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Texas has a bit of a reputation as a military powerhouse, thanks in large part to the brief time they spent as an independent country. But does the myth really live up to the hype.
I've been thinking about this since the secession thread, and I don't think so. Here's my case.
A. The Texans broke away from Mexico. Now, no offense to Mexicans--- they are pretty solid on the defense--- but they aren't exactly Wehrmacht caliber foes. In addition, Texas is in El Norte, and Mexico City at the time couldn't even secure the loyalties of Mexicans, much less a bunch of transplanted Yankees in a land where Mexican power projection was limited at best.
B. The Mexican commander, Santa Anna, was a buffon. He's not making anybody's top ten generals list.
C. The Mexican Army was vastly overconfident, to the point of taking a siesta mid campaign and letting the rebels annihilate them. Plus, they pissed off the Yankees with the needless brutality at the Alamo and Golidad(thanks Santa Anna!)
D. In the next big war, aka the Civil War, a grand total of three or four battles were fought on Texan soil before Texas surrendered. Hardly impressive.
I've been thinking about this since the secession thread, and I don't think so. Here's my case.
A. The Texans broke away from Mexico. Now, no offense to Mexicans--- they are pretty solid on the defense--- but they aren't exactly Wehrmacht caliber foes. In addition, Texas is in El Norte, and Mexico City at the time couldn't even secure the loyalties of Mexicans, much less a bunch of transplanted Yankees in a land where Mexican power projection was limited at best.
B. The Mexican commander, Santa Anna, was a buffon. He's not making anybody's top ten generals list.
C. The Mexican Army was vastly overconfident, to the point of taking a siesta mid campaign and letting the rebels annihilate them. Plus, they pissed off the Yankees with the needless brutality at the Alamo and Golidad(thanks Santa Anna!)
D. In the next big war, aka the Civil War, a grand total of three or four battles were fought on Texan soil before Texas surrendered. Hardly impressive.