35To...
24:36To...
24:37To...
24:38To...
24:39To...
24:40To...
24:42To...
24:43To...
24:44To...
24:45To...
24:46To...
24:47To...
24:48To...
24:24To...
24:25To...
24:26To...
24:27To...
24:28To...
24:29To...
24:30To...
24:31To...
24:32To...
24:33To...
24:34To...
24:35To...
24:36To...
24:37To...
24:38To...
24:39To...
24:40To...
24:41To...
24:42To...
24:43To...
24:44To...
24:45To...
24:46To...
24:47To...
24:48To...
24:49To...
24:50To...
24:51To...
24:52To...
24:53To...
24:29from other parts of the country. By August, he had 25,000 to 30,000
24:34men assembled to defend Mexico City. Scott moved out to attack.
24:39on August 7, 1847. Extensive reconnaissance, seeking a better
24:44axis of attack was led by his force engineer, Captain Robert E. Lee.
24:49Scott decided to avoid the Mexicans heavily defended force.
24:54Instead, he ordered the force to circle south.
24:59around Lake Chalco in a 25-mile march down from the pass.
25:04All the while, his forces were clearly visible to Santa Ana.
25:09War is a contest of strengths and weaknesses.
25:14All sides make mistakes. In every army, there are failures.
25:19Santa Ana aimed to defend from two strong points whose flanks
25:22were anchored by a lake and a lava.
25:24But, he made a mistake. He failed to control
25:29a rival who worked for him, General Gabriel Valencia.
25:34who moved forward of the planned defensive line.
25:39Americans stumbled into Valencia's positions on August 19th.
25:43It touched off a tough
25:44fight with Mexican artillery on the high ground.
25:46Santa Ana failed to come forward.
25:49to assist Valencia. Valencia's defeat cleared a path to Santa Ana's men.
25:54who are now on retreat.
25:56Santa Ana, always seeing the big picture.
25:59bargained for a temporary truce while he strengthened his own defenses.
26:03On September...
26:04On September the 8th, Americans attacked again.
26:07The Mexicans fell back with heavy loss.
26:09All the way to the hilltop fortress of Chapultepec in Mexico City.
26:14General Winfield Scott decided to bombard the fortress castle with artillery
26:19before attacking the city itself.
26:21It began on September 12th.
26:24American assault then fought its way to the base of the Citadel.
26:29and using low-lung scaling ladders got over the walls.
26:32The Mexican lost...
26:34Another 1800 men in the defense.
26:36While the Americans counted more than 400 killed or...
26:39were wounded.
26:40Scott took the city.
26:42Polk negotiated peace with the government.
26:44of Mexico.
26:45Including payments for California and New Mexico.
26:49And by February 1848, the United States spanned the North...
26:54American continent.
26:55No American army had ever fought...
26:59like this before.
27:00Its leaders...
27:01had studied Napoleon, of course.
27:03And they...
27:04had drilled...
27:05and war-gamed.
27:06But the battles in and around Mexico City...
27:09much like Taylor's costly victory at Monterey the previous year...
27:14distinguished by disciplined, bold maneuvers.
27:17Trained and equipped in peacetime...
27:19reinforced by volunteers during war...
27:21the outcome demonstrated what a professional...
27:24army could accomplish.
27:26At home, the war had been controversial.
27:29Illinois Congressman Abraham Lincoln was one of many...
27:32who opposed the conflict.
27:34some officers who fought...
27:36had their doubts too.
27:37But as a case study of...
27:39expeditionary warfare...
27:40the Mexican campaign...
27:41is without equal in American history.
27:44among its best students, of course...
27:46were the future leaders...
27:47of the Union and Confederacy.
27:49the Confederate armies.
27:54Steve, just go out very slowly we've been studying...
27:55I don't know.
27:57We're still doing our own...
27:58We can tackle this...
27:59It's a number of perhaps years in Canada.
28:00But...
28:01we yet...
28:02to within Ahh Guidelines...
28:03we've got lucky...
28:04a Utahenz, who did the nhm Corporate on the portal...
28:05we read it...
28:06The name is the Chicago...
28:07which is a natural country...
28:08that alone...
28:09from the both sides from the Omega...
28:10by Florencia Everywhere...
28:11the main place.
28:12We's connecting arrows...
28:13we see...
28:14our antenna...
28:15was also connecting artists...
28:17by flying and myهم...
28:18that both sides of the Yun...
28:20had택 by flying and ry Citizens...
28:22that it was right to overcome...
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