Since America united as one nation, this great country surrendered its bravest to liberate the oppressed and ensure freedom for its citizens and future generations. Battle lines were drawn and blood was spilled on U.S. soil and foreign lands. Listed below are the sacrifices made in America’s wars.
- American Revolution
Dates: 1775 – 1783
Where: Eastern seaboard of North America
How It Ended: The Treaty of Paris was signed on Sept. 3, 1783
American Casualties: 4,435 (approx.);
Approx. 217,000 served - War of 1812
Dates: 1812 – 1815
Where: Canada, Eastern seaboard of the United States, Great Lakes and Lake Champlain
How It Ended: The Treaty of Ghent was signed on Dec. 24, 1814. Unaware of the treaty, Gen. Andrew Jackson engaged and crushed the British at New Orleans on January 8, 1815.
American Casualties: 2,260 (approx.);
Approx. 286,730 served - Mexican War
Dates: 1846 – 1848
Where: Mexico and southwestern United States, including modern-day Texas, California and New Mexico
How It Ended: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on Feb. 2, 1848.
American Casualties: 13,283 (approx.)
Approx. 78,718 served; 1,733 battle deaths; 11,550 other service deaths - Civil War
Dates: 1861 – 1865
Where: Primarily in the Eastern half of the United States (east of the Mississippi River)
How It Ended: Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at the small settlement of Appomattox Court House in southwestern Virginia on April 9, 1865.
American Casualties: Union forces 646,512 and Confederate forces 133,821 (approx.)
Union Service 2,213,363; battle deaths 140,414; other service deaths 224,097, Confederate Service 1,500,000; battle deaths 74,524; other service deaths 59,297 - Spanish-American War
Dates: April 25 – Aug. 12, 1898
Where: Mainly in the Spanish possessions of Cuba and the Philippines
How It Ended: The Treaty of Paris was signed on Dec. 10, 1898.
American Casualties: 2,446 (approx.)
Service 306,760 worldwide; battle deaths 385; Other deaths in service 2,061 - World War I
Dates: 1914 – 1918
Where: The Atlantic Ocean and Europe
How It Ended: Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919.
American Casualties: 116,708 (approx.)
Worldwide Service 4,734,991; battle deaths 53,402; Other deaths in service 63,114 (non-theater) - World War II
Dates: 1939 – 1945
Where: Europe, North Africa, Asia, Australia, and Pacific islands including Hawaii, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
How It Ended: Japan was the last Axis power to surrender on August 14, 1945, after the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
American Casualties: 407,316 (approx.)
Service (worldwide) 16,112,566; Battle deaths 291,557; Other deaths in service 113,842 (non-theater)
- Korean War
Dates: 1950 – 1953
Where: North and South Korea
How It Ended: The war reached a stalemate in June 1951. An armistice was finally reached on July 27, 1953.
American Casualties: 36,512 (approx.)
Service (worldwide) 5,720,000; battle deaths 33,741; Others deaths in service 106,117 (theater and non-theater) - Vietnam War
Dates: 1954 – 1975
Where: Southeast Asia
How It Ended: The U.S. withdrew after a ceasefire in 1973, the war ended in a North Vietnamese victory in 1975.
American Casualties: 58,193 (approx.)
Service (worldwide) 8,744,000; Southeast Asia 3,403,000; battle deaths 47,424; other service deaths 42,785 (theater and non-theater) - Persian Gulf War (Desert Shield & Storm )
Dates: August 1990 – April 1991
Where: Iraq and Kuwait
How It Ended: After a four-day ground war, an American-led coalition declared victory. A cease-fire agreement was signed on April 9, 1991.
American Casualties: 148 (approx.)
Service worldwide 2,322,000; Sent to Gulf 694,550; battle deaths 147; Other deaths 1,825 (theater & non theater) - War on Terrorism
Dates: Oct. 7, 2001 (War begins with U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom, in Afghanistan, after the terrorist attacks against the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. Approximately 3,000 civilians and members of the military died as a result of the attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.) – Conflict continues…
Where: An effort to combat terrorism world-wide begins in Afghanistan.
American Casualties in Afghanistan:
(Updated February 27, 2013)
- Iraq War
Dates: March 19, 2003 – December 15, 2011.
Where: Iraq
American Casualties:
Operation Iraqi Freedom:
(Updated February 27, 2013)
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