Draft:List of listings of US military actions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


In the introduction to Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad,[1] the US Congressional Research Service says, "The instances vary greatly in size of operation, [duration,] legal authorization, and significance. ... [I]nclusion in this list does not connote either the legality or the level of significance of the instance described. ... Because of differing judgments ..., other lists may include more or fewer instances." That is followed by a footnote that cites three sources of alternative lists, as well as a source for a discussion of the evolution of such lists. This article provides links to those and other sources of listings of US military actions.

Meaning of "military action"[edit]

The term "military action" can refer to a great variety of activities. As quoted from the CRS above, the actions covered by its report "vary greatly in size of operation, [duration,] legal authorization, and significance." The titles of the listings below use the following terms for the actions they cover:

  • Notable deployment of military forces overseas
  • Military use of force
  • Small war
  • War
  • Military hostility abroad without a declaration of war
  • Military action abroad under a declaration of war
  • Major military action for broad strategic aims
  • Hostility with actual combat or ultimatum
  • Military action lasting more than 30 days
  • Military action outside the Western Hemisphere
  • Military operation arguably initiated under prior legislative authority (no declarations of war)
  • Armed action without a declaration of war

External listings[edit]

In reverse chronological order.

Prefixed asterisks "(*)" indicate the four references cited in Footnote 1 of CRS Report # R42738.


  • Listing of Notable Deployments of U.S. Military Forces Overseas since 1798, table in and primary content of Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad,[1] Report # R42738 by US Congressional Research Service. Updated approximately annually.
    • The current version can be found by a search on the CRS website.[2] For previous versions, see List of revisions and sources of 'Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad'.


  • Military > Use of Force,[3] section of selected Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports, published by Air War College of the United States Air Force, last updated on May 13, 2011.


  • (*) America’s Small Wars by John M. Collins, Brassey's, New York, 1991.[4]


  • (*) Lists of Wars,[5] Chapter 9 of To Chain the Dog of War: The War Power of Congress in History and Law by Francis D. Wormuth and Edwin B. Firmage, University of Illinois Press, 1989.
    • This is not itself a listing, but is a discussion of the evolution of lists of military actions and legal authorization for such actions.


  • (*) War Without Declaration,[6] submitted by Sen. Barry Goldwater to the U.S. Senate on July 20, 1973 for publication in the Congressional Record, updated from appendix of War Powers Legislation by J. Terry Emerson (see below). Contents:
    • A chronological list of 199 U.S. military hostilities abroad, without a declaration of war, 1798–1972
    • B. Five U.S. military actions abroad under a declaration of war
    • C. Fifty major military actions for broad strategic aims
    • D. Eighty-two hostilities with actual combat or ultimatums
    • E. Ninety-Seven Military Actions Lasting More Than Thirty Days
    • One hundred three military actions by the United States outside the Western Hemisphere
    • G. 81 Military Operations Arguably Initiated Under Prior Legislative Authority (No Declarations of War)


  • From War Powers Legislation by J. Terry Emerson in West Virginia Law Review, August 1971.[7]
    • Appendix:
      • A. Chronological List of 192 U.S. Military Hostilities Abroad without a Declaration of War
      • B. Five United States Military Actions Abroad under a Declaration of War
      • C. Forty-Three Major Military Actions for Broad Strategic Aims
      • D. Eighty-One Hostilities with Actual Combat or Ultimatums
      • E. Ninety-Three Military Actions Lasting More Than Thirty Days
      • F. One Hundred Military Actions by the United States Outside the Western Hemisphere
      • G. Eighty-One Military Operations Arguably Initiated under Prior Legislative Authority (No Declarations of War)
    • Addendum, September 1972.[8]
      • "five undeclared U. S. military actions abroad which supplement the chronological list of such incidents in the appendix"


  • (*) Armed Actions Taken by the United States Without a Declaration of War, 1789-1967, Research Project 806A, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, Historical Studies Division, August 1967.[9]

In Wikipedia[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad, Report # R42738 by US Congressional Research Service
  2. ^ Search on CRS website for "Instances of the Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad".
  3. ^ Military > Use of Force, section of selected Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports, published by Air War College of the United States Air Force, last updated on May 13, 2011.
  4. ^ America’s Small Wars by John M. Collins, Brassey's, New York, 1991.
  5. ^ Chapter 9 of To Chain the Dog of War: The War Power of Congress in History and Law by Francis D. Wormuth and Edwin B. Firmage, University of Illinois Press, 1989 (alternate link that may provide access to whole chapter).
  6. ^ U.S. Congressional Record, July 20, 1973, pg 25066..76
  7. ^ War Powers Legislation by J. Terry Emerson in West Virginia Law Review, August 1971.
  8. ^ War Powers Legislation: An Addendum by J. Terry Emerson in West Virginia Law Review, September 1972
  9. ^ Armed Actions Taken by the United States Without a Declaration of War, 1789-1967, Research Project 806A, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, Historical Studies Division, August 1967 (alternate link).

Category:Wars involving the United States United States Wars Wars Category:Battles involving the United States

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Draft:List_of_listings_of_US_military_actions&oldid=1220625133"