Question

document 2: personal memoirs of u.s. grant, 1885. original source.
ostensibly we were intended to prevent filibustering* into texas, but really as a menace to mexico in case she appeared to contemplate war. generally the officers of the army were indifferent whether the annexation was consummated or not; but not so all of them.
for myself, i was bitterly opposed to the measure, and to this day regard the war, which resulted, as one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation. it was an instance of a republic following the bad example of european monarchies, in not considering justice in their desire to acquire additional territory. texas was originally a state belonging to the republic of mexico.
*filibustering: refers to military filibustering, when an army unofficially raids a nation they are officially at peace with

1. point of view: which point of view does this document represent on the mexican - american war - the united states or mexico? how do you know?

Explanation:

The document is from U.S. Grant's memoirs. He criticizes the U.S. war against Mexico, calling it unjust (a stronger vs weaker nation, acquiring territory unjustly). But he's a U.S. figure, so the POV is U.S. (critical of U.S. actions). Evidence: his opposition to the measure, view of U.S. as following European monarchies' bad example, noting Texas was Mexico's.

Answer:

The document represents the United States' point of view (a critical one of the U.S. actions in the Mexican - American War). We know this because it is from the Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant (a U.S. figure), and he expresses his own (as a U.S. individual) bitter opposition to the U.S. actions, calling the war unjust, stating the U.S. (a republic) followed the bad example of European monarchies in acquiring territory without considering justice, and also noting that Texas was originally a state belonging to Mexico.