So Far from God: The U.S. War With Mexico, 1846-1848

By John S.D. Eisenhower

The Mexican-American War of the 1840s, precipitated by border disputes and the U.S. annexation of Texas, ended with the military occupation of Mexico City by General Winfield Scott. In the subsequent treaty, the United States gained territory that would become California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and parts of Wyoming and Colorado. In this highly readable account, John S. D. Eisenhower provides a comprehensive survey of this frequently overlooked war.

NOTE: This edition does not include photographs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: May 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9780307827685

John S.D. Eisenhower

John S. D. Eisenhower was a retired brigadier general, a former U.S. ambassador to Belgium, and the author of numerous works of military history and biography, including General Ike: A Personal Reminiscence; They Fought at Anzio; Yanks: The Epic Story of the American Army in World War I; and So Far from God: The U.S. War with Mexico, 1846–1848.

Reviews for So Far from God

[alco261 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So Far From God is a very well written history of the 1846-1848 U.S. war with Mexico. Author Eisenhower not only provides clear and interesting descriptions of the military action in Mexico (complete with well-drawn maps) but he also provides the reader with an understanding of the close relationship between politics and military proceedings of both the U.S. and Mexico and how these relationships impacted the interactions of both countries with respect to the prosecution of the war. The cost of the war in terms of treasure and lives was appalling for everyone concerned and the fallout with respect to political and military careers as well as the fate of both nations was significant. In the U.S. the nightmare of the Civil War just 13 years later overshadowed the importance of this war in the national conscience, however, as the author notes, the impact of the Mexican-American war still plays a role in the present-day dealings between the two countries. I learned a great deal from this book and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in history.