James K. Polk Book

I was looking for some good background information on American international relations during the 1830s and 1840s. It is a subject that I did not know much about. This concise book places a new look on the reasons behind the Mexican war. Fear of France and Britain establishing colonies on the west coast of North America in weak Mexican held areas, especially in California drove some politics of the day. I found this a remarkable parallel with the politics of the Spanish American War period where European interests, particularly from Imperial Germany in Central America, the Caribbean and the Philippines and Japanese and British interests in Hawaii helped drive American political decision.

It is a short book and good for general reading or for research purposes. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for information on President Polk and American presidential politics surrounding Manifest Destiny and the Mexican War.