7. border conflicts (1 janv. 1900 – 1 janv. 2000)

Description:

Conflict in the remainder of the 20th century was different. Mostly between governments rather than border peoples, it revolved around smuggling, border water resources, narcotics, and undocumented immigration from Mexico. Smuggling was an endemic problem that intensified during the Prohibition era in the United States. In the last quarter of the century the interdiction of narcotics smuggling became a high-priority activity of the U.S. government. As dams were built on the Rio Grande and some of its tributaries in both countries and Colorado River waters were diverted by the United States, the need for mutually agreed-to solutions was recognized. Although tensions became high at times, compromise solutions have been worked out. Undocumented immigration was, and continues to be, a more intractable problem, exacerbated by Mexico's population explosion, by downturns in the U.S. economy from time to time, and by not-infrequent unilateral border actions by the Border Patrol.