A Country of Vast Designs


James K. Polk, The Mexican War and the Conquest of the American Continent

By

Robert W. Merry



James K. Polk was a frail man of diminutive stature who avoided confrontation, however, he was also driven, possessed an all-consuming sense of duty, had comprehensive analytical skills, and was convinced he was a man of destiny. As our 11th president, he has, in many cases, not been remembered as a man of significance, but in reality, he truly was.



Under Mr. Polk’s watch, we achieved our westward expansion (later known as “Manifest Destiny”), a dream of many Americans. This was accomplished by completing the annexation of Texas, negotiations with the British over the Oregon Territory, and winning a war with Mexico. The States of Texas, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma became territories of the United States during Mr. Polk’s administration. This represents approximately 1/3 (approximately 1.3 million square miles) of today’s continental United States (approximately 3.6 million square miles). This also gave us major shorelines and ports on 2 oceans, which played major parts in the historical growth of The United States. It should also be added that before serving, Mr. Polk committed to serving just 1 term and lived up to that commitment. Less than 4 months after he left office, Mr. Polk succumbed to cholera.



Critics of Mr. Polk fault his entry into the Mexican War as contrived and not necessary. According to them, he was overreaching and aggressive in seizing lands from Mexico. It is interesting that they seem to have conveniently forgotten how we obtained our lands from the Indians in the first place.



In “A Country of Vast Designs”, Robert W. Merry provides an in depth view of the weaknesses and strengths of this president, his unlikely trip to the Whitehouse and the machinations involved in acquiring this territory. Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren, John Tyler, James Buchanan, John Calhoun, Thomas Hart Benton, Winfield Scott, Zachary Taylor, and Santa Anna all play key roles in “A Country of Vast Designs”.



From my own perspective, as someone who is a self professed “history nut”, I did not know anything about James K. Polk. He first came to my attention when I read “Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West” by Hampton Sides which is a history of Kit Carson. Carson was Mr. Polk’s main man in the West rounding up the Indians. During the reading of that book, I began to realize the impact of the Polk presidency. Coincidentally, Robert W. Merry published his book afterward and I knew I had to take a look at it. I’m glad I did.



Polk’s legacy is best summed up in the words of Harry Truman “a great president. Said what he intended to do and did it.” [1]



I heartily recommend this book.



Sources

[1] Truman, Harry S. and Robert H. Ferrell, Off the Record: The Private Papers of Harry S. Truman, Letter to Dean Acheson (unsent), August 26, 1960 (University of Missouri Press, 1997), p. 390.



[2] Merry, Robert W., A Country of Vast Designs, James K. Polk, The Mexican War and the Conquest of the American Continent (Simon & Schuster, 2009)



[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book: Presidents_of_the_United_States_(1789_1860)