I'm from Mexico, and from the upper class, so maybe the following statement is biased because of that.

I must say that it's incredible to see how much we are profoundly bounded to the US, both to your economy, and culture. We have so many points of view: from poor people that hate the 'gringos' because it has been kind of a trend for a while; to other poor people that use their life savings to go the other side, to the land of opportunities; the rich that watch on TV American Football, to the well-informed that analyze your political system and see Trump's government as a sign of true decadence.

What I mean is that I really felt the chill:

But we were legally bound. Children and all. I couldn't vote yet. Couldn't have my first drink. But I could go kill strangers on the other side of the war.

Because I've never thought of the American atrocities of war. And I can assure you that despite of that love-hate relationship that we, as a country, have with you, we never think of you in that way. Maybe it is the propaganda that works in Western society, maybe the TV companies here in Mexico are on your behalf...I don't know.