From Mexico to Afghanistan, via Europe and Melanesia: a look at the wars in the United States

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(CNN Spanish) – The United States celebrates Veterans Day this Thursday, a tribute to the men and women who have served in the armed forces over decades marked precisely by the many wars in which the country has participated.

Veterans Day has been observed since 1919, when the first anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I was marked on November 11, 1918.

He also observes from 1868, three years after the end of his only civil war, Memorial Day.

Here’s a look at the major armed conflicts the United States has been involved in since independence in 1776, which have taken the country to every corner of the globe, and the numbers of soldiers who died.

American troops jump from rowboats into shallow waters when they land in the Bahamas during the War of Independence. (Photo by MPI / Getty Images)

War of Independence (1775-1783)

George Washington led to the continental army of the United States during the War of Independence against the British Empire, and would later become the first president of the country.

It is estimated that between 184,000 and 250,000 people they fought on the US side, it suffered 4,435 dead and 6,188 wounded.

Anglo-American War (1812-1815)

The United States and Great Britain came into conflict again in 1812, and on August 24, 1814 the British came to occupy and then fire Washington, the American capital.

They served 286,730 Americans, including 2,260 dead and 4,505 wounded.

Mexican-American War (1846-1848)

The United States invaded Mexico with 78,718 soldiers, of which 13,283 died and 4,152 were injured. In the conflict, which originated after the independence of Texas, Mexico lost half of its territory.

The Battle of Monterrey, September 23, 1846, by Nathaniel Currier. (Credit: MPI / Getty Images)

Civil War (1861-1865)

After a group of southern states separated from the Union in the context of a long conflict centered on slavery, a long and devastating civil war took place between the United States and the Confederate States.

The battle of Gettysburg, in Pennsylvania, was the largest and deadliest in the American civil war: in three days of fighting there were 51,000 casualties between both sides.

In total, 2,213,363 soldiers they fought for the Union (there were 364,511 dead) and between 600,000 and 1,500,000 did for the Confederate States (133,821 died)

Spanish-American War (1898)

The United States intervened in 1898 in the Cuban War of Independence in favor of the rebels and against Spain, later arriving to occupy the island.

They served 306,760 Americans, with 2,446 dead and 1,662 wounded.

American soldiers, including future President Theodore Roosevelt, in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. (Credit: William Dinwiddie / Getty Images)

World War I (1914-1918)

The United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, after the sinking of several US freighters by German submarines and the revelation of a proposal from Berlin to Mexico.

A total of 4,734,991 Americans they served, and there were 116,516 dead and 204,002 wounded.

World War II (1939-1945)

After entering the conflict in December 1941, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Army had its baptism of fire on February 19, 1943 at the Paso de Kasserine, in Tunisia.

Then the war would take him to Italy, France, Germany and the islands of Melanesia in the Pacific Ocean.

The service was called 16,112,566 Americans: 405,339 died and 670,846 were injured.

American soldiers in 1943, shortly after the Battle of the Kasserine Pass in Tunisia. (Credit: MPI / Getty Images)

Korean War (1950-1953)

The United States participated in the Korean War in defense of the Republic of Korea in the south, after it was invaded by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the north, supported by China.

The conflict would culminate in an armistice and the separation of both countries, which persists to this day.

On the Korean peninsula they fought 5,720,000 Americans, 54,246 died and 103,284 were injured.

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

The United States intervened in the Vietnam War in support of South Vietnam, initially with only advisers, funds, and weapons.

August 2, 1964 ships from North Vietnam and the United States they exchanged fire in the Gulf of Tonkin. Then the US president exaggerates the situation to get Congress to approve the massive deployment of soldiers, starting a larger-scale conflict: 8,744,000 they served, 90,220 died and 153,303 were injured.

United States Marine Corps in an exercise during Operation Desert Shield on January 11, 1991. (Credit: ROBERT SULLIVAN / AFP via Getty Images)

Gulf War (1990-1991)

In January 1991 the United States and its allies launched Operation Desert Storm, a assault land to liberate Kuwait, occupied the previous year by Iraqi forces.

How many served? 2,322,000, and 1,948 deaths and 467 injuries were registered.

Iraq War (2003-2011)

Saddam Hussein was still ruling Iraq at the time of the invasion 2003, which led to a lengthy conflict first against soldiers loyal to Hussein and later against numerous insurgent factions.

During the war they died 4,431 american soldiers

Afghanistan War (2001-2021)

United States and its allies they started Operation Enduring Freedom on October 7, 2001 with the aim of overthrowing the Taliban, believed to be protecting members of the al Qaeda terrorist group. The country withdrew from Afghanistan on August 30, 2021, 19 years and 10 months later.

They died 2,442 soldiers americans