American government Quote by Howard Zinn
““The Mexicans had fired the first shot. But they had done what the American government wanted, according to Colonel Hitchcock, who wrote in his diary, even before those first incidents: I have said from the first that the United States are the aggressors. . . . We have not one particle of right to be here. . . . It looks as if the government sent a small force on purpose to bring on a war, so as to have a pretext for taking California and as much of this country as it chooses, for, whatever becomes of this army, there is no doubt of a war between the United States and Mexico. . . . My heart is not in this business . . . but, as a military man, I am bound to execute orders.””
About This Quote
Source Book: A People's History of the United States, 1980
The author critiques U.S. aggression in Mexico, suggesting war was pre‑planned for territorial gain.
In simple terms: U.S. provoked war for expansion.
Key Takeaway
Question motives behind political actions.
Themes
imperialism
war
political manipulation
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
historical
political
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- historical education
- activism
Key Concepts
historical analysis
ethical critique
power dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence supports or refutes this view?
- How do we hold leaders accountable?
A Different Perspective
The perspective may oversimplify complex causes.
![“With almost no time to decide, [your loved ones] gave the entire country an incalculable gift. They saved the Capitol from attack. They saved God knows how many lives. They saved the terrorists from claiming the symbolic victory of smashing the center of American government. ... They allowed us to…” quote by William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6f7/william-j-clinton-302_american-government_with-almost-no-time-to-decide-your-loved_154373.jpg)
