Us World Meddling

Year

1798-1800

France

Undeclared U.S. naval war against France, U.S. Marines land in Puerto Plata

1801-1805

Tripoli

War with Tripoli (Libya), called “First Barbary War”

1806

Spanish Mexico

U.S. military force enter Spanish territory in headwaters of the Rio Grande

1806-1810

Spanish and French in Caribbean

U.S. naval vessels attack French and Spanish shipping in the Caribbean

1810

Spanish West Florida

U.S. troops invade and seize Western Florida, a Spanish possession

1812

Spanish East Florida

U.S. troops seize Amelia Island and adjacent territories

1812

Britain

War of 1812, includes U.S. naval and land operations

1813

Marquesas Island

U.S. forces seize Nukahiva and establish first U.S. naval base in the Pacific

1814

Spanish (East Florida)

U.S. troops seize Pensacola in Spanish East Florida

1814-1825

French, British and Spanish in Caribbean

U.S. naval squadron engages French, British and Spanish shipping in the Caribbean

1815

Algiers and Tripoli

U.S. naval fleet under Captain Stephen Decatur wages “Second Barbary War” in North Africa

1816-1819

Spanish East Florida

U.S. troops attack and seize Nicholls’ Fort, Amelia Island and other strategic locations. Spain eventually cedes East Florida to the United States

1822-1825

Spanish Cuba and Puerto Rico

U.S. Marines land in numerous cities in the Spanish island of Cuba and also in Spanish Puerto Rico

1827

Greece

U.S. Marines invade the Greek islands of Argentiere, Miconi and Andross

1831

Falkland/Malvinas Islands

U.S. naval squadrons aggress the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic

1832

Sumatra, Dutch East Indies

U.S. naval squadrons attack Qallah Battoo

1833

Argentina

U.S. forces land in Buenos Aires and engage local combatants

1835-1836

Peru

U.S. troops dispatched twice for counter-insurgency operations

1836

Mexico

U.S. troops assist Texas war for independence

1837

Canada

U.S. naval incident on the Canadian border leads to mobilization of a large force to invade Canada. War is narrowly averted

1838

Sumatra, Dutch East Indies

U.S. naval forces sent to Sumatra for punitive expedition

1840-1841

Fiji

U.S. naval forces deployed, U.S. Marines land

1841

Samoa

U.S. naval forces deployed, U.S. Marines land

1842

Mexico

U.S. naval forces temporarily seize cities of Monterey and San Diego

1843

China

U.S. Marines land in Canton

1843

Ivory Coast

U.S. Marines land

1846-1848

Mexico

Full-scale war. Mexico cedes half of its territory to the U.S. by the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo

1849

Ottoman Empire (Turkey)

U.S. naval force dispatched to Smyrna

1852-1853

Argentina

U.S. Marines land in Buenos Aires

1854

Nicaragua

U.S. Navy bombards and largely destroys city of San Juan del Norte. U.S. Marines land and set fire to the city

1854

Japan

Commodore Perry and his fleet deploy at Yokohama

1855

Uruguay

U.S. Marines land in Montevideo

1856

Colombia (Panama Region)

U.S. Marines land for counter-insurgency campaign

1856

China

U.S. Marines deployed in Canton

1856

Hawaii

U.S. naval forces seize small islands of Jarvis, Baker and Howland in the Hawaiian Islands

1857

Nicaragua

U.S. Marines land

1858

Uruguay

U.S. Marines land in Montevideo

1858

Fiji

U.S. Marines land

1859

Paraguay

Large U.S. naval force deployed

1859

China

U.S. troops enter Shanghai

1859

Mexico

U.S. military force enters northern area

1860

Portuguese West Africa

U.S. troops land at Kissembo

1860

Colombia (Panama Region)

U.S. troops and naval forces deployed

1863

Japan

U.S. troops land at Shimonoseki

1864

Japan

U.S. troops landed in Yedo

1865

Colombia (Panama Region)

U.S. Marines landed

1866

Colombia (Panama Region)

U.S. troops invade and seize Matamoros, later withdraw

1866

China

U.S. Marines land in Newchwang

1867

Nicaragua

U.S. Marines land in Managua and Leon in Nicaragua

1867

Formosa Island (Taiwan)

U.S. Marines land

1867

Midway Island

U.S. naval forces seize this island in the Hawaiian Archipelago for a naval base

1868

Japan

U.S. naval forces deployed at Osaka, Hiogo, Nagasaki, Yokohama and Negata

1868

Uruguay

U.S. Marines land at Montevideo

1870

Colombia

U.S. Marines land

1871

Korea

U.S. forces land

1873

Colombia (Panama Region)

U.S. Marines land

1874

Hawaii

U.S. sailors and marines land

1876

Mexico

U.S. Army occupies Matamoros

1882

British Egypt

U.S. troops land

1885

Colombia (Panama Region)

U.S. troops land in Colon and Panama City

1885

Samoa

U.S. naval force deployed

1887

Hawaii

U.S. Navy gains right to build permanent naval base at Pearl Harbor

1888

Haiti

U.S. troops land

1888

Samoa

U.S. Marines land

1889

Samoa

Clash with German naval forces

1890

Argentina

U.S. sailors land in Buenos Aires

1891

Chile

U.S. sailors land in the major port city of Valparaiso

1891

Haiti

U.S. Marines land on U.S.-claimed Navassa Island

1893

Hawaii

U.S. Marines and other naval forces land and overthrow the monarchy.

1894

Nicaragua

U.S. Marines land at Bluefields on the eastern coast

1894-1895

China

U.S. Marines are stationed at Tientsin and Beijing. A U.S. naval ship takes up position at Newchwang

1894-1896

Korea

U.S. Marines land and remain in Seoul

1895

Colombia

U.S. Marines are sent to the town Bocas del Toro

1896

Nicaragua

U.S. Marines land in the port of Corinto

1898

Nicaragua

U.S. Marines land at the port city of San Juan del Sur

1898

Guam

U.S. naval forces seize Guam Island from Spain and the U.S. holds the island permanently

1898-1902

Cuba

U.S. naval and land forces seize Cuba from Spain

1898

Puerto Rico

U.S. naval and land forces seize Puerto Rico from Spain and the U.S. holds the island permanently

1898

Philippines

U.S. naval forces defeat the Spanish fleet and the U.S. takes control of the country

1899

Philippines

U.S. military units are reinforced for extensive counter-insurgency operations

1899

Samoa

U.S. naval forces land

1899

Nicaragua

U.S. Marines land at the port city of Bluefields

1900

China

U.S. forces intervene in several cities

1901

Colombia/Panama

U.S. Marines land

1902

Colombia/Panama

U.S. forces land in Bocas de Toro

1903

Colombia/Panama

With U.S. backing, a group in northern Colombia declares independence as the state of Panama, secure protectorate and canal

1903

Guam

U.S. Navy begins development in Apra Harbor of a permanent base installation

1903

Honduras

U.S. Marines go ashore at Puerto Cortez

1903

Dominican Republic

U.S. Marines land in Santo Domingo

1904-1905

Korea

U.S. Marines land and stay in Seoul

1906-1909

Cuba

U.S. Marines land. The U.S. builds a major U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay

1907

Nicaragua

U.S. troops seize major centers

1907

Honduras

U.S. Marines land and take up garrison in cities of Trujillo, Ceiba, Puerto Cortez, San Pedro, Laguna and Choloma

1908

Panama

U.S. Marines land and carry out operations

1910

Nicaragua

U.S. Marines land in Bluefields and Corinto

1911

Honduras

U.S. Marines intervene

1911-1941

China

The U.S. builds up its military presence in the country to a force of 5000 troops and a fleet of 44 vessels patrolling China’s coast and rivers

1912

Cuba

U.S. sends army troops into combat in Havana

1912

Panama

U.S. Army troops intervene

1912

Honduras

U.S. Marines land

1912-1933

Nicaragua

U.S. Marines intervene. A 20-year occupation of the country follows

1913

Mexico

U.S. Marines land at Ciaris Estero

1914

Dominican Republic

U.S. naval forces engage in battles in the city of Santo Domingo

1914

Mexico

U.S. forces seize and occupy Mexico’s major port city of Veracrus from April through November

1914-1934

Haiti

U.S. troops land, aerial bombardment leading to a 19-year U.S. military occupation

1915-1916

Mexico

An expeditionary force of the U.S. Army under Gen. John J. Pershing crosses the Texas border and penetrates several hundred miles into Mexican territory. Eventually reinforced to over 11,000 officers and men

1916-1924

Dominican Republic

U.S. military intervention leading to 8-year occupation

1917-1933

Cuba

Landing of U.S. naval forces. Beginning of a 15-year occupation

1918-1920

Panama

U.S. troops intervene, remain on “police duty” for over 2 years

1918-1922

Russia

U.S. naval forces and army troops fight battles in several areas of the country during a five- year period

1919

Yugoslavia

U.S. Marines intervene in Dalmatia

1919

Honduras

U.S. Marines land

1920

Guatemala

U.S. troops intervene

1922

Turkey

U.S. Marines engaged in operations in Smyrna (Izmir)

1922-1927

China

U.S. naval forces and troops deployed during 5-year period

1924-1925

Honduras

U.S. troops land twice in two-year period

1925

Panama

U.S. Marines land and engage in operations

1927-1934

China

U.S. Marines and naval forces stationed throughout the country

1932

El Salvador

U.S. naval forces intervene

1933

Cuba

U.S. naval forces deployed

1934

China

U.S. Marines land in Foochow

1944

Japan

U.S. Navy bombs and occupies Japan

1945-1949

China

U.S. forces flew tens of thousands of Nationalist Chinese troops into Japanese-controlled territory and allowed them to accept the Japanese surrender

1946

Iran

U.S. troops deployed in northern province of Iran

1946-1949

China

Major U.S. Army presence of about 100,000 troops, fighting, training and advising local combatants

1947-1949

Greece

U.S. forces wage a 3-year counterinsurgency campaign

1948

Italy

Heavy CIA involvement in national elections

1948-1954

Philippines

Commando operations, “secret” CIA war

1949

Syria

A coup aided by the CIA overthrow an elected parliamentary government in Syria, which had delayed approving an oil pipeline requested by U.S. international business interests in that region

1950-1953

Korea

Major U.S. forces engaged in war in Korean peninsula

1950-1953

China

U.S. and UN forces fought communist Chinese and North Korean troops in the Korean War, which saw South Korea successfully defended from invasion

1953

Iran

CIA overthrows government of Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh

1954

Vietnam

Financial and materiel support for colonial French military operations, leads eventually to direct military involvement

1954

Guatemala

CIA overthrows the government of President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman

1955-1970s

Tibet

CIA arms an indigenous insurgency in order to oppose the invasion and subsequent control of Tibet by China

1958

Lebanon

U.S. Marines and army units totalling 14,000 land

1958

Panama

Clashes between U.S. forces in Canal Zone and local citizens

1958

Indonesia

CIA sponsors a failed revolt against Indonesian President Sukarno

1959

Haiti

U.S. Marines land

1959

Cuba

CIA attempts to depose Cuban president Fidel Castro through the Bay of Pigs Invasion

1960-1965

Democratic Republic of Congo

CIA-backed overthrow and leads to assassination of Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba

1961

Dominican Republic

CIA supports the overthrow of Rafael Trujillo. After a period of instability, U.S. troops invades the Dominican Republic in Operation Power Pack

1961-1973

Vietnam

Gradual introduction of U.S. military advisors and Special Forces

1961

Cuba

CIA-backed Bay of Pigs invasion

1962

Cuba

Nuclear threat and U.S. naval blockade

1962

Laos

CIA-backed military coup

1963

Ecuador

CIA backs military overthrow of President Jose Maria Valesco Ibarra

1964

Panama

Clashes between U.S. forces in Canal Zone and local citizens

1964

Brazil

CIA-backed military coup overthrows the government of Joao Goulart and Gen. Castello Branco takes power

1964-1973

Laos

U.S. troops fought at the request of the governments of South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia during the Vietnam War against the military of North Vietnam and against Viet Cong, Pathet Lao, and Khmer Rouge insurgents

1965-1975

Vietnam

Large commitment of U.S. military forces, including air, naval and ground units numbering up to 500,000+ troops. Full-scale war, lasting for ten years

1965

Indonesia

CIA-backed army coup overthrows President Sukarno and brings General Suharto to power

1965

Congo

CIA backed military coup overthrows President Joseph Kasavubu and brings Joseph Mobutu to power

1965-1966

Dominican Republic

23,000 U.S. troops land

1965-1973

Laos

Bombing campaign begin, lasting eight years

1966

Ghana

CIA-backed military coup outs President Kwame Nkrumah

1966-1967

Guatemala

Extensive counter-insurgency operation

1969-1975

Cambodia

CIA supports military coup against Prince Sihanouk, bringing Lon Nol to power. Intensive bombing for seven years along border with Vietnam

1970

Oman

Counter-insurgency operation, including coordination with Iranian marine invasion

1970-1973

Chile

CIA-backed military coup ousts government of President Salvador Allende. Gen. AugU.S.to Pinochet comes to power

1971-1973

Laos

Invasion by U.S. and South Vietnamese forces

1972-1975

Iraq

CIA arms Kurdish rebels fighting the Ba’athist government of Iraq

1975

Cambodia

U.S. Marines land, engage in combat with government forces

1976-1992

Angola

U.S. military and CIA operations

1977

Pakistan

The United States stages a coup in Pakistan, overthrowing the regime of socialist Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the Pakistan Peoples Party

1980

Iran

Special operations units land in Iranian desert. Helicopter malfunction leads to aborting of planned raid

1981

Libya

U.S. naval jets shoot down two Libyan jets in manoeuvres over the Mediterranean

1981-1990

Nicaragua

CIA directs exile “Contra” operations. U.S. air units drop sea mines in harbors

1981-1992

El Salvador

CIA and Special Forces begin a long counterinsurgency campaign

1982-1984

Lebanon

U.S. Marines land and U.S. naval forces fire on local combatants

1983-1984

Grenada

U.S. military forces invade Grenada and oust the government

1983-1989

Honduras

Large program of U.S. military assistance aimed at conflict in Nicaragua

1984

Iran

Two Iranian jets shot down over the Persian Gulf

1986

Libya

U.S. aircraft bomb the cities of Tripoli and Benghazi, including direct strikes at the official residence of President Muamar al Qadaffi in response to Libyan involvement in international terrorism

1986

Bolivia

U.S. Special Forces units engage in counter-insurgency

1987-1988

Iran

U.S. naval forces block Iranian shipping. Civilian airliner shot down by missile cruiser

1989

Libya

U.S. naval aircraft shoot down two Libyan jets over Gulf of Sidra

1989

Philippines

CIA and Special Forces involved in counterinsurgency

1989-1990

Panama

27,000 U.S. troops as well as U.S. naval and air power used to overthrow government of President Manuel Noriega

1990

Liberia

U.S. troops deployed

1990-1991

Iraq

Major U.S. military operation, including naval blockade, air strikes; large number of troops attack Iraqi forces in occupied Kuwait

1991

Haiti

CIA-backed U.S. military coup ousts President Jean-Bertrand Aristide

1991

Kuwait

The U.S. intervenes in Kuwait after a series of failed diplomatic negotiations

1992-1994

Somalia

U.S. special operations forces intervene

1992-1994

Yugoslavia

Major role in NATO blockade of Serbia and Montenegro

1992-1996

Iraq

Control of Iraqi airspace in north and south of the country with periodic attacks on air and ground targets

1993-1995

Bosnia

Active U.S. military involvement with air and ground forces

1994-1996

Haiti

U.S. troops depose military rulers and restore President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to office

1995

Croatia

Krajina Serb airfields attacked

1996-1997

Zaire (Congo)

U.S. Marines involved in operations in eastern region of the country

1996

Iraq

CIA involved in the failed 1996 coup attempt against Saddam Hussein

1997

Liberia

U.S. troops deployed

1998

Sudan

Air strikes destroy country’s major pharmaceutical plant

1998

Afghanistan

Attack on targets in the country

1998

Iraq

Four days of intensive air and missile strikes

1999

Yugoslavia

Major involvement in NATO air strikes

2001

Macedonia

NATO troops shift and partially disarm Albanian rebels

2001

Afghanistan

Air attacks and ground operations oust Taliban government and install a new regime

2002-2003

Iraq

Invasion with large ground, air and U.S. naval forces ousts government of Saddam Hussein and establishes new government

2003-Present

Iraq

Occupation force of 150,000 U.S. troops in protracted counter-insurgency war

2004

Haiti

U.S. Marines land. CIA-backed forces overthrow President Jean-Bertrand Aristide

2006-2007

Somalia

U.S. launches air strikes on suspected Islamists

2011

Libya

The U.S. intervenes in the Libyan Civil War by providing air power to rebel forces. CIA to carries out a clandestine effort to provide arms and support to the Libyan opposition. Muammar Gaddafi ultimately gets overthrown and killed

2012-2017

Syria

CIA operatives and U.S. special operations troops trains and arms nearly 10,000 Syrian rebel fighters

2013-2014

Iraq

U.S. intervenes into Iraq and begin airstrikes against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)

2019

Venezuela

The U.S. considers military intervention, with reports on ongoing U.S. clandestine operations in the country

2020

Iran

A U.S. drone strike at Baghdad airport kills Qasem Soleimani, top general and one of the most powerful men in Iran