List of the lengths of United States participation in wars
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) |
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2 | Vietnam War | 1955 – 1975[3][4][5][6][a] | 19.4 years (19 years, 5 months) |
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3 | Occupation of Haiti | 1915 – 1934 | 19 years |
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4 | Philippine–American War and Moro Rebellion | 1899 – 1913 | 14 years |
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5 | War in North-West Pakistan | 2004 – 2017 | 13 years |
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6 | Northwest Indian War | 1785 – 1795 | 10 years |
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7 | Iraq War | 2003 – 2011[7][8][9][10][11][12] | 8.9 years (8 years, 9 months) |
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8 | War on ISIS | 2014 – present | 8.6 years (8 years, 7 months) |
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9 | American Revolutionary War | 1775 – 1783 | 8.4 years (8 years, 5 months) |
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10 | Second Seminole War |
1835 – 1842 |
6.7 years |
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11 | First Barbary War | 1801 – 1805 | 4.1 years (4 years, 1 month) |
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12 | American Civil War | 1861 – 1865 | 4.0 years |
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13 | World War II | 1941 – 1945 | 3.7 years (3 years, 8 months) |
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14 | Korean War | 1950 – 1953 | 3.1 years (3 years, 1 month) |
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15 | War of 1812 | 1812 – 1814 | 2.5 years (2 years, 6 months) |
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16 | Red Cloud's War | 1866 – 1868 | 1.8 years (1 year, 9 months) |
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17 | Mexican–American War | 1846 – 1848 | 1.8 years (1 year, 9 months) |
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18 | World War I | 1917 – 1918 | 1.6 years (1 year, 7 months) |
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19 | Russian Civil War | 1918 – 1920[13] | 1.6 years (1 year, 7 months) |
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20 | Great Sioux War of 1876 | 1876 – 1877 | 1.2 years (1 year, 3 months) |
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21 | Libyan Civil War (2011) | 2011 – 2011[14] | 0.6 years (7 months) |
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22 | Gulf War | 1990 – 1991[15][b] | 0.6 years (7 months) |
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23 | Whiskey Rebellion | 1794 – 1794 | 0.4 years (5 months) |
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24 | Spanish–American War | 1898 – 1898 | 114 days |
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25 | Kosovo War | 1999 – 1999[16] | 79 days |
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26 | Invasion of Panama | 1989 – 1990 | 42 days |
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27 | Cuban Missile Crisis | 1962-10-16 – 1962-10-28 | 12 days |
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28 | Invasion of Grenada | 1983-10-25 – 1983-10-29 | 4 days |
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29 | Bay of Pigs Invasion | 1961-04-17 – 1961-04-20 | 3 days |
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Sources are found in the main articles of each war, as well as the Associated Press.[17][18]
See also[edit]
- United States military deployments
- Foreign policy of the United States
- United States Department of Defense
- Declaration of war by the United States
- Military history of the United States
- Foreign interventions by the United States
- United States Armed Forces
- United States military casualties of war
- List of wars involving the United States
- List of conflicts by duration
Notes[edit]
- ^ Direct U.S. involvement ended in 1973 with the Paris Peace Accords
- ^ (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]
- ^ "Biden says US war in Afghanistan will end August 31". AP NEWS. July 8, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Rohn, Alan (March 26, 2013). "When was the end of the Vietnam War?". The Vietnam War. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- ^ "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.
- ^ DoD 1998
- ^ Lawrence 2009, p. 20
- ^ "US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,452". San Diego Union-Tribune. May 3, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
- ^ "Why can't we stop our wars?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. May 18, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
- ^ Wood, David (April 27, 2011). "Robert Gates' Pentagon Legacy: Unfinished Wars, Unfinished Budget Reform" – via Huff Post.
- ^ "Obama May Face Tough Decision as Iraqi Leader Signals U.S. Troops Could Stay".
- ^ "Pentagon Rethinks Iraq pull-out Plans". Financial Times.
- ^ Terkel, Amanda (May 11, 2011). "Iraq Withdrawal Date For U.S. Troops May Be Pushed Back Beyond 2011" – via Huff Post.
- ^ Robert L. Willett, "Russian Sideshow" (Washington, D.C., Brassey's Inc., 2003), page 267
- ^ "Nato chief Rasmussen 'proud' as Libya mission ends". BBC News. October 31, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "A Kosovo Chronology | War In Europe | FRONTLINE | PBS". www.pbs.org. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Participation in Major Wars". Fox News. Associated Press. November 25, 2006. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
- ^ "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.