Remember the Alamo

By coincidence, my posting on the Alamo went out on March 6, the anniversary of the taking of the Alamo in 1836. General Sullivan writes: " I received this email today and it takes a ifferent approach to the battle of the Alamo from that in your posting Liberty with its corresponding virtues of responsibility, patriotism and morality is what the Alamo, arguably truth or Hollywood fiction, teaches us. He believes those qualities are absent in America today. (I disagree somewhat) I hope current historians won't change history by rewriting it with their personal, biased views that could change the fundamental beliefs and guidance of our Founding Fathers". Here is some of the article by Chuck Baldwin:

"Praise God that those who fought and died at the Alamo, held their liberty and the liberty of all Texans, of greater value than their own lives. May we honor these men today for the legacy they provided to us, our children and our grandchildren. Today marks the fall of the Alamo in 1836. Some 186 brave and determined patriots withstood Santa Anna's seasoned army of over 5,000 troops for 13 days. To a man, the defenders of that mission fort knew they would never leave those ramparts alive. They had several opportunities to leave and live. Yet, they chose to fight and die. How foolish they must look to this pragmatic generation of spoiled Americans! "

Serious historians are precisely those who try to write unbiased history. The Alamo story, told in the American Heritage documentary, was the prelude to the war with Mexico, which is described in the excellent "The Real West" documentary in which several serious historians try to get the facts straight. It is hard to argue with the truth, which includes the bravery of the American defenders of the Alamo, but distorted history angers the people who are the target of it. Mexican Americans are angry about the way the Alamo story is told, and the only reply is to seek the truth and to demand that they recognize it. A civil war is not impossible in this country, and no sane person wants it.

The Mexican American war forged Mexican nationalism. Santa Anna, like some 19th century American military, had a cult of Napoleon. Impartial historians recognize that his leading his army all the way from Mexico City to the Alamo was a feat, although his defeat and his later antics embarrass and humiliate them. Despite the defeat of Napoleon, the Napoleonic legend grew, and it is not impossible that a similar cult of Santa Anna could emerge. Mexicans realize that their chance of getting the lost territory back is minuscule, but they sadly mark each year the Day of the Boy Heroes, the cadets who died fighting to defend the castle of Chapultepec. If some demagogue took over Mexico, heaven knows what would happen. No sane person wants a war with Mexico.

For all these reasons, I support the historians, American and Mexican, who are sincerely seeking the truth. Back to our history textbook project.

Ronald Hilton - 3/9/02