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Fire And Blood Paperback – March 22, 1995
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There have been many Mexicos: the country of varied terrain, of Amerindian heritage, of the Spanish Conquest, of the Revolution, and of the modern era of elections and the rule of bankers. Mexico was forged in the fires of successive civilizations, and baptized with the blood of millions, all of whom added tragic dimensions to the modern Mexican identity. T. R. Fehrenbach brilliantly delineates the contrasts and conflicts between them, unraveling the history while weaving a fascinating tapestry of beauty and brutality: the Amerindians, who wrought from the vulnerable land a great indigenous Meso-American civilization by the first millennium B.C.; the successive reigns of Olmec, Maya, Toltec, and Mexic masters, who ruled through an admirably efficient bureaucracy and the power of the priests, propitiating the capricious gods with human sacrifices; the Spanish conquistadors, who used smallpox, technology, and their own ruthless individualism to erect a new tyranny over the ruins of the old; the agony of independent Mexico, struggling with the weight of its overwhelming past and tremendous potential. Throughout the narrative the author resurrects the great personalities of Mexican history, such as Motecuhzoma, Cortes, Santa Anna, Juárez, Maximilian, Díaz, Pancho Villa, and Zapata. Fehrenbach, who has updated this edition to include recent events, has created a work of scholarly perspective and gripping prose.
- Print length703 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateMarch 22, 1995
- Dimensions8.77 x 5.33 x 1.61 inches
- ISBN-100306806282
- ISBN-13978-0306806285
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- Publisher : Da Capo Press; Updated, Subsequent edition (March 22, 1995)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 703 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0306806282
- ISBN-13 : 978-0306806285
- Item Weight : 2.14 pounds
- Dimensions : 8.77 x 5.33 x 1.61 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #373,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #88 in Central America History
- #224 in Mexico History
- #1,008 in Native American History (Books)
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About the author

During World War II, the late Fehrenbach served with the US Infantry and Engineers as platoon sergeant with an engineer battalion. He continued his military career in the Korean War, rising from platoon leader to company commander and then to battalion staff officer of the 72nd Tank battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. Prior to his military involvement, a young T. R. Fehrenbach, born in San Benito, Texas, worked as a farmer and the owner of an insurance company. His most enduring work is Lone Star, a one-volume history of Texas. In retirement, he wrote a political column for a San Antonio newspaper. He sold numerous pieces to publications such as the Saturday Evening Post and Argosy. He is author of several books, including U.S. Marines in Action, The Battle of Anzio, and This Kind of War.
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For those who've been upset by "racial overtones" and "politically incorrect tropes" they found in the text, I would encourage you to continue reading works published before 2000! Let us not discount either history nor the presentation of history due to our contemporary sensitivities; we would all be intellectually poorer for that. Yes, this book was originally published in the 1970s, but I found Fehrenbach's a fair and compassionate record of a complex human story, which makes for a winning read in any decade.
I look forward to using this work as a springboard to learn even more about Mexican history. Those reviewers unimpressed by Fehrenbach's "opinions and generalizations" would do well to continue your own study of Mexico. You may find that all historians will make such generalizations. How wonderful it is to live in a country and time where we can access as many histories as we like, eventually forming our *own* opinions and contributing our voice to the delightful and diverse conversation that is history.
Thank you Mr. Fehrenbach, and happy reading to all.
One of the fascinating things I learned in this book is about the repercussions of Cinco de Mayo on US history. You probably know that Cinco de Mayo was where the Mexican army (and a rag tag one at that) defeated French troops as they were making their way up to Mexico city from Veracruz to try and conquer the country. What the book points out is that had the Mexicans not prevailed there the French might have eventually made their way up the US border and possibly intervened on behalf of the South (the Civil War was going on at the time) as the South was currently winning the war and Napoleon III wanted to make sure the French had uninterrupted supplies of southern cotton for the French mills. A year later the French invaded again with a larger army and this time did conquer Mexico and did eventually make it to the US border but by this time the Civil War had shifted and the South was losing so the French stayed out of it. So next year when you're drinking your cerveza on Cinco de Mayo just consider what a different country you might live in (if you're an American) if Zaragoza's rag tag army hadn't defeated what was at that time considered to be the best army in the world!
If you're interested in Mexican history then I highly recommend this book. I'm impressed enough with the author that I'm now buying another book of his, "Comanches", to satisfy my next interest - trying to understand the Apaches and Comanches who had such a big part in the history of the southwest.
Viva Mexico!
It is a history of Mexico from prehistoric times to the year 2000 (and the end of the 70+ years of PRI political dominance.) It is an absolutely fascinating read, full of opinions and insights. And while I do not agree with everything Fehrenbach says, I think it is worth the trip to see Mexico through his eyes.
I do live in Mexico and think it imperative to know something of the history and culture that one lives in, but I also feel that as neighbors (with a great many expats on both sides of the Rio Bravo / Rio Grande) we should know more about our neighbor(s) then we collectively do.
Fehrenbach is one hell of a great writer and I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in knowing more about the world.






