Under the Shadow How the United States Stole Mexico
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Mar 26, 2026 Christy Thornton, an NYU historian of Mexico and Latin America, guides a tour through Mexico’s long history of foreign incursions. Short scenes trace 19th-century territorial loss, French and U.S. interventions, and recurring justifications for force. The conversation connects past invasions to modern threats and rehearsed rationales like drugs and security.
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Palacio Churubusco And The St Patrick's Battalion
- Michael Fox tours the Palacio Churubusco, once a convent and battle site, now Mexico’s National Museum of Interventions.
- He highlights the St. Patrick's Battalion who defected from U.S. forces to defend Mexico and made their last stand here in 1847.
Museum Maps Show Continuous Foreign Incursions
- The Museum of Interventions charts a nearly continuous cycle of foreign incursions into Mexico by Spain, France, and the United States across the 19th century.
- Exhibits include maps of U.S. troop routes to Mexico City and commentary framing the 1846–48 war as unequal and disastrous for Mexico.
French Occupation And Maximilian's Reign
- Michael Fox recounts the 1862 Battle of Puebla and the subsequent five‑and‑a‑half year French occupation that installed Maximilian I as emperor.
- The museum shows images of French troops landing at Veracruz and staging sieges, illustrating European imperial ambitions in Mexico.
