America has been involved in wars large and small since before the founding of the nation. The first such war, sometimes called Metacom’s Rebellion or King Philip’s War, lasted 14 months and destroyed 14 towns. The war, tiny by today’s standards, ended when Metacom (the Pokunoket chief called “King Philip” by the English), was beheaded.
The most recent war, America’s engagement in Afghanistan, is the most protracted war in U.S. history. A response to devastating coordinated terrorist attacks on American soil on Sept. 11, 2001, this war began the following month when the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in search of Taliban forces and members of al-Qaeda. U.S. troops remain there to this day.
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Chart of Wars With American Involvement
In addition to the following named wars and conflicts, members of the American military (and some civilians) have played small but active roles in many other international conflicts over the years.
| Dates | War in Which American Colonists or United States Citizens Officially Participated | Major Combatants |
|---|---|---|
| July 4, 1675– August 12, 1676 | King Philip’s War | New England Colonies vs. Wampanoag, Narragansett, and Nipmuck peoples |
| 1689–1697 | King William’s War | The English Colonies vs. France |
| 1702–1713 | Queen Anne’s War (War of Spanish Succession) | The English Colonies vs. France |
| 1744–1748 | King George’s War (War of Austrian Succession) | The French Colonies vs. Great Britain |
| 1756–1763 | French and Indian War (Seven Years War) | The French Colonies vs. Great Britain |
| 1759–1761 | Cherokee War | English Colonists vs. Cherokee Nation |
| 1775–1783 | American Revolution | English Colonists vs. Great Britain |
| 1798–1800 | Franco-American Naval War | United States vs. France |
| 1801–1805; 1815 | Barbary Wars | United States vs. Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli |
| 1812–1815 | War of 1812 | United States vs. Great Britain |
| 1813–1814 | Creek War | United States vs. Creek Nation |
| 1836 | War of Texas Independence | Texas vs. Mexico |
| 1846–1848 | Mexican-American War | United States vs. Mexico |
| 1861–1865 | U.S. Civil War | Union vs. Confederacy |
| 1898 | Spanish-American War | United States vs. Spain |
| 1914–1918 | World War I | Triple Alliance: Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary vs. Triple Entente: Britain, France, and Russia. The United States joined on the side of the Triple Entente in 1917 |
| 1939-1945 | World War II | Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan vs. Major Allied Powers: United States, Great Britain, France, and Russia |
| 1950–1953 | Korean War | United States (as part of the United Nations) and South Korea vs. North Korea and Communist China |
| 1960–1975 | Vietnam War | United States and South Vietnam vs. North Vietnam |
| 1961 | Bay of Pigs Invasion | United States vs. Cuba |
| 1983 | Grenada | United States intervention |
| 1989 | U.S. Invasion of Panama | United States vs. Panama |
| 1990–1991 | Persian Gulf War | United States and Coalition Forces vs. Iraq |
| 1995–1996 | Intervention in Bosnia and Herzegovina | United States as part of NATO acted as peacekeepers in former Yugoslavia |
| 2001–2021 | Invasion of Afghanistan | United States and Coalition Forces vs. the Taliban regime in Afghanistan to fight terrorism |
| 2003–2011 | Invasion of Iraq | United States and Coalition Forces vs. Iraq |
| 2004–present | War in Northwest Pakistan | United States vs. Pakistan, mainly drone attacks |
| 2007–present | Somalia and Northeastern Kenya | United States and Coalition forces vs. al-Shabaab militants |
| 2009–2016 | Operation Ocean Shield (Indian Ocean) | NATO allies vs. Somali pirates |
| 2011 | Intervention in Libya | U.S. and NATO allies vs. Libya |
| 2011–2017 | Lord’s Resistance Army | U.S. and allies against the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda |
| 2014–2017 | U.S.-led Intervention in Iraq | U.S. and coalition forces against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria |
| 2014–present | U.S.-led intervention in Syria | U.S. and coalition forces against al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Syria |
| 2015–present | Yemeni Civil War | Saudi-led coalition and U.S., France, and Kingdom against the Houthi rebels, Supreme Political Council in Yemen, and allies |
| 2015–present | U.S. intervention in Libya | U.S. and Libya against ISIS |
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