Top 8 wars 1800-1980

1) The War of 1812:

 June 1812 to December 1814, US vs. Great Britain
 US wants to push GB out of North America. and considered world power
 Treaty of Ghent ends war. US considered winner, b/c stop and push away GB

2) Mexican American War:

 1846 to Feb 1848
 Causes: annexation of Texas and Pres. Polk’s aggressiveness towards Mexico
 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends war.US gets land and Rio Grande as border

3) Civil War:
 April 12, 1861 to April 9, 1865 North (Union) vs. South (CSA)
 Antietam (Sep. 1862) the Turning point of entire war
 CSA loses European thoughts and Lincoln issue Emancipation Proclamation
 South surrenders Apr. 1865
 Union deaths: 360,000 CSA deaths: 260,000 620,000 total

4) Spanish- American War:

 Apr. 1898 to Dec. 1898
 High pressure between Spain and US. Spanish sinking of the Maine in Havana lead to
anti-Spanish attitude in US. US wants war
 Treaty of Paris ends war (Dec. 1898)
 US wins, Cuba gets independence from Spain, US gets Pacific islands

5) WWI:
 For US Apr. 1917 to Nov. 1918
 US, GB, France, Russia, Italy, Japan (Allies)
vs. Germany, Austria Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria (Central Powers)
 Causes: Zimmerman Note, Lusitania sinking, German U-boat action
 Allies win on Armistice Day Nov. 11, 1918. Harsh treaty for Germany

6) WWII:
 Europe: Sept. 1939 to May 1945 Asia: 1931/’37 to Aug 1945(A-Bombs)
o US Dec 1941 to Aug 1945
 Allies: US, GB, Soviets, France, China Axis: Germany, Japan, Italy
 Germany, Italy, and Japan aggressive movements. Allies try to stop them
 Allies win. US and Soviets left as only world super powers. Lead to Cold War

7) Korean War:
 1950 to 1953, US with South Korea vs. North Korea
 US try to contain spread of communism
 North stays communists, South is free

8) Vietnam War:
 1961 US officials, 1965 to 1973 US troops. US and South Vietnam vs. Vietcong
 US try to contain spread of communism
 First real US failure in a war. Have to leave with a cease fire in 1973
 Hurts American attitude toward foreign policy/wars. don’t want another wa