List of the lengths of United States participation in wars

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This article contains the length and list of major conflicts, invasions and wars participated by the United States Armed Forces since its creation in 1775.

Contents

Lengths of U.S. combat forces' participation in wars

War in the context of this list is broadly construed to be a direct armed conflict between organized U.S. military forces and organized forces of (a) belligerent(s).

(Note: Ongoing wars are indicated in bold and with red bars.)

RankWarDatesDurationDuration (graphical representation)
1 War in Afghanistan 2001 – 2021 [1] 19.9 years
(19 years, 10 months)
2 Vietnam War 1955 – 1975 [2] [3] [4] [5] [a] 19.4 years
(19 years, 5 months)
3 Occupation of Haiti 1915 – 193419 years
4 Second US Intervention in the Somali Civil War 2007 – present [6] [7] [8] 18.0 years
(18 years)
5 US intervention in Yemen 2002, 2009 – present [9] 15.1 years
(15 years)
6 Philippine–American War and Moro Rebellion 1899 – 191314 years
7 War in North-West Pakistan 2004 – 201713 years
7 US military intervention in Niger 2013 – 2024 [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] 11 years
8 Operation Inherent Resolve 2014 – present10.6 years
(10 years, 7 months)
9 Northwest Indian War 1785 – 179510 years
10 Iraq War 2003 – 2011 [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] 8.7 years
(8 years, 9 months)
11 American Revolutionary War 1775 – 17838.4 years
(8 years, 5 months)
12 Second Seminole War
1835 – 18426.7 years
(6 years, 7 month)
13 First Barbary War 1801 – 18054.1 years
(4 years, 1 month)
14 American Civil War 1861 – 18654.1 years
15 World War II 1941 – 19453.7 years
(3 years, 8 months)
16 Korean War 1950 – 19533.1 years
(3 years, 1 month)
17 War of 1812 1812 – 18142.5 years
(2 years, 6 months)
18 Red Cloud's War 1866 – 18681.8 years
(1 year, 9 months)
19 Mexican–American War 1846 – 18481.8 years
(1 year, 9 months)
20 World War I 1917 – 19181.6 years
(1 year, 7 months)
21 Russian Civil War 1918 – 1920 [21] 1.6 years
(1 year, 7 months)
22 Great Sioux War of 1876 1876 – 18771.2 years
(1 year, 3 months)
23 Gulf War 1990 – 1991 [22] [b] 0.6 years
(7.2 months)
24 Whiskey Rebellion 1794 – 17940.4 years
(4.8 months)
25 Spanish–American War 1898 – 1898114 days
26 Kosovo War 1999 – 1999 [23] 79 days
27 Invasion of Panama 1989 – 199042 days
28 Invasion of Grenada 1983-10-25 – 1983-10-294 (3.5) days
29 Bay of Pigs Invasion 1961-04-191 day [c]

Sources are found in the main articles of each war, as well as the Associated Press. [26] [27]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Direct U.S. involvement ended in 1973 with the Paris Peace Accords
  2. ↑ (33)The term "Persian Gulf War" means the period beginning on August 2, 1990, and ending on the date thereafter prescribed by Presidential proclamation or by law. 38 U.S.C.   § 101
  3. ↑ The Bay of Pigs invasion was conducted by Brigade 2506, a group of Cuban exiles recruited and equipped by the CIA as part of a covert operation, and trained by instructors from the CIA and U.S. Army Special Forces, U.S. Air Force, and Air National Guard. [24] The botched invasion took three days: Americans were initially not authorized to participate in the invasion. However, on the last day of the failed operation (April 19, 1961), U.S. air support was authorized, and eight Alabama Air National Guard members flew into Cuban airspace. [25]

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References

  1. ↑ "Last troops exit Afghanistan, ending America's longest war". Associated Press. August 30, 2021.
  2. ↑ Rohn, Alan (March 26, 2013). "When was the end of the Vietnam War?". The Vietnam War. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Defense.gov News Release: NAME OF TECHNICAL SERGEANT RICHARD B. FITZGIBBON TO BE ADDED TO THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL". U.S. Department of Defense. November 6, 1998. Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  4. ↑ U.S. Department of Defense 1998
  5. ↑ Lawrence 2009 , p. 20
  6. ↑ "Biden approves deployment of hundreds of US troops to Somalia". aljazeera.com. June 4, 2022.
  7. ↑ "New Somali President Welcomes Return of US Troops". voanews.com. June 4, 2022.
  8. ↑ "US increases military support for Somalia against al-Shabab". Defense News. Defense News. March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  9. ↑ "US special forces secretly deployed to assist Saudi Arabia in Yemen conflict". The Independent. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  10. ↑ "America has lost the war against Islamist terror in Africa". The Spectator. May 3, 2024.
  11. ↑ "After Failure in Niger, U.S. Africa Policy Needs a Reset". Foreign Policy. July 3, 2024.
  12. ↑ "The US War on Terror in West Africa Is a Continuing Disaster". Jacobin. July 3, 2024.
  13. ↑ "America's $280 Million Military Mission in Niger Ends in Failure". Reason. July 3, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Niger ends military agreement with US, calls it 'profoundly unfair'". CNN. CNN. April 12, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  15. ↑ "US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,452". San Diego Union-Tribune. May 3, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Why can't we stop our wars?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. May 18, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  17. ↑ Wood, David (April 27, 2011). "Robert Gates' Pentagon Legacy: Unfinished Wars, Unfinished Budget Reform" – via Huff Post.
  18. ↑ "Obama May Face Tough Decision as Iraqi Leader Signals U.S. Troops Could Stay".
  19. ↑ "Pentagon Rethinks Iraq pull-out Plans". Financial Times.
  20. ↑ Terkel, Amanda (May 11, 2011). "Iraq Withdrawal Date For U.S. Troops May Be Pushed Back Beyond 2011" – via Huff Post.
  21. ↑ Robert L. Willett, "Russian Sideshow" (Washington, D.C., Brassey's Inc., 2003), page 267
  22. ↑ "Our Longest U.S. War: Medical Treatments for Gulf War Illness Remain Elusive | Swords to Plowshares". Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  23. ↑ "A Kosovo Chronology | War In Europe | FRONTLINE | PBS". www.pbs.org. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  24. ↑ The Bay of Pigs Invasion, CIA (April 18, 2016).
  25. ↑ Bill Bowden, Files link Arkansans to role in Bay of Pigs: Kennedy, aides discuss it in 1963 tapes, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (April 18, 2021).
  26. ↑ "U.S. Participation in Major Wars". Fox News. Associated Press. November 25, 2006. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  27. ↑ "U.S. involved in Iraq war longer than it was in World War II". UT San Diego. November 25, 2006. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2021.

Bibliography

U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) (November 6, 1998). "Name of Technical Sergeant Richard B. Fitzgibbon to be added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial". DoD.
Lawrence, A. T. (2009). Crucible Vietnam: Memoir of an Infantry Lieutenant. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN   978-0-786-44517-2.
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