Download File

American History Timeline
American Involvement in Wars from 1898 to the Present
Dates
War
Major Combatants
Why did the
United States
become involved?
Outcome
1898
SpanishAmerican War
United States vs.
Spain
Opposition to Spanish
cruelty in Cuba;
Yellow Journalism
Conflict in Cuba
The Sinking of the
USS Maine
The United States
gained territory:
Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Platt
Amendment (Cuba)
19141918
World War I
Triple Alliance:
Germany, Italy, and
Austria-Hungary vs.
Unrestricted
submarine warfare by
Germany
Germany surrenders
Triple Entente:
Britain, France, and
Russia. The United
States joined on the
side of the Triple
Entente in 1917.
The Sinking of the
Lusitania
Axis Powers:
Germany, Italy,
Japan vs.
Allied Powers:
United States, Great
Britain, France, and
The Soviet Union
The Rise of the
German Empire under
Hitler
United States (as
part of the United
Nations) and South
Korea vs. North
Korea and
Communist China
The Cold War and
Containment of
Communism
United States and
South Vietnam vs.
North Vietnam
Containment of
Communism
19391945
19501953
19601975
World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
Germany in debt
League of Nations is
created
The Zimmerman
Telegram
Japan attacks Pearl
Harbor
North Korea’s
invasion of South
Korea
Conflict between
North Vietnam
(Communist) and
South Vietnam
(non-Communist)
Germany and Japan
surrender
The United States
and Soviet Union
emerge as world
powers
War ends in a
stalemate:
North Korea
(Communist) and
South Korea
remained divided
U.S. Troops
withdrew from
Vietnam in 1973
1975- Vietnam
becomes one
communist nation
19901991
Persian Gulf
War
United States and
Coalition Forces vs.
Iraq
Iraq invades Kuwait
in August 1990
Iraq refused to
withdraw troops
despite call for
withdrawal by the
United Nations
2001
Invasion of
Afghanistan
United States and
Coalition Forces vs.
the Taliban regime
in Afghanistan to
fight terrorism.
9/11 attacks
Iraq agrees to a
cease fire and
withdraws from
Kuwait
US Troops still in
Afghanistan
War on Terror
Taliban overthrown
Search for Bin
Laden
Free elections in
Afghanistan
Death of Bin Laden
2003
Invasion of
Iraq
United States and
Coalition Forces vs.
Iraq
War on Terror
Iraq deemed a
threat
Weapons of Mass
Destruction Search
Saddam Hussein
captured and put to
death
Us troops withdraw
in 2012
Elections in Iraq
Rise of ISIS
(Islamic State of Iraq
and Syria (ISIS) –
Source: The New York Public Library Desk Reference, 3rd Edition.