The War with Mexico (Vol. 1 & 2) is a monumental narrative and documentary history of the Mexican-American War, tracing its diplomatic origins, political controversies, military campaigns, and territorial consequences with extraordinary breadth. Smith writes in the grand empirical style of early twentieth-century professional history: densely researched, confident in judgment, and attentive to archives, correspondence, cabinet politics, logistics, and battlefield command. The work belongs to an era when historians sought to replace partisan memory with documentary authority, though its interpretations also reflect the assumptions of its time. Justin Harvey Smith (1857–1930) was an American historian whose career was shaped by rigorous archival inquiry and a sustained interest in United States expansion. Educated at Dartmouth and long engaged with historical scholarship, he devoted years to examining sources in the United States, Mexico, and Europe. His command of diplomatic and military evidence helped make this study definitive in its generation; the work received the 1920 Pulitzer Prize for History. Readers interested in American expansion, nineteenth-century diplomacy, military history, or the formation of the U.S.–Mexico border will find this work indispensable. Though modern scholarship may revise some of Smith's assumptions, his scale, evidentiary depth, and narrative authority remain impressive.

This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.

Justin Harvey Smith (1857-1930) was an American historian and specialist on the Mexican–American War. He was educated at Dartmouth College and Union Theological Seminary. Smith was Professor of Modern History at Dartmouth 1899-1908. He resigned his professorship in 1908 to pursue historical research, and published The Annexation of Texas (1911) and The War with Mexico (1919). From 1917 to 1923 Smith was chairman of the Historical Manuscripts Commission of the American Historical Association.