The United States swiftly declared that its envoy's ship had been attacked on its return voyage, and that the attackers were Mexicans with Mexican accents flying the Mexican flag.
This was Mexico engaging in piracy—a pure and utter humiliation of the United States, one that Franklin and any red-blooded American youth could not tolerate.
Thus, President Franklin Pierce declared that Mexico would receive a vicious retaliation, and the United States immediately declared war on Mexico.
The next day, the US Army crossed the US-Mexico border. In an age when telegraphs had yet to become widespread, such efficiency was truly astonishing.
No one would have believed the Americans had not planned this in advance.
But that was simply how this era worked: whoever had the strength was the boss.
A pretext for war did not need to be especially clever. As long as one's own people believed it, that was enough. All that remained was to win the war, and the other nations would naturally be convinced.
At this time, the United States Army's total strength was far greater than it had been historically, after all, the pressure on national defense was immense.
Yet from the very beginning, Franklin Pierce had not intended to rely on troop numbers or tactics for victory. He believed this would be a diplomatic victory, a crushing triumph of political instinct.
That's right! This victory would have only one hero: himself. Franklin Pierce had obtained Prince Metternich's tacit approval, which was why he had acted so boldly.
However, Franklin did not fully trust Metternich. In truth, theirs was merely a relationship of mutual exploitation.
Under the plan Franklin had drawn up for the United States Army, it would seize the lightly defended Arizona and New Mexico with the speed of thunder before one could cover one's