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War · United States

American Wars

Every war the country has fought, in order. Scroll down — the cards get bigger as the wars get bigger. It is not subtle.

Colonial Wars
Colonial Wars
A Nation Forged
A Nation Forged
1812
–1815
Burning of Washington
War of 1812
United States vs. Great Britain
Britain burned the White House. We got an anthem out of it.
1846
–1848
Battle of Veracruz
Mexican–American War
United States vs. Mexico
Texas, California, and a long argument about whether any of this was OK.
Industrial Wars
Industrial Wars
1898
San Juan Hill
Spanish–American War
United States vs. Spain
Ten weeks, four oceans, one empire — ours, now.
World Wars
World Wars
1917
–1918
Trenches, Western Front
World War I
Allies vs. Central Powers
The war that finally explained what artillery could really do.
1939
–1945
Normandy landings, June 1944
World War II
Allies vs. Axis
The big one. Set the table for everything that came after.
Cold War & After
Cold War & After
1950
–1953
Inchon landing
Korean War
UN & South Korea vs. North Korea & China
Officially still going. Technically a ceasefire, not a peace.
1955
–1975
Hueys at dawn
Vietnam War
United States & South Vietnam vs. North Vietnam
The war that taught a generation to mistrust the official story.
1990
–1991
Highway of Death
Gulf War
Coalition vs. Iraq
A hundred-hour ground war, watched live on cable.
2001
–pres
Tora Bora
War on Terror
United States & allies vs. al-Qaeda, Taliban, ISIS
A war fought in deserts and in spreadsheets. The longest one yet.
Today — you are here.