Yesterday I wrote about the help that Norman Borlaug gave to Marines in the South Pacific during World War II. In 1944, Borlaug moved to Mexico, in order to help with a program sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation. The goal of that program was use of improvements in agriculture to help Mexico achieve greater econonmic growth.
It is interesting that a man who has just finished aiding Marines chose to go to Mexico. There is a strong tie between the U.S. Marines and Mexico. The Marine hymn begins with these words, “From the Halls of Montezuma.”
In 1846, before the writing of that hymn, there were some clashes between the Marines and the residents of the territory called “California.” (Most of those living in that territory were Mexican.) At the same time, trouble developed within Mexico. In order to help Mexico deal with that trouble, Marine forces charged the fortress of Chaputepc. That battle gave rise to the opening line in the Marine hymn.
The decision by Norman Borlaug to go to Mexico helped to re-inforce the tie between Mexico and the U.S. Marines. The future will dounbtless include other times when the Marines and Mexico cooperate on some effort.
