One of the main roads into and out of Oaxaca is Federal Highway 190. It is a section of the Pan American Highway (which runs from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, at the southernmost tip of Argentina). I cross the highway several times a month on my way to the Organic Market in Xochimilco or to a restaurant in Colonia Reforma — and the same thought always crosses my mind, “I can’t believe I’m walking across the Pan American Highway!”
However, the highway has another name, as runs through the city — Calzada Niños Héroes de Chapultepec. Child heroes of Chapultepec? Who were they? If you visit Mexico City, your guidebook or tour guide might direct you to Chapultepec Castle (Castillo de Chapultepec) set high on a hill in the middle of the beautiful 1694 acre Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park). There you will discover that they were young martyrs from what is called the Mexican-American War in the USA and is known here as the Invasion of Mexico.
Monument to the Child Heroes in Chapultepec Park
Penn State historian Amy S. Greenberg calls it, A Wicked War, and her book, by the same name, chronicles a war waged on the basis of a Presidential lie, against a guiltless neighbor, for the express purpose of annexing half its territory. (Hola, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and California.) Then Illinois congressman Abraham Lincoln opposed the war and it spawned the first U.S. anti-war movement.
To discover what your teachers may not have told you about the Invasion of Mexico and its Niños Heroes, take a look at last week’s CBS Sunday Morning segment by Mo Rocca and with Amy Greenberg.
h/t Tim Johnson
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 
Thanks, Shannon, very good piece!
Thanks, Michelle! I’ve loved CBS Sunday Morning ever since the Charles Kuralt days; witty, intelligent, and informative.
Important points that shouldn’t be forgotten, but we were in fact taught about Manifest Destiny in high school. Even to my feckless teen ears it sounded like what it was — a groundless phrase that couldn’t disguise the greed it was meant to entitle.
Yep, Manifest Destiny and American exceptionalism. What a disgusting legacy!
Thanks, Shannon. Great post. The irony is that Mexicans are taking the territories back, but don’t tell the Republicans!
I know… ¡jajajaja!
I always felt in the back of my mind that this was true however I could never pinpoint the reference. Thanks Shannon. I plan to write more about this. Perhaps this in part explains the US’s racist attitude toward Mexico, our denial of this part of history. Again thanks.
Those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it. Wars based on lies? Haven’t we heard that recently? “From the halls of Montezuma…”
Great piece. I love Mo Rocca. Glad he did such an important piece.
I know, I love his mild mannered but pointed zingers! Do you ever listen to “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” on NPR on Saturdays? He’s usually one of the panelists.
Hi Shannon — thanks for posting this. As you know, I cover most of Mexican History each winter, including the injustice of the American War on Mexico. Just a couple of asides: there was also anti-war protest at the time of the American Revolution. And the US took all or part of TEN states in the settlement of the Am-Mex War.
And thanks for ALL your posts — look forward to them every day!
mary randalll
Thanks, Mary!
Watched the segment on May 4th. General Grant ( later Pres.) viewed that war as unjust too ! If Lincoln’s “spot resolutions” in congress were featured in Spielberg’s recent movie, that would have been a revelation to many. A movie featuring the San Patricios (St. Patrick’s battalion) U.S. army Irish who switched sides during the war is available on utube; Worth watching. A plaque is placed in San Angel,D.F.honoring these heroes
I haven’t seen “Lincoln” yet, but am not surprised by Spielberg’s omission. Did you see the blog post I did on the St. Patrick’s Battalion a year ago? It’s at: https://casitacolibri.wordpress.com/?s=battalion
Yikes, Shannon, completely forgot (I had even posted a comment). Yes, the omission, I think was political, would have ruffled hairs of many right wingers & T-partiers. BTW, there were no US. marines involved in the war; which is perplexing as to why ” from the halls of Moctezuma” is included in a Marines’ hymn.
My assertion on the non-involvement of then marines is totally incorrect, based on an earlier inaccurate read. Sorry, for the mis-informed part of post