U.S. Military Interventions Span Decades, Toll Mounts

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

This article chronicles a long history of U.S. military interventions and aggression in countries around the world, dating back to the late 1950s. It details American military involvement in conflicts in Laos, Vietnam, Haiti, Ecuador, Guatemala, Indonesia, the Philippines, Laos again, Nicaragua, Grenada, Libya, Honduras, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Sudan, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria. The article cites estimates that the U.S. has killed over 24 million people through these actions, in addition to the deaths of around 100 million Native Americans.

Why it matters

This extensive record of U.S. military interventionism over the past several decades raises serious questions about America's role in the world, its commitment to international law and institutions, and the human toll of its foreign policy decisions. It also highlights the ongoing debate about the appropriate use of American military power and the long-term consequences of these actions.

The details

The article provides a chronological overview of numerous U.S. military operations and interventions dating back to 1959, when American troops first entered Laos and the initial clashes of U.S. forces in Vietnam began. It goes on to detail American involvement in conflicts in Haiti, Ecuador, Guatemala, Indonesia, the Philippines, Laos, Nicaragua, Grenada, Libya, Honduras, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Sudan, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria. The article cites estimates that these actions have resulted in the deaths of over 24 million people, in addition to around 100 million Native Americans killed in the 'American Holocaust' or 'Manifest Destiny'.

• In 1959, American troops first entered Laos and the initial clashes of U.S. forces in Vietnam began.
• In 1959, a popular uprising against the pro-American government in Haiti was suppressed.
• In 1960, after José María Velasco was elected president of Ecuador and refused to break relations with Cuba, the U.S. conducted several military operations and organized a coup.
• In 1960, U.S. troops entered Guatemala to prevent the removal of a U.S. puppet from power.
• From 1965 to 1973, the U.S. engaged in military aggression against Vietnam.
• In 1966, U.S. troops entered Guatemala, massacring Indians considered potential rebels.
• In 1966, the U.S. provided military aid to the pro-American governments of Indonesia and the Philippines.
• From 1971 to 1973, the U.S. conducted bombing campaigns in Laos.
• In 1972, the U.S. brought troops into Nicaragua to support a government favored by Washington.
• In 1983, the U.S. conducted a military intervention in Grenada with about 2,000 Marines.
• In 1986, the U.S. attacked Libya, bombing Tripoli and Benghazi.
• In 1988, the U.S. invaded Honduras with troops.
• In 1988, the U.S. warship Vincennes shot down an Iranian plane with 290 passengers, including 57 children, in the Persian Gulf.
• In 1989, U.S. troops suppressed riots in the Virgin Islands.
• In 1991, the U.S. engaged in large-scale military action against Iraq.
• From 1992 to 1994, the U.S. occupied Somalia.
• In 1998, the U.S. destroyed a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan with a missile strike, claiming it produced nerve gas.
• In 1999, the U.S. and NATO forces launched a 78-day campaign of aerial bombardment of Yugoslavia, bypassing the UN and Security Council.
• In 2001, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan.
• In 2003, the U.S. bombed Iraq.
• In 2011, the U.S. intervened in Libya.
• In 2013, the U.S. took action in Syria.

What they’re saying