This documentary tells the dramatic story of a war in which Mexico lost almost half of its national territory to the United States. Although the war lasted only two years, its outcome not only transformed the boundaries of these neighboring countries, but it also shifted the balance of world powers and shaped the destinies of each nation. This series explores the events surrounding the conflict between the two neighboring nations struggling for land, power and identity. The educational package covers the dramatic sweep of the war from the multiple perspectives of Americans, Mexicans, and Native Americans, examining the social, cultural, and economic forces that shaped each country and its peoples during that crucial era. The war's events, personalities and themes are explored in a binational, multicultural context.