Image: Wiki Commons by U.S. Department of Defense
About This Quiz
The USA is the owner of the most powerful and well-funded military on the planet. They receive billions of dollars every year, and the U.S armed forces employ millions of people. As you would expect, all of this funding isn't for nothing. Throughout the nearly 250-year history of the USA, their military has been involved in their fair share of conflicts. Whether it be fighting for their independence or helping countries who cannot help themselves, the U.S. military hasn't shied away from war and fighting for what they believe in.
Some wars have been successful, while others not so much. Some have been shorter conflicts that have only lasted months, while others have stretched well over a decade. But how much do you know about the history of wars the USA participated in? Do you know which war was the deadliest for U.S. soldiers? How about how many times the USA has officially declared war?
Whether you want to prove your knowledge of the U.S. military and their history, or just want to learn more on the topic, this is the quiz for you. Without any further ado, head for the trenches and get ready to test your knowledge about the war history of the USA. Â
Andrew Jackson
Before Andrew Jackson became the President of the USA in 1829 until 1837, he was a general in the War of 1812. In addition to that, he also served in the Congress, in both houses.
Woodrow Wilson
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
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A weapon used in World War II
Most prestigious military award
Many military awards and decorations can be awarded to soldiers for a job well done or to recognize an achievement. However, none are more prestigious than the Medal of Honor, which is typically awarded by the President of the USA. Here, United States Navy submarine sailor Henry Breault receives the Medal of Honor from President Calvin Coolidge.
Another name for soldier boots
The code of ethics for the Army
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Central America and the Caribbean
The Banana Wars were when the American military occupations and interventions that took place throughout the Caribbean and Central America. These numerous small conflicts went from 1898 to 1934.
Russia
Antarctica
Greenland
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New Mexico
Texas
In 1845, Texas went through annexation and was brought into the United States of America. With this not being formally recognized by the Mexican government, a war began between Mexico and the USA, which went from 1846 to 1848.
Virginia
Louisiana
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New Mexico
Texas
South Carolina
The very first state to secede from the Union was South Carolina; they did so on December 20th, 1860. The Civil War began when secessionist forces attacked a military fort in South Carolina.
Alabama
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Japan
Soviet Union
The Cold War took place across many decades between the USA and the Soviet Union. While no military campaigns directly took place, the war cost millions of lives and a ton of money on both sides.
Canada
France
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George Washington
In addition to being the first-ever President of the USA, George Washington was also the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. The role was originally created to coordinate the war efforts of the Thirteen Colonies.
Christopher Columbus
Abraham Lincoln
Theodore Roosevelt
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1949
In 1947, a unified National Military Establishment was founded. However, after only two years, it was renamed the Department of Defense. Currently, the department is the largest employer on the planet.
1930
1979
1867
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World War II
Korean War
World War I
Civil War
While is wasn't the largest war in terms of scale, no war cost more American lives than the Civil War. This makes sense, as the fighting took place on U.S soil and only involved Americans. In total, 620,000-750,000 Americans died as a result of the war.
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9/11
The War on Terror began as soon as Al-Qaeda attacked the World Trade Centers and other landmarks on September 11th, 2001. In total, nearly 3,000 civilians died, which makes it the most deadly terrorist attack in U.S. history.
Afghanistan declared war
Iraq broke a peace treaty
USA invasion
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Marines
Navy
Army
Coast Guard
When it comes to the military branches of the USA, nearly all of them are part of the Department of Defense. The only exception is the Coast Guard, which is instead a part of the Department of Homeland Security.
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August 28th, 1767
June 14th, 1775
The Army of the USA has been around for a very long time. It was founded way back on June 14th, 1775, which means it was around before the USA officially gained independence. The Army is headquartered at the Pentagon in Virginia.
September 3rd, 1760
February 24th, 1799
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5
The draft (or conscription) is when people are required to enlist in the armed services. The USA has only used conscription in five different battles or conflicts and doesn't utilize it anymore.
17
1
9
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24
8
2
13
The American Revolution was essentially a colonial revolt in which the Thirteen Colonies of the USA defeated the British. This victory allowed the United States of American to gain independence.
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The Pentagon
The White House
During the War of 1812, the British and their allies carried out a huge attack on Washington DC. During the attack, many different buildings were burned down, including the White House, which was then called the Presidential Mansion.
The Supreme Court head office
Area 51
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1973
The Vietnam war lasted almost 20 years and left multiple millions of people dead. While the war didn't officially end until 1975, the USA ended its involvement in the war a few years sooner in 1973.
1969
1989
1967
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When Germany invaded Poland
9/11
The attack on Pearl Harbor
World War II began back in 1939, but the USA didn't find its way into the war until December 7th, 1941. On that date, Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor and took over 2,000 American lives.
Spain attacking France
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August 14th, 1982
September 3rd, 1783
The Revolutionary War is one of the most critical battles in U.S. history. It declared independence for the USA, and the war began on April 19th, 1775, to September 3rd, 1783, when a treaty was signed to end it.
December 27th, 1802
June 16th, 1677
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Boston
New Orleans
Norfolk
Savannah
In a telegram sent from General Sherman on December 22nd 1864 to Abraham Lincoln, Sherman offered him a city as a Christmas gift. The city was Savannah, Georgia, which is the oldest city in the state.
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Plastic surgery
While plastic surgery of some types has been happening for thousands of years, the development of modern techniques began during World War I. It was used to care for soldiers who had major facial injuries.
Cutting nails
Wearing makeup
Painting nails
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17
9
12
While the military has a minimum age of 18 to join and serve, some people younger than that have managed to fool them. The youngest of them all was Calvin Graham, shown here, who actually enlisted at the age of 12.
18
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George Washington
Woodrow Wilson
John Adams
James Forrestal
The Secretary of Defense position was first introduced in 1947, and the inaugural Secretary of Defense was James Forrestal. He was a very successful politician and a very skilled administrator.
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2
3
4
5
The U.S. military and armed forces are made up of five different branches. They are the Army, the Air Force, the Marines, the Navy and the Coast Guard. Each is a separate subdivision with different duties and training.
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1944
1925
1978
1917
While there are now a ton of women serving in the U.S. military, this wasn't always the case. Loretta Walsh became the very first woman to serve in the military in a role other than a nurse, and that was way back in 1917.
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11
That's right, the USA has only formally declared war 11 times in five different wars. The first time they declared was 1812, and the last time they did so was back in 1942 as a part of World War II.
89
0
34
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Over 200,000,000
Around 6,500,000
Over 70,000,000
Of all the wars and conflicts on the planet, none have been as deadly as World War II. The war cost the lives of between 70-85 million people around the world. At the time, that was about 3% of the entire world's population.
Around 890,000
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Pearl Harbor
Fear of German hegemony
Before (and during the early stages of) World War I, the USA had wanted to stay out of military conflicts. However, after a growing fear of German aggression, the USA decided to enter World War I in late 1917.
An attack on American tourists
They were paid to do so
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Around 118,000
Around 650
Around 36,000
The Korean War was a violent battle that took place in North and South Korea in the early 1950s. About 3 million of people died in the war, including just over 36,000 U.S. military members.
Around 4,300
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There were no laws made
War Refusal of 1935
Neutrality Acts of the 1930s
There was growing turmoil in Europe and Asia throughout the 1930s that ultimately led to World War II. The USA developed the Neutrality Acts of 1930 to ensure that they didn't become involved in foreign conflicts, but it was short-lived. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, shown here, the acts were largely repealed.
War Ban of 1931
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General of the Armies
There are many different ranks in the U.S. Army, each with a different level of seniority. There is no higher rank than the General of the Armies. As mentioned, only two different people have held this rank: George Washington and John J. Pershing.
Military Commander
Fleet Admiral
Five-star commander
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44
26
The USA has had a total of 44 men serve as president, and a little over half of them have served in the military, like Ulysses S. Grant, shown here. Most have served in either the Army or the Navy, with many since World War II being Navy veterans.
5
35
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1932
1948
While women have been involved in wars for a while, they were either nurses, cooks or other non-combat positions, or they had to pretend to be men. But in 1948, women were given permanent status as regular soldiers.
1981
1953
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Al-Qaeda
Abu Sayyaf
Boko Haram
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
Over the past few years, ISIS has been one of the largest terrorist threats on the planet. It has been responsible for many large and violent attacks across the planet and has killed numerous individuals. The ISIS flag shown here is also used by al-Shabaab, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), and Boko Haram.
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Around 16,000,000
The sheer size and participation in World War II are what make it one of the most massive and famous conflicts in world history. The USA contributed to that when they had over 16,000,000 people serve in the war.
Around 800,000
Around 7,650,000
Around 1,250,000
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Every year since it's been a country
50 years
100 years
Over 200 years
The USA is nearly 250 years old and has been at war for over 220 of those years. This means the country has only been at peace for a small minority of the time it has officially been a country.
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