October 2, 2000
The following is a partial list of U.S. military interventions from 1890 to 1999. This guide does NOT include demonstration duty by military police, mobilizations of the National Guard, offshore shows of naval strength, reinforcements of embassy personnel, the use of non-Defense Department personnel (such as the Drug Enforcement Agency), military exercises, non-combat mobilizations (such as replacing postal strikers), the permanent stationing of armed forces, covert actions where the U.S. did not play a command and control role, the use of small hostage rescue units, most uses of proxy troops, U.S. piloting of foreign warplanes, foreign disaster assistance, military training and advisory programs not involving direct combat, civic action programs, and many other military activities.
Among sources used, besides news reports, are the Congressional Record (23 June 1969), 180 landings by the U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Ege & Makhijani in Counterspy (July-Aug. 1982), and Daniel Ellsberg in Protest & Survive. 'Instances of Use of United States Forces Abroad, 1798-1993' by Ellen C. Collier of the Library of Congress Congressional Research Service.
|
SOUTH DAKOTA |
ARGENTINA |
CHILE |
|
1890 (-?) |
1890 |
1891 |
|
Troops |
Troops |
Troops |
|
300 Lakota Indians massacred at Wounded Knee. |
Buenos Aires interests protected. |
Marines clash with nationalist rebels. |
|
HAITI |
IDAHO |
HAWAII |
|
1891 |
1892 |
1893 (-?) |
|
Troops |
Troops |
Naval, troops |
|
Black workers revolt on U.S.-claimed Navassa Island defeated. |
Army suppresses silver miners' strike. |
Independent kingdom overthrown, annexed. |
|
CHICAGO |
NICARAGUA |
CHINA |
|
1894 |
1894 |
1894-95 |
|
Troops |
Troops |
Naval, troops |
|
Breaking of rail strike, 34 killed. |
Month-long occupation of Bluefields. |
Marines land in Sino-Japanese War. |
|
KOREA |
PANAMA |
NICARAGUA |
|
1894-96 |
1895 |
1896 |
|
Troops |
Troops, naval |
Troops |
|
Marines kept in Seoul during war. |
Marines land in Colombian province. |
Marines land in port of Corinto. |
|
CHINA |
PHILIPPINES |
CUBA |
|
1898-1900 |
1898-1910(-?) |
1898-1902(-?) |
|
Troops |
Naval, troops |
Naval, troops |
|
Boxer Rebellion fought by foreign armies. |
Seized from Spain, killed 600,000 Filipinos. |
Seized from Spain, still hold Navy base. |
|
PUERTO RICO |
GUAM |
MINNESOTA |
|
1898(-?) |
1898(-?) |
1898(-?) |
|
Naval, troops |
Naval, troops |
Troops |
|
Seized from Spain, occupation continues. |
Seized from Spain, still use as base. |
Army battles Chippewa at Leech Lake. |
|
NICARAGUA |
SAMOA |
NICARAGUA |
|
1898 |
1899(-?) |
1899 |
|
Troops |
Troops |
Troops |
|
Marines land at port of San Juan del Sur. |
Battle over succession to throne. |
Marines land at port of Bluefields. |
|
IDAHO |
OKLAHOMA |
PANAMA |
|
1899-1901 |
1901 |
1901-14 |
|
Troops |
Troops |
Naval, troops |
|
Army occupies C?ur d'Alene mining region. |
Army battles Creek Indian revolt. |
Broke off from Colombia 1903, annexed Canal Zone 1914-99. |
|
HONDURAS |
DOMINICAN REP. |
KOREA |
|
1903 |
1903-04 |
1904-05 |
|
Troops |
Troops |
Troops |
|
Marines intervene in revolution. |
U.S. interests protected in Revolution. |
Marines land in Russo-Japanese War. |
|
CUBA |
NICARAGUA |
HONDURAS |
|
1906-09 |
1907 |
1907 |
|
Troops |
Troops |
Troops |
|
Marines land in democratic election. |
'Dollar Diplomacy' protectorate set up. |
Marines land during war with Nicaragua. |
|
PANAMA |
NICARAGUA |
HONDURAS |
|
1908 |
1910 |
1911 |
|
Troops |
Troops |
Troops |
|
Marines intervene in election contest. |
Marines land in Bluefields and Corinto. |
U.S. interests protected in civil war. |
|
CUBA |
PANAMA |
HONDURAS |
|
1912 |
19l2 |
19l2 |
|
Troops |
Troops |
Troops |
|
U.S. interests protected in Havana. |
Marines land during heated election. |
Marines protect U.S. economic interests. |
|
NICARAGUA |
MEXICO |
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC |
|
1912-33 |
19l3 |
1914 |
|
Troops, bombing |
Naval |
Naval |
|
20-year occupation, fought guerrillas. |
Americans evacuated during revolution. |
Fight with rebels over Santo Domingo. |
|
COLORADO |
MEXICO |
HAITI |
|
1914 |
1914-18 |
1914-34 |
|
Troops |
Naval, troops |
Troops, bombing |
|
Breaking of miners' strike by Army. |
Series of interventions against nationalists. |
19-year occupation after revolts. |
|
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC |
CUBA |
WORLD WAR I |
|
1916-24 |
1917-33 |
19l7-18 |
|
Troops |
Troops |
Naval, troops |
|
8-year Marine occupation. |
Military occupation, economic protectorate. |
Ships sunk, fought Germany. |
|
RUSSIA |
PANAMA |
YUGOSLAVIA |
|
1918-22 |
1918-20 |
1919 |
|
Naval, troops |
Troops |
Troops |
|
Five landings to fight Bolsheviks. |
'Police duty' during unrest after elections. |
Marines intervene for Italy against Serbs in Dalmatia. |
|
HONDURAS |
GUATEMALA |
WEST VIRGINIA |
|
1919 |
1920 |
1920-21 |
|
Troops |
Troops |
Troops, bombing |
|
Marines land during election campaign. |
2-week intervention against unionists. |
Army intervenes against mineworkers. |
|
TURKEY |
CHINA |
HONDURAS |
|
1922 |
1922-27 |
1924-25 |
|
Troops |
Naval, troops |
Troops |
|
Fought nationalists in Smyrna (Izmir). |
Deployment during nationalist revolt. |
Landed twice during election strife. |
|
PANAMA |
CHINA |
EL SALVADOR |
|
1925 |
1927-34 |
1932 |
|
Troops |
Troops |
Naval |
|
Marines suppress general strike. |
Marines stationed throughout the country. |
Warships sent during Faribundo Marti revolt. |
|
WASHINGTON DC |
WORLD WAR II |
DETROIT |
|
1932 |
1941-45 |
1943 |
|
Troops |
Naval,troops, bombing, nuclear |
Troops |
|
Army stops WWI vet bonus protest. |
Fought Axis for 3 years; 1st nuclear war. |
Army puts down Black rebellion. |
|
IRAN |
YUGOSLAVIA |
URUGUAY |
|
1946 |
1946 |
1947 |
|
Nuclear threat |
Naval |
Nuclear threat |
|
Soviet troops told to leave north (Iranian Azerbaijan). |
Response to shooting-down of U.S.plane. |
Bombers deployed as show of strength. |
|
GREECE |
CHINA |
GERMANY |
|
1947-49 |
1948-49 |
1948 |
|
Command operation |
Troops |
Nuclear threat |
|
U.S. directs extreme-right in civil war. |
Marines evacuate Americans before Communist victory. |
Atomic-capable bombers guard Berlin Airlift. |
|
PHILIPPINES |
PUERTO RICO |
KOREA |
|
1948-54 |
1950 |
1951-53(-?) |
|
Command operation |
Command operation |
Troops, naval, bombing, nuclear threats |
|
CIA directs war against Huk Rebellion. |
Independence rebellion crushed in Ponce. |
U.S.& South Korea fight China & North Korea to stalemate; A-bomb threat in 1950, & vs.China in 1953. Still have bases. |
|
IRAN |
VIETNAM |
GUATEMALA |
|
1953 |
1954 |
1954 |
|
Command operation |
Nuclear threat |
Command operation, bombing, nuclear threat |
|
CIA overthrows democracy, installs Shah. |
Bombs offered to French to use against siege. |
CIA directs exile invasion after new gov't nationalizes U.S. company lands; bombers based in Nicaragua. |
|
EGYPT |
LEBANON |
IRAQ |
|
1956 |
1958 |
1958 |
|
Nuclear threat, troops |
Troops, naval |
Nuclear threat |
|
Soviets told to keep out of Suez crisis; Marines evacuate foreigners |
Marine occupation against rebels |
Iraq warned against invading Kuwait. |
|
CHINA |
PANAMA |
VIETNAM |
|
1958 |
1958 |
1960-75 |
|
Nuclear threat |
Troops |
Troops, naval, bombing, nuclear threats |
|
China told not to move on Taiwan isles. |
Flag protests erupt into confrontation. |
Fought South Vietnam revolt & North Vietnam; 1-2 million killed in longest U.S. war; atomic bomb threats in 1968 and 1969. |
|
CUBA |
GERMANY |
CUBA |
|
1961 |
1961 |
1962 |
|
Command operation |
Nuclear threat |
Nuclear threat |
|
CIA-directed exile invasion fails. |
Alert during Berlin Wall crisis. |
Naval Blockade during missile crisis; near-war with USSR. |
|
LAOS |
PANAMA |
INDONESIA |
|
1962 |
1964 |
1965 |
|
Command operation |
Troops |
Command operation |
|
Military buildup during guerrilla war. |
Panamanians shot for urging canal's return. |
Million killed in CIA-assisted army coup. |
|
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC |
GUATEMALA |
DETROIT |
|
1965-66 |
1966-67 |
1967 |
|
Troops, bombing |
Command operation |
Troops |
|
Marines land during election campaign. |
Green Berets intervene against rebels. |
Army battles Blacks, 43 killed. |
|
UNITED STATES |
CAMBODIA |
OMAN |
|
1968 |
1969-75 |
1970 |
|
Troops |
Bombing, troops, naval |
Command operation |
|
After King is shot; over 21,000 soldiers in cities. |
Up to 2 million killed in decade ofbombing, starvation, and political chaos. |
U.S. directs Iranian marine invasion. |
|
LAOS |
SOUTH DAKOTA |
MIDEAST |
|
1971-73 |
1973 |
1973 |
|
Command operation, bombing |
Command operation |
Nuclear threat |
|
U.S. directs South Vietnamese invasion; 'carpet-bombs' countryside. |
Army directs Wounded Knee siege of Lakotas. |
World-wide alert during Mideast War. |
|
CHILE |
CAMBODIA |
ANGOLA |
|
1973 |
1975 |
1976-92 |
|
Command operation |
Troops, bombing Gas |
Command operation |
|
CIA-backed coup ousts elected marxist president. |
captured ship, 28 die in copter crash. |
CIA assists South African-backed rebels. |
|
IRAN |
LIBYA |
EL SALVADOR |
|
1980 |
1981 |
1981-92 |
|
Troops, nuclear threat, aborted bombing |
Naval jets |
Command operation, troops, advisors |
|
Raid to rescue Embassy hostages;8 troops die in copter-plane crash. Soviets warned not to get involved in revolution. |
Two Libyan jets shot down in maneuvers. |
Overflights aid anti-rebel war, soldiers briefly involved in hostage clash. |
|
NICARAGUA |
LEBANON |
HONDURAS |
|
1981-90 |
1982-84 |
1983-89 |
|
Command operation, naval |
Naval, bombing, troops |
Troops |
|
CIA directs exile (Contra) invasions, plants harbor mines against revolution. |
Marines expel PLO and back Phalangists, Navy bombs and shells Muslim and Syrian positions. |
Maneuvers help build bases near borders. |
|
GRENADA |
IRAN |
LIBYA |
|
1983-84 |
1984 |
1986 |
|
Troops, bombing |
Jets |
Bombing, naval |
|
Invasion four years after revolution. |
Two Iranian jets shot down over Persian Gulf. |
Air strikes to topple nationalist gov't. |
|
BOLIVIA |
IRAN |
LIBYA |
|
1986 |
1987-88 |
1989 |
|
Troops |
Naval, bombing |
Naval jets |
|
Army assists raids on cocaine region. |
US intervenes on side of Iraq in war. |
Two Libyan jets shot down. |
|
VIRGIN ISLANDS |
PHILIPPINES |
PANAMA |
|
1989 |
1989 |
1989-90 |
|
Troops |
Jets |
Troops, bombing |
|
St. Croix Black unrest after storm. |
Air cover provided for government against coup. |
Nationalist government ousted by 27,000 soldiers, leaders arrested, 2000+ killed. |
|
LIBERIA |
SAUDI ARABIA |
IRAQ |
|
1990 |
1990-91 |
1990-? |
|
Troops |
Troops, jets |
Bombing, troops, naval |
|
Foreigners evacuated during civil war. |
Iraq countered after invading Kuwait; 540,000 troops also stationed in Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Israel. |
Blockade of Iraqi and Jordanian ports, air strikes; 200,000+ killed in invasion of Iraq and Kuwait; no-fly zone over Kurdish north, Shiite south, large-scale destruction of Iraqi military. |
|
KUWAIT |
LOS ANGELES |
SOMALIA |
|
1991 |
1992 |
1992-94 |
|
Naval, bombing, troops |
Troops |
Troops, naval, bombing |
|
Kuwait royal family returned to throne. |
Army, Marines deployed against anti-police uprising. |
U.S.-led United Nations occupation during civil war; raids against one Mogadishu faction. |
|
YUGOSLAVIA |
BOSNIA |
HAITI |
|
1992-94 |
1993-95 |
1994-96 |
|
Naval |
Jets, bombing |
Troops, naval |
|
Nato blockade of Serbia and Montenegro. |
No-fly zone patrolled in civil war; downed jets, bombed Serbs. |
Blockade against military government; troops restore President Aristide to office three years after coup. |
|
CROATIA |
ZAIRE (CONGO) |
LIBERIA |
|
1995 |
1996-97 |
1997 |
|
Bombing |
Troops |
Troops |
|
Krajina Serb airfields attacked before Croatian offensive. |
Marines at Rwandan Hutu refuge camps, in area where Congo revolution begins. |
Soldiers under fire during evacuation of foreigners. |
|
ALBANIA |
SUDAN |
AFGHANISTAN |
|
1997 |
1998 |
1998 |
|
Troops |
Missiles |
Missiles |
|
Soldiers under fire during evacuation of foreigners. |
Attack on pharmaceutical plant alleged to be 'terrorist' nerve gas plant. |
Attack on former CIA training camps used by Islamic fundamentalist groups alleged to have attacked embassies. |
|
IRAQ |
YUGOSLAVIA |
|
|
1998-? |
1999-? |
|
|
Bombing, Missiles |
Bombing, Missiles |
|
|
Four days of intensive air strikes after weapons inspectors allege Iraqi obstructions. |
Heavy NATO air strikes after Serbia declines to withdraw from Kosovo. |
|
This compilation was revised on March 23, 1999. For more information or with comments and additions please contact :
Zoltan Grossman, 1705 Rutledge, Madison, WI 53704
Phone Fax : (608)246-2256. mtn@igc.apc.org
Permission to reproduce this list in its entirety is granted by the author, please send any published copy to the above address.
Related links
Weapons Watch: An Every-Now-and-Then-Look at Weapons of War - by Mac Lawrence
Lest We Forget - by Wendell Berry
More Money Down the Military Drain - by Mac Lawrence
What Kind of Nation Neglects Everything BUT Weapons? - by Dale Bumpers
Resources on the War in Yugoslavia and its Aftermath
Articles Published on Swans Regarding the War in Yugoslavia and its Aftermath