In times like these, such a topic is a “natural.” Three Harvard historians have presented essays (originally lectures) describing how Americans expressed their distress or detestation at the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Spanish-American War, with the Philippine insurrection thrown in for good measure. The essays are scholarly, graceful, and rather superficial.

Since opposition to the first two wars has been little studied, the essays of Morison and Merk are useful for laymen, especially of the undergraduate variety. But Freidel is up against stiffer competition, and the student of the Spanish-American War would do better to consult Robert L. Beisner’s excellent Twelve against Empire or any of several articles.

While Merk’s interpretation of the Mexican War is generally orthodox, one may raise a questioning eyebrow at his suggestion that American opposition to the war limited territorial acquisitions from Mexico. Nicholas P. Trist negotiated his treaty at a time when the “all Mexico” movement was rapidly expanding. Even if he had waited for jingo support, it does not seem likely that he could have obtained much more than he did without a massive occupation which would have imperiled American prestige and overstrained American resources, no matter what the feelings of the people back home.