By Dr. Joy Martinez
Staff Writer
America has been involved in wars large and small since before the actual establishment of the nation. King Philip’s War—also known as the First Indian War, the Great Narragansett War or Metacom’s Rebellion—took place in southern New England from 1675 to 1676. It was the Native Americans’ final stand to avoid recognizing English authority and stop English settlement on their native lands. The war is named after the Wampanoag chief Metacom, later known as Philip or King Philip, who led the 14-month bloody rebellion.
Wars and American involvement in them have changed dramatically over the years. The majority of early American wars were fought on American soil. Twentieth-century wars such as World Wars I and II, by contrast, were fought overseas; few Americans on the homefront saw any type of direct engagement during these.
While the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II and the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001 resulted in thousands of American deaths, the most recent war fought on American soil was the Civil War, which ended in 1865.
World War I officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. However, the fighting ended about seven months before that when the Allies and Germany put into effect an armistice on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
For that reason, Nov. 11, 1918, was largely considered the end of “the war to end all wars” and dubbed Armistice Day. Armistice Day officially received its name through a U.S. Congressional resolution in 1926 as it was officially recognized as the end of the war, and in 1938, it became an official holiday, primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I.
In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Located on a hillside overlooking the Potomac River and the city of Washington, D.C., the site became the focal point of reverence for America’s veterans.
Similar ceremonies occurred earlier in England and France, where an unknown soldier was buried in each nation’s highest place of honor (in England, Westminster Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe. Each of these memorial gestures were held on November 11, giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I fighting at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918.
But then World War II and the Korean War happened, so on June 1, 1954, at the urging of veterans service organizations, Congress amended the commemoration yet again by changing the word “armistice” to “veterans” so the day would honor American veterans of all wars. The first celebration using the term Veterans Day occurred in Birmingham, Ala., in 1947. Raymond Weeks, a World War II veteran, organized “National Veterans Day,” which included a parade and other festivities, to honor all veterans.
Each century Americans have been called to arms. There are approximately 19 million U.S. veterans as of this year, according to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs. While there have been wars fought with almost universal popular support, many were subject to intense debate questioning its utility or morality.
Nevertheless, there has always been an unbroken, common thread—the matchless courage of the individuals that protect our freedom through armed service to the nation.
Every war has been distinguished by this selfless sacrifice, and we honor all those men and women who served in the listed conflicts, veterans who will never be forgotten.
1675–1676 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
... and the list goes on ....
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 United 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
