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General Discussion => History => Topic started by: Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook on June 16, 2012, 10:09:59 PM



Title: Major American Wars-Losses, Wins, Ties, and What Qualifies.
Post by: Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook on June 16, 2012, 10:09:59 PM
My title is a reference to America's "score record" if you will.  Seven wins, two loses, two ties, one undicided.

Now, that adds up to 12 Major American Wars. Now, the 12 I'm referenceing are:

American Revolution (Win)
War of 1812 (Tie)
Mexican War (Win)
American Civil War (Win)
Spanish-American War (Win)
World War One (Win)
World War Two (Win)
Korean War (Tie)
Veitnam War (Loss)
Gulf War (Win)
Afghan War (Ongoing)
Iraq War (Loss)


Now, do the Gulf War and Spanish Amerrican War last too short to qualify as a major war? Did any of the various conflicts and bombings in the last 30 years count as wars?  Did I missinterpret a war?


Title: Re: Major American Wars-Losses, Wins, Ties, and What Qualifies.
Post by: True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자) on June 16, 2012, 10:26:22 PM
While the Iraq War was over-expensive, I don't see it as one that can be put in the loss column.  If Iraq was a loss, then so was the War of 1812.  The US failed to achieve any of its war aims, had its capitol burned and looted, and nearly triggered an internal civil war.  If the British hadn't tried and failed in the winter of 1814-5 to take New Orleans, it's entirely possible that we'd have seen the breakup of the Union


Title: Re: Major American Wars-Losses, Wins, Ties, and What Qualifies.
Post by: LastVoter on June 17, 2012, 02:26:01 AM
How is Iraq War a loss and War of 1812 a tie?


Title: Re: Major American Wars-Losses, Wins, Ties, and What Qualifies.
Post by: dead0man on June 17, 2012, 04:39:54 AM
....and hell, Vietnam was more of a forfeit than an out and out loss.

(yes, I know a forfeit is a loss)


Title: Re: Major American Wars-Losses, Wins, Ties, and What Qualifies.
Post by: Gustaf on June 17, 2012, 05:12:30 AM
40 seconds in! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MLYRVvzp_8&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MLYRVvzp_8&feature=related)


Title: Re: Major American Wars-Losses, Wins, Ties, and What Qualifies.
Post by: Snowstalker Mk. II on June 17, 2012, 07:02:07 AM
The Spanish-American War, while short, was possibly the most important in American history after the Revolution, the Civil War, and World War II. It showed that the United States could beat a European power one-on-one (Britain only used a fraction of her military in the War of 1812, with all hands on Napoleon), and fully established the United States as a great power due to having overseas colonies (the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico)


Title: Re: Major American Wars-Losses, Wins, Ties, and What Qualifies.
Post by: Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it] on June 17, 2012, 06:41:41 PM
Did any of the various conflicts and bombings in the last 30 years count as wars?

Well, maybe a case could be made for this:

War on Terror (Pakistan, Yemen, etc): Ongoing


Title: Re: Major American Wars-Losses, Wins, Ties, and What Qualifies.
Post by: Donerail on June 17, 2012, 08:13:36 PM
Would any of the Indian Wars be large enough to count? Could those all be lumped together?


Title: Re: Major American Wars-Losses, Wins, Ties, and What Qualifies.
Post by: Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook on June 18, 2012, 12:21:18 AM
Did any of the various conflicts and bombings in the last 30 years count as wars?

Well, maybe a case could be made for this:

War on Terror (Pakistan, Yemen, etc): Ongoing

We could merge iraq and Afghanistan into that.


Title: Re: Major American Wars-Losses, Wins, Ties, and What Qualifies.
Post by: Filuwaúrdjan on June 18, 2012, 10:10:49 AM
Does it matter?


Title: Re: Major American Wars-Losses, Wins, Ties, and What Qualifies.
Post by: True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자) on June 18, 2012, 07:28:18 PM
Would any of the Indian Wars be large enough to count? Could those all be lumped together?

The Seminole Wars were probably the most significant of the Indian Wars not associated with some other conflict post-Independence.