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. The longest to date is the War in Afghanistan with about 20 years of duration.

Lengths of U.S. combat forces' participation in wars[edit]

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.)

Rank War Dates Duration Duration (graphical representation)
1 War in Afghanistan 2001 – 2021[1][2] 19.9 years
(19 years, 10 months)
2 Vietnam War 1955 – 1975[3][4][5][6][a] 19.4 years
(19 years, 5 months)
3 Occupation of Haiti 1915 – 1934 19 years
4 Philippine–American War and Moro Rebellion 1899 – 1913 14 years
5 War in North-West Pakistan 2004 – 2017 13 years
6 Northwest Indian War 1785 – 1795 10 years
7 Iraq War 2003 – 2011[7][8][9][10][11][12] 8.9 years
(8 years, 9 months)
8 War on ISIS 2014 – present 8.6 years
(8 years, 7 months)
9 American Revolutionary War 1775 – 1783 8.4 years
(8 years, 5 months)
10 Second Seminole War
1835 – 1842

6.7 years
(6 years, 7 month)

11 First Barbary War 1801 – 1805 4.1 years
(4 years, 1 month)
12 American Civil War 1861 – 1865 4.0 years
13 World War II 1941 – 1945 3.7 years
(3 years, 8 months)
14 Korean War 1950 – 1953 3.1 years
(3 years, 1 month)
15 War of 1812 1812 – 1814 2.5 years
(2 years, 6 months)
16 Red Cloud's War 1866 – 1868 1.8 years
(1 year, 9 months)
17 Mexican–American War 1846 – 1848 1.8 years
(1 year, 9 months)
18 World War I 1917 – 1918 1.6 years
(1 year, 7 months)
19 Russian Civil War 1918 – 1920[13] 1.6 years
(1 year, 7 months)
20 Great Sioux War of 1876 1876 – 1877 1.2 years
(1 year, 3 months)
21 Libyan Civil War (2011) 2011 – 2011[14] 0.6 years
(7 months)
22 Gulf War 1990 – 1991[15][b] 0.6 years
(7 months)
23 Whiskey Rebellion 1794 – 1794 0.4 years
(5 months)
24 Spanish–American War 1898 – 1898 114 days
25 Kosovo War 1999 – 1999[16] 79 days
26 Invasion of Panama 1989 – 1990 42 days
27 Cuban Missile Crisis 1962-10-16 – 1962-10-28 12 days
28 Invasion of Grenada 1983-10-25 – 1983-10-29 4 days
29 Bay of Pigs Invasion 1961-04-17 – 1961-04-20 3 days

Sources are found in the main articles of each war, as well as the Associated Press.[17][18]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  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

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Biden says US war in Afghanistan will end August 31". AP NEWS. July 8, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  2. ^ Gibbons-Neff, Thomas; Katzenberg, Lauren (August 30, 2021). "The U.S. military finishes its evacuation, and an era ends in Afghanistan". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  3. ^ Rohn, Alan (March 26, 2013). "When was the end of the Vietnam War?". The Vietnam War. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ DoD 1998
  6. ^ Lawrence 2009, p. 20
  7. ^ "US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,452". San Diego Union-Tribune. May 3, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  8. ^ "Why can't we stop our wars?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. May 18, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  9. ^ Wood, David (April 27, 2011). "Robert Gates' Pentagon Legacy: Unfinished Wars, Unfinished Budget Reform" – via Huff Post.
  10. ^ "Obama May Face Tough Decision as Iraqi Leader Signals U.S. Troops Could Stay".
  11. ^ "Pentagon Rethinks Iraq pull-out Plans". Financial Times.
  12. ^ Terkel, Amanda (May 11, 2011). "Iraq Withdrawal Date For U.S. Troops May Be Pushed Back Beyond 2011" – via Huff Post.
  13. ^ Robert L. Willett, "Russian Sideshow" (Washington, D.C., Brassey's Inc., 2003), page 267
  14. ^ "Nato chief Rasmussen 'proud' as Libya mission ends". BBC News. October 31, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  15. ^ "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.
  16. ^ "A Kosovo Chronology | War In Europe | FRONTLINE | PBS". www.pbs.org. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  17. ^ "U.S. Participation in Major Wars". Fox News. Associated Press. November 25, 2006. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  18. ^ "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[edit]

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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