A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico. By Amy S.Greenberg. New York: Knopf, 2012. 368 pp.

Abstract

A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico. By Amy S. Greenberg. New York: Knopf, 2012. 368 pp. It has long been conventional wisdom among historians of nineteenth century that James K. is most important president about whom Americans know nothing. Nonetheless, Young Hickory has enjoyed something of resurgence of late, due in large part to efforts of nonacademic authors, who have praised for his role in creation of an American empire (see, for example, Robert W. Merry's A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk, The Mexican War and American Continent [New York: Simon and Schuster, 2009] and Walter R. Borneman's Polk: The Man Who Transformed Presidency and America [New York: Random House, 2008]). In narrative that emerges from these and other recent works, should be regarded as man of vision, while his critics appear, at least by implication, as querulous naysayers, whose scrupulous regard for moral niceties failed to consider larger national interest. Amy S. Greenberg does not share this view. On contrary, Greenberg argues in A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln and 1846 Invasion of Mexico that eleventh president thoroughly deserved sobriquet Polk Mendacious, bestowed upon him by his political enemies. In Greenberg's telling of events leading up to clash of arms in spring of 1846, never really sought peaceful settlement with Mexico. Rather, she argues, decision to send diplomat John Slidell to negotiate with Mexican leaders was little more than charade by administration to provoke them into hostilities (p. 96). then proceeded to use attack on Rio Grande as pretext to demand satisfaction in form of territorial concessions. Unlike many biographers of eleventh president, Greenberg gives considerable attention to Sarah Polk, his most trusted advisor, going so far as to name one chapter Mr. and Mrs. Polk's War. But this is more book about those who opposed than it is about those responsible for it. Greenberg's title comes from quote from Ulysses S. Grant, who in 1879 wrote that there had never been a more wicked war waged by United States. A junior officer in his twenties at time of conflict, Grant regretted that he had lacked the moral courage to resign. Greenberg focuses on small group of men who did have courage to speak out during years. …