English Literature – Articles ☆ A Long Arc of Wars: America’s Military Footprint Across the World ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

Shri Jagat Singh Bisht

(Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker.)

Authored six books on happiness: Cultivating Happiness, Nirvana – The Highest Happiness, Meditate Like the Buddha, Mission Happiness, A Flourishing Life, and The Little Book of Happiness. He served in a bank for thirty-five years and has been propagating happiness and well-being among people for the past twenty years. He is on a mission – Mission Happiness!

🌌 A Long Arc of Wars: America’s Military Footprint Across the World 🌌

History often reads like a drifting tide—one wave rising as another ebbs. The story of the United States and its many military ventures across the world follows just such a rhythm. Beginning as a young nation determined to defend freedom, it gradually found itself stepping deeper into conflicts far beyond its shores. Some were presented as noble causes; others later proved to rest on shaky claims, political calculations, or fear-driven assumptions. For citizens of the world who wish to understand this pattern, the following narrative offers a simple, unembellished account.

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1. The Spanish–American War (1898)

President: William McKinley

Where: Cuba, Philippines, Puerto Rico

Reason Given: The explosion of the USS Maine in Havana harbour, attributed—without proof—to Spain.

What Happened: In a brief but decisive campaign, the United States defeated Spain and emerged as a colonial power, taking control of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

Consequences: Thousands of soldiers and many more civilians died in both the war and the brutal suppression of Filipino resistance.

What History Says Today: Many historians believe the rush to war was fuelled by expansionist ambitions and sensationalist journalism. The sinking of the Maine was likely an accident.

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2. World War I (1917–1918)

President: Woodrow Wilson

Where: Europe

Reason Given: German submarine attacks on American ships and the Zimmermann Telegram.

What Happened: The U.S. joined late but decisively, tipping the balance in favour of the Allies.

Consequences: Heavy casualties in Europe; the war’s end created political instability that later fed into World War II.

What History Says Today: America’s entry helped end the war, but Wilson’s idealistic vision of peace was never realised, and punitive treaties sowed seeds of future conflict.

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3. World War II (1941–1945)

President: Franklin D. Roosevelt

Where: Europe, North Africa, Pacific

Reason Given: Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour.

What Happened: The U.S. fought on multiple fronts, eventually defeating both Germany and Japan.

Consequences: Immense global destruction, including the first and only use of nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

What History Says Today: America’s role in defeating fascism was decisive, though debates on the necessity of atomic bombings continue.

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4. The Consequences: Korean War (1950–1953)

President: Harry Truman

Where: Korean Peninsula

Reason Given: Stopping Communist expansion after North Korea invaded the South.

What Happened: A brutal war that ended in a stalemate along the 38th parallel.

Millions of Korean civilians died; the peninsula remains divided to this day.

What History Says Today: Seen as part of early Cold War anxieties; the justification remains debated.

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5. The Vietnam War (1955–1975)

Presidents: Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon

Where: Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos

Reason Given: The “Domino Theory” that communism would spread across Asia. The fabricated Gulf of Tonkin incident served as the trigger for full-scale war.

What Happened: Years of relentless bombing, ground combat, and chemical warfare (including Agent Orange).

Consequences: Over 2 million Vietnamese civilians and 58,000 American soldiers died. Laos and Cambodia were dragged into the conflict.

What History Says Today: Widely acknowledged as unnecessary and based on false premises. America withdrew without achieving its goal; Vietnam unified under the same government the war sought to prevent.

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6. The Bay of Pigs & Latin America Interventions (1950s–1980s)

Presidents: Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Reagan

Where: Cuba, Nicaragua, Chile, Guatemala, and others

Reason Given: Curbing communist influence and protecting American interests.

What Happened: A mix of coups, covert operations, assassinations, and support to dictators and paramilitary groups.

Consequences: Civilian massacres, political repression, and decades-long instability in Latin America.

What History Says Today: Many interventions were unjustified and driven by Cold War paranoia rather than real threat.

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7. The Gulf War (1991)

President: George H. W. Bush

Where: Iraq, Kuwait

Reason Given: Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.

What Happened: A swift air and ground assault forced Iraq to retreat.

Consequences: Enormous destruction of Iraqi military and infrastructure; thousands of civilian casualties.

What History Says Today: The initial cause was legitimate—Kuwait had indeed been invaded—though the scale of bombing and post-war sanctions caused lasting humanitarian harm.

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8. Afghanistan War (2001–2021)

Presidents: Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden

Where: Afghanistan

Reason Given: The 9/11 attacks and the Taliban’s refusal to hand over Osama bin Laden.

What Happened: The Taliban was toppled, but a prolonged insurgency followed.

Consequences: Over 170,000 Afghan deaths, massive displacement, and eventual return of the Taliban after U.S. withdrawal.

What History Says Today: The initial aim—to dismantle al-Qaeda—was achieved early, but the 20-year nation-building effort failed. Seen widely as a costly misadventure.

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9. Iraq War (2003–2011)

President: George W. Bush

Where: Iraq

Reason Given: Claims that Saddam Hussein possessed “Weapons of Mass Destruction” (WMDs)—which were never found.

What Happened: Rapid invasion, toppling Saddam, followed by years of insurgency and sectarian violence.

Consequences: At least 200,000 civilian deaths; destabilisation of the region; rise of ISIS.

What History Says Today: Regarded as one of the most unjustified wars in modern times, based on entirely false premises.

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10. Libya Intervention (2011)

President: Barack Obama

Where: Libya

Reason Given: Preventing mass atrocities during the Arab Spring.

What Happened: NATO-backed rebels overthrew Muammar Gaddafi.

Consequences: Libya collapsed into civil war, leading to chaos and militias controlling vast regions.

What History Says Today: The intervention removed a dictator but created long-term instability. Its necessity remains questioned.

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11. Syria (2011–Present)

Presidents: Obama, Trump, Biden

Where: Syria

Reason Given: Fighting ISIS and supporting “moderate rebels.”

What Happened: Airstrikes, support to proxy groups, and clashes with multiple actors including Russia.

Consequences: A prolonged civil war, enormous civilian suffering, and a fragmented nation.

What History Says Today: America’s role is seen as part of a larger geopolitical struggle rather than a clear-cut mission.

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12. Yemen (Proxy Involvement)

Presidents: Obama, Trump, Biden

Where: Yemen

Reason Given: Supporting Saudi Arabia against Houthi rebels.

What Happened: U.S. arms, intelligence, and logistical support fuelled a devastating war.

Consequences: One of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with widespread famine and disease.

What History Says Today: The war is widely condemned; American involvement is seen as having worsened the tragedy.

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13. 1 Ongoing Drone Wars and Counter-Terror Operations

Presidents: Bush to Biden

Where: Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, Niger, and others

Reason Given: Eliminating terrorist threats without deploying troops.

What Happened: Thousands of drone strikes, many secret.

Consequences: Significant civilian casualties, political backlash, and anger in affected regions.

What History Says Today: While tactically effective, they often deepened resentment and instability.

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A Pattern the World Slowly Recognised

From Manila to Mosul, the story repeats itself: a conflict justified as protection, liberation, or security; a swift beginning followed by long entanglements; tragic losses of civilian life; and eventual withdrawal without the promised result.

Over time, citizens around the world have realised that many of these wars—though often presented in noble words—were shaped as much by fear, ideology, resource interests, and geopolitical rivalry as by genuine threats. Some interventions did prevent atrocities or topple tyrants. Others left behind deeper wounds than those they aimed to heal.

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In the End

This dossier is not a judgement, but a record. As people of the world look back, they increasingly understand that wars—even those fought by powerful nations—rarely end where policymakers believe they will. They ripple outward, touching countless lives, leaving lessons that must not be forgotten.