I don't know if you have ever wondered why the United States is so good, but it keeps the two small countries of Canada and Mexico.
Why didn't the United States destroy Canada, annex Mexico, and unify North America?
In fact, the reasons behind this are quite complicated.
Annex? The United States can't afford this price
If the United States really wants to annex Canada and Mexico, it will really be a swollen face and a fat man - many people are not stupid, and the price of annexation is enough for the United States to drink a pot.
Not to mention anything else, for example, Canada is about to catch up with Russia from south to north, and Mexico is not small, with a combined population of more than 100 million, more than some European countries.
No matter how rich the United States is, if it really wants to fight, it must also weigh its own family resources.
Modern warfare is about high technology and burning money. A Tomahawk missile, that's millions of dollars, it's no different from burning money.
When a large-scale war is fought, hundreds or thousands of missiles are thrown out, and the bill may make Congress tremble.
Not to mention that there are still people who die in war, who wants to die in vain for American soldiers?
There were more casualties among soldiers, and anti-war sentiment was high in the country.
In addition, the American people take to the streets every day to protest, and the pressure on the government is not small.
And even if the U.S. does end up knocking Canada and Mexico down, what happens next? Can you sit back and relax? It's naïve.
With a population of more than 100 million people and different languages, you forcibly pinch people together, who will obey you?
When the time comes, the United States will have to send troops to suppress it every three days, and the cost of public security is estimated to be more expensive than fighting a war.
So the United States is not a fool, and the costs and risks of this annexation are clear to them. Rather than being thankless, it's better to maintain the status quo.
With such a big cultural difference, how can you integrate?
And the United States is already lively enough, but if Canada and Mexico are brought in, the situation will only be more chaotic.
Canadians have a gentle personality and are polite and thoughtful. It's hard for them to mingle with the enthusiastic Mexicans.
One is the "Maple Leaf Country" in the ice and snow, and the other is the "Cactus Country" on the sunny beach.
Mexico is also an ancient civilization with a long history, with its own language, its own festivals, and its own way of life.
Would you be happy if you asked a young man who grew up dancing a Mexican straw hat and suddenly had to change to English, change to Thanksgiving, and eat hamburgers and fries?
Culture is not something that can be changed overnight. Forcibly blending different cultures together will only lead to greater contradictions and conflicts.
When the time comes, all kinds of cultural conflicts, ethnic contradictions, and religious disputes will be staged every day, and the scene should be even more chaotic.
So it's easy to annex, but it's hard to merge! Instead of making trouble for yourself, it is better to maintain a superficial "harmony".
And what the United States wants is interests. The annexation of Canada and Mexico is a thankless task, and it is better to use some "smart" methods.
The United States has built military bases all over the world, and Canada and Mexico can not be on the border, and Canada and Mexico are very dependent on the United States for many trade transactions.
There is no need for the United States to do it "with real guns" at all, directly increase some tariffs, block their imports and exports, or use their own "traditional arts" - sanction other countries, Canada and Mexico will dare to be angry and obedient.
After all, not all countries have strong cultural, technological and resource resources like us to resist the "sanctions" policy of the United States.
Of course, Lao Mei is not only suppressed, they also have a more "smart" means, that is, cultural infiltration.
Hollywood blockbusters, pop music, these things have subtly influenced the minds of Canadians and Mexicans, making them unconsciously accept American values.
In this way, without using a single soldier, you can firmly control these two countries in your own hands, which is much easier.
The memorial arch of "justice" still has to be erected
And now it's the 21st century, who still plays the naked game of aggression and expansion?
Therefore, every time the United States launches a war, it will find a high-sounding reason for itself, such as "maintaining world peace" and "spreading democracy and freedom", and anyway, it wants to dress itself up as a "messenger of justice".
If you directly annex Canada and Mexico, the whole world will call you a bandit. Who's going to work with you then? Who still listens to you, how can the United States, the "world boss", still be?
So the United States does not annex Canada and Mexico, not because it does not want to, but because it cannot and does not need to.
Rather than being thankless, it is better to use some "smart" methods, which can not only get benefits, but also maintain their "glorious image", why not?
To be honest, the current game of the United States is much more clever than directly annexing countries.
Why not be the "boss behind the scenes" who does not have to take on the responsibility of running the country, but can still enjoy all kinds of benefits?
The United States does not have to worry about the domestic and foreign affairs of Canada and Mexico, which saves a lot of trouble.
If these two countries have any problems, they can solve them on their own, and the United States only needs to watch from the sidelines and intervene when necessary.
The United States can continue to enjoy cheap resources and labor.
Canada has abundant mineral resources, and Mexico has a large number of cheap labor, which are important guarantees for the development of the United States economy.
If these two countries are annexed, the United States will have to pay for the development of these two countries, which will be very troublesome.
Most importantly, the United States can use Canada and Mexico as a counterweight to other countries.
For example, if the United States wants to make some small moves in North America, it can let Canada and Mexico come forward and hide behind themselves.
In this way, even if other countries have opinions, they will not be able to find the United States.
Of course, Canada and Mexico are not stupid, they also know that the United States is using itself. But there is no way, who makes the fists big?
Canada is okay, after all, it is a developed country, and its economic strength is not weak, and the United States still has to give some face.
But Mexico is more miserable, the level of economic development is average, and it has to look at the face of the United States, and many times it can only swallow its anger.
But then again, Canada and Mexico can reap some benefits by following the United States. For example, the United States will provide military protection to these two countries, and will also provide some economic assistance.
Therefore, the relationship between the United States and Canada and Mexico is a delicate balance. The United States wants to be the "boss behind the scenes", Canada and Mexico want to hug their thighs, and everyone takes what they need, so they continue to "cooperate".
Epilogue:
The international situation is changing rapidly, and no one can guarantee that the United States will always be the "world boss."
If one day, the power of the United States declines, or other countries become stronger, will the pattern of North America change?
Perhaps Canada and Mexico will take the opportunity to break free from US control and achieve true independence. Perhaps, other countries will intervene in North American affairs and upset the existing balance.
The future is full of uncertainties, and who can say for sure?
Source: CNKI "The history of the rise of the United States is a history of aggression and expansion" Zhang Hong