History of the American Military
Written By Nick Straub
The beginning of American military history can be traced back to the establishment of the Continental Army on June 14, 1775. The purpose of this army was to create a combat force capable of defeating British forces to secure American independence. America struggled to create an organized fighting force. Luckily, the Continental Army would receive essential training from the French, who had years of experience fighting the British using traditional European fighting styles of that time period. With the help of local militias, the Continental Army would soon turn the tide of the American Revolution by stringing together a few important victories that led to independence and the conclusion of the war in 1783. This war was not only a catalyst for the creation of the United States, but also launched the careers of many notable figures, such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin.
As a new, small nation, the United States in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s was not the military powerhouse it is today. Despite having an Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, the government decided to keep a smaller fighting force. They did this because they valued small, state-led militias, and were concerned about creating another powerful, overbearing government similar to the British. Military activity in this time period was sparse, consisting only of a few minor conflicts against the neighboring Native American tribes over territory, and against pirates who were harassing U.S. shipping vessels. That all changed in the year 1812.
The British and French were at war in 1812, which was bad for United States merchant vessels. U.S. merchant vessels attempting to trade with France were stopped by British ships, captured, and never returned. The British later struck agreements with the Midwest Native American tribes in order to stop American expansion. In retaliation, America declared war for the first time in its history, against the British. America began by invading Canada, hoping to use captured land as a negotiating piece. After the British had defeated French forces in Europe, they turned their full attention to the Americans. They succeeded in burning the U.S. Capitol, but they failed to take the port city of New Orleans. As a consequence, their armies were driven from American territory, thus concluding the conflict.
The next dispute in American military history was the Mexican-American War. This occurred between 1846-1848. America was looking to the west for more land, particularly in Texas, which the Mexicans wanted to retake after losing it years earlier. After America annexed Texas, Mexico and America went to war over the issue. The skirmish saw many U.S. victories when they pushed into Mexico City, taking the capital. The nations subsequently signed a treaty that allowed the U.S. to purchase territories from California to New Mexico.
In 1861, the United States would once again be at war. This conflict however, was a civil war. The southern states had seceded from the Union over many issues, but the predominant issue was slavery. The economy of the South relied heavily on slave labor, so they opposed the northern states' efforts to abolish it. When the South seceded, it demanded that the Union abandon bases near its borders. The North refused to leave Fort Sumter, a fort off the coast of South Carolina, and fighting broke out. Each side declared war soon after. Initially, both sides were attempting to take each other's capital cities, but the battle would spread to important ports and railroads. The North would eventually win due to their industrial strength, and the South was forced to renounce slavery, and rejoin the union.
In the late 1800’s, the U.S. had relatively few military disputes. However, there were still ongoing conflicts with the Native Americans as more settlers pushed west. Additionally, the United States entered the Spanish-American War. They won by quickly defeating their navy, along with winning key battles on land against Spanish forces in Cuba. The battle ended with the Spanish surrendering Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the Americans.
After the outbreak of World War I in the early 1900’s, the U.S. attempted to stay neutral. In the early stages of the war, the U.S. sent supplies to the British and French armies. This infuriated Germany, which began sinking US merchant ships despite their claim of neutrality. In 1917, America declared war on Germany and began mobilizing its armies. The opposing sides were Britain, France, Russia, the U.S., and dozens of other countries, which fought against Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. Although, by the time of their arrival, the war seemed to be drawing to a close, the U.S. forces had several key victories that ensured Germany’s eventual surrender in 1918.
Another world war broke out in the late 1930’s, but the United States chose to remain neutral. They once again sent supplies to the British and various other nations to help them fight Nazi Germany. Nevertheless, in 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, destroying eight battleships and crippling the Pacific Fleet. The Japanese chose to attack first because the U.S. had stopped sending them oil and other supplies to prevent their aggressive expansion in China and the Pacific. Thus, the United States declared war on Japan and later Germany, officially entering World War II. The two sides were the Axis powers, consisting mainly of Germany, Japan, and Italy; and the Allies, the United States, Britain, Russia, and many others. American soldiers would play a vital role in attacking Nazi Germany from Normandy, Italy, and North Africa. Simultaneously, the Soviet Union was attacking Germany from the east. After many bloody battles and hard-won victories, the Allied forces managed to push Nazi Germany back and force their surrender, effectively ending the war in Europe. Meanwhile, in the Pacific theater, the Navy had been consistently defeating Imperial Japan’s navy and was using “island hopping” techniques to take back many of the small Pacific islands that Japan had taken and fortified. After heavy losses at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, the U.S. wanted to limit casualties when taking the fiercely defended island of Japan, and elected to drop two atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, forcing a Japanese surrender and bringing an end to the conflict.
Immediately following World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as the two dominant global superpowers. America wanted to spread democratic ideology against Soviet communist values. This led to both sides funding small proxy wars against each other in order to protect their respective worldviews. This was known as the Cold War, during which the U.S. and Soviet Union amassed huge nuclear arsenals against each other but never engaged in direct warfare. One of these proxy wars was the Korean War, which lasted from 1950-1953. The North Korean forces adhered to the communist values of their Chinese allies and were supplied by the Soviets, while the South Korean combatants wanted a democratic system in place. This sparked a war between the two nations, in which the U.S. was able to push communist forces back, but then lost ground when the Chinese became more involved. Eventually, the quarrel stagnated to the point where a new border was drawn, and the skirmish ended with hostilities still high. Later in Vietnam, a similar conflict erupted in 1964 after an alleged attack in the Gulf of Tonkin, where the U.S. was supporting the democratic government of South Vietnam. Similar to the Korean War, the communist squads were supplied and advised by China and the Soviet Union. The United States was then dragged into this unpopular conflict, in which many Americans would lose their lives due to the Viet Cong's unusual combat tactics. Even though the U.S. had fire superiority, they could not use it without inflicting significant civilian casualties, forcing them to fight on a more level playing field in the homeland of their enemy. Eventually, the U.S. would withdraw, and the Viet Cong would take over the whole country in 1975.
Throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s, the U.S. would be involved in several small wars in nations like Grenada, Panama, Beirut, Somalia, and Libya. The largest friction in this era, however, would be the Gulf War, in which the U.S. and other NATO forces swiftly defeated Iraqi troops after they attacked Kuwait.
On September 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked and driven into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. Two flew into the twin towers, one crashed into the Pentagon, and the other one in a field when the passengers attempted to retake the cabin, although it is suspected that its target was the White House or the U.S. Capitol. This generated international outrage, and the U.S. began to prepare for war in the Middle East. The main targets were the Al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorist organizations, located mostly in Afghanistan, Iraq, with fewer troops in surrounding countries. The U.S. and other international units were effective, but they encountered the same problems they had in Vietnam. The terrorists lacked an identifiable uniform, used guerilla tactics, and did not follow the rules of war. Even though the U.S. inflicted many casualties, there were very few major battles to demonstrate progress. Additionally, terrorists were effective at recruiting new members, so there did not seem to be an end in sight. In spite of that, U.S. troops succeeded in finding and killing Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11th attacks. Since then, the U.S. has slowly scaled down their operations in that region until their departure in 2021. The Taliban quickly retook Afghanistan since there was no substantial government in place when the U.S. withdrew. Although there is very little U.S. involvement in this region, the “War on Terror” still continues today.
As a new, small nation, the United States in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s was not the military powerhouse it is today. Despite having an Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, the government decided to keep a smaller fighting force. They did this because they valued small, state-led militias, and were concerned about creating another powerful, overbearing government similar to the British. Military activity in this time period was sparse, consisting only of a few minor conflicts against the neighboring Native American tribes over territory, and against pirates who were harassing U.S. shipping vessels. That all changed in the year 1812.
The British and French were at war in 1812, which was bad for United States merchant vessels. U.S. merchant vessels attempting to trade with France were stopped by British ships, captured, and never returned. The British later struck agreements with the Midwest Native American tribes in order to stop American expansion. In retaliation, America declared war for the first time in its history, against the British. America began by invading Canada, hoping to use captured land as a negotiating piece. After the British had defeated French forces in Europe, they turned their full attention to the Americans. They succeeded in burning the U.S. Capitol, but they failed to take the port city of New Orleans. As a consequence, their armies were driven from American territory, thus concluding the conflict.
The next dispute in American military history was the Mexican-American War. This occurred between 1846-1848. America was looking to the west for more land, particularly in Texas, which the Mexicans wanted to retake after losing it years earlier. After America annexed Texas, Mexico and America went to war over the issue. The skirmish saw many U.S. victories when they pushed into Mexico City, taking the capital. The nations subsequently signed a treaty that allowed the U.S. to purchase territories from California to New Mexico.
In 1861, the United States would once again be at war. This conflict however, was a civil war. The southern states had seceded from the Union over many issues, but the predominant issue was slavery. The economy of the South relied heavily on slave labor, so they opposed the northern states' efforts to abolish it. When the South seceded, it demanded that the Union abandon bases near its borders. The North refused to leave Fort Sumter, a fort off the coast of South Carolina, and fighting broke out. Each side declared war soon after. Initially, both sides were attempting to take each other's capital cities, but the battle would spread to important ports and railroads. The North would eventually win due to their industrial strength, and the South was forced to renounce slavery, and rejoin the union.
In the late 1800’s, the U.S. had relatively few military disputes. However, there were still ongoing conflicts with the Native Americans as more settlers pushed west. Additionally, the United States entered the Spanish-American War. They won by quickly defeating their navy, along with winning key battles on land against Spanish forces in Cuba. The battle ended with the Spanish surrendering Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the Americans.
After the outbreak of World War I in the early 1900’s, the U.S. attempted to stay neutral. In the early stages of the war, the U.S. sent supplies to the British and French armies. This infuriated Germany, which began sinking US merchant ships despite their claim of neutrality. In 1917, America declared war on Germany and began mobilizing its armies. The opposing sides were Britain, France, Russia, the U.S., and dozens of other countries, which fought against Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. Although, by the time of their arrival, the war seemed to be drawing to a close, the U.S. forces had several key victories that ensured Germany’s eventual surrender in 1918.
Another world war broke out in the late 1930’s, but the United States chose to remain neutral. They once again sent supplies to the British and various other nations to help them fight Nazi Germany. Nevertheless, in 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, destroying eight battleships and crippling the Pacific Fleet. The Japanese chose to attack first because the U.S. had stopped sending them oil and other supplies to prevent their aggressive expansion in China and the Pacific. Thus, the United States declared war on Japan and later Germany, officially entering World War II. The two sides were the Axis powers, consisting mainly of Germany, Japan, and Italy; and the Allies, the United States, Britain, Russia, and many others. American soldiers would play a vital role in attacking Nazi Germany from Normandy, Italy, and North Africa. Simultaneously, the Soviet Union was attacking Germany from the east. After many bloody battles and hard-won victories, the Allied forces managed to push Nazi Germany back and force their surrender, effectively ending the war in Europe. Meanwhile, in the Pacific theater, the Navy had been consistently defeating Imperial Japan’s navy and was using “island hopping” techniques to take back many of the small Pacific islands that Japan had taken and fortified. After heavy losses at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, the U.S. wanted to limit casualties when taking the fiercely defended island of Japan, and elected to drop two atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, forcing a Japanese surrender and bringing an end to the conflict.
Immediately following World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as the two dominant global superpowers. America wanted to spread democratic ideology against Soviet communist values. This led to both sides funding small proxy wars against each other in order to protect their respective worldviews. This was known as the Cold War, during which the U.S. and Soviet Union amassed huge nuclear arsenals against each other but never engaged in direct warfare. One of these proxy wars was the Korean War, which lasted from 1950-1953. The North Korean forces adhered to the communist values of their Chinese allies and were supplied by the Soviets, while the South Korean combatants wanted a democratic system in place. This sparked a war between the two nations, in which the U.S. was able to push communist forces back, but then lost ground when the Chinese became more involved. Eventually, the quarrel stagnated to the point where a new border was drawn, and the skirmish ended with hostilities still high. Later in Vietnam, a similar conflict erupted in 1964 after an alleged attack in the Gulf of Tonkin, where the U.S. was supporting the democratic government of South Vietnam. Similar to the Korean War, the communist squads were supplied and advised by China and the Soviet Union. The United States was then dragged into this unpopular conflict, in which many Americans would lose their lives due to the Viet Cong's unusual combat tactics. Even though the U.S. had fire superiority, they could not use it without inflicting significant civilian casualties, forcing them to fight on a more level playing field in the homeland of their enemy. Eventually, the U.S. would withdraw, and the Viet Cong would take over the whole country in 1975.
Throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s, the U.S. would be involved in several small wars in nations like Grenada, Panama, Beirut, Somalia, and Libya. The largest friction in this era, however, would be the Gulf War, in which the U.S. and other NATO forces swiftly defeated Iraqi troops after they attacked Kuwait.
On September 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked and driven into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. Two flew into the twin towers, one crashed into the Pentagon, and the other one in a field when the passengers attempted to retake the cabin, although it is suspected that its target was the White House or the U.S. Capitol. This generated international outrage, and the U.S. began to prepare for war in the Middle East. The main targets were the Al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorist organizations, located mostly in Afghanistan, Iraq, with fewer troops in surrounding countries. The U.S. and other international units were effective, but they encountered the same problems they had in Vietnam. The terrorists lacked an identifiable uniform, used guerilla tactics, and did not follow the rules of war. Even though the U.S. inflicted many casualties, there were very few major battles to demonstrate progress. Additionally, terrorists were effective at recruiting new members, so there did not seem to be an end in sight. In spite of that, U.S. troops succeeded in finding and killing Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11th attacks. Since then, the U.S. has slowly scaled down their operations in that region until their departure in 2021. The Taliban quickly retook Afghanistan since there was no substantial government in place when the U.S. withdrew. Although there is very little U.S. involvement in this region, the “War on Terror” still continues today.