US Military and Clandestine Operations in Foreign Countries - 1798-Present

France

Undeclared naval war against France, marines land in Puerto Plata.

1801-1805

Tripoli

War with Tripoli (Libya), called "First Barbary War".

Spanish Mexico

Military force enters Spanish territory in headwaters of the Rio Grande.

1806-1810

Spanish and French in Caribbean

US naval vessels attack French and Spanish shipping in the Caribbean.

Spanish West Florida

Troops invade and seize Western Florida, a Spanish possession.

Spanish East Florida

Troops seize Amelia Island and adjacent territories.

Britain

War of 1812, includes naval and land operations.

Marquesas Island

Forces seize Nukahiva and establish first US naval base in the Pacific.

Spanish (East Florida)

Troops seize Pensacola in Spanish East Florida.

1814-1825

French, British and Spanish in Caribbean

US naval squadron engages French, British and Spanish shipping in the Caribbean.

Algiers and Tripoli

US naval fleet under Captain Stephen Decatur wages "Second Barbary War" in North Africa.

1816-1819

Spanish East Florida

Troops attack and seize Nicholls' Fort, Amelia Island and other strategic locations. Spain eventually cedes East Florida to the US.

1822-1825

Spanish Cuba and Puerto Rico

Marines land in numerous cities in the Spanish island of Cuba and also in Spanish Puerto Rico.

Greece

Marines invade the Greek islands of Argentiere, Miconi and Andross.

Falkland/Malvinas Islands

US naval squadrons aggress the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.

Sumatra, Dutch East Indies

US naval squadrons attack Qallah Battoo.

Argentina

Forces land in Buenos Aires and engage local combatants.

1835-1836

Peru

Troops dispatched twice for counter-insurgency operations.

Mexico

Troops assist Texas war for independence.

Canada

Naval incident on the Canadian border leads to mobilization of a large force to invade Canada. War is narrowly averted.

Sumatra, Dutch East Indies

US naval forces sent to Sumatra for punitive expedition.

1840-1841

Fiji

Naval forces deployed, marines land.

Samoa

Naval forces deployed, marines land.

Mexico

Naval forces temporarily seize cities of Monterey and San Diego.

China

Marines land in Canton.

Ivory Coast

Marines land.

1846-1848

Mexico

Full-scale war. Mexico cedes half of its territory to the US by the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo.

Ottoman Empire (Turkey)

Naval force dispatched to Smyrna.

1852-1853

Argentina

Marines land in Buenos Aires.

Nicaragua

Navy bombards and largely destroys city of San Juan del Norte. Marines land and set fire to the city.

Japan

Commodore Perry and his fleet deploy at Yokohama.

Uruguay

Marines land in Montevideo.

Colombia (Panama Region)

Marines land for counter-insurgency campaign.

China

Marines deployed in Canton.

Hawaii

Naval forces seize small islands of Jarvis, Baker and Howland in the Hawaiian Islands.

Nicaragua

Marines land.

Uruguay

Marines land in Montevideo.

Fiji

Marines land.

Paraguay

Large naval force deployed.

China

Troops enter Shanghai.

Mexico

Military force enters northern area.

Portuguese West Africa

Troops land at Kissembo.

Colombia (Panama Region)

Troops and naval forces deployed.

Japan

Troops land at Shimonoseki.

Japan

Troops landed in Yedo.

Colombia (Panama Region)

Marines landed.

Colombia (Panama Region)

Troops invade and seize Matamoros, later withdraw.

China

Marines land in Newchwang.

Nicaragua

Marines land in Managua and Leon in Nicaragua.

Formosa Island (Taiwan)

Marines land.

Midway Island

Naval forces seize this island in the Hawaiian Archipelago for a naval base.

Japan

Naval forces deployed at Osaka, Hiogo, Nagasaki, Yokohama and Negata.

Uruguay

Marines land at Montevideo.

Colombia

Marines landed.

Korea

Forces landed.

Colombia (Panama Region)

Marines landed.

Hawaii

Sailors and marines landed.

Mexico

Army again occupies Matamoros.

British Egypt

Troops land.

Colombia (Panama Region)

Troops land in Colon and Panama City.

Samoa

Naval force deployed.

Hawaii

Navy gains right to build permanent naval base at Pearl Harbor.

Haiti

Troops landed.

Samoa

Marines landed.

Samoa

Clash with German naval forces.

Argentina

US sailors land in Buenos Aires.

Chile

US sailors land in the major port city of Valparaiso.

Haiti

Marines land on US-claimed Navassa Island.

Hawaii

Marines and other naval forces land and overthrow the monarchy. Read More | President Cleveland's Message

Nicaragua

Marines land at Bluefields on the eastern coast.

1894-1895

China

Marines are stationed at Tientsin and Beijing. A naval ship takes up position at Newchwang.

1894-1896

Korea

Marines land and remain in Seoul.

Colombia

Marines are sent to the town Bocas del Toro.

Nicaragua

Marines land in the port of Corinto.

Nicaragua

Marines land at the port city of San Juan del Sur.

Guam

Naval forces seize Guam Island from Spain and the US holds the island permanently.

Cuba

Naval and land forces seize Cuba from Spain.

Puerto Rico

Naval and land forces seize Puerto Rico from Spain and the US holds the island permanently.

Philippines

Naval forces defeat the Spanish fleet and the US takes control of the country.

Philippines

Military units are reinforced for extensive counter-insurgency operations.

Samoa

Naval forces land

Nicaragua

Marines land at the port city of Bluefields.

China

US forces intervene in several cities.

Colombia/Panama

Marines land.

Colombia/Panama

US forces land in Bocas de Toro

Colombia/Panama

With US backing, a group in northern Colombia declares independence as the state of Panama

Guam

Navy begins development in Apra Harbor of a permanent base installation.

Honduras

Marines go ashore at Puerto Cortez.

Dominican Republic

Marines land in Santo Domingo.

1904-1905

Korea

Marines land and stay in Seoul.

1906-1909

Cuba

Marines land. The US builds a major naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

Nicaragua

Troops seize major centers.

Honduras

Marines land and take up garrison in cities of Trujillo, Ceiba, Puerto Cortez, San Pedro, Laguna and Choloma.

Panama

Marines land and carry out operations.

Nicaragua

Marines land in Bluefields and Corinto.

Honduras

Marines intervene.

1911-1941

China

The US builds up its military presence in the country to a force of 5000 troops and a fleet of 44 vessels patrolling China's coast and rivers.

Cuba

US sends army troops into combat in Havana.

Panama

Army troops intervene.

Honduras

Marines land.

1912-1933

Nicaragua

Marines intervene. A 20-year occupation of the country follows.

Mexico

Marines land at Ciaris Estero.

Dominican Republic

Naval forces engage in battles in the city of Santo Domingo.

Mexico

US forces seize and occupy Mexico's major port city of Veracrus from April through November.

1915-1916

Mexico

An expeditionary force of the US Army under Gen. John J. Pershing crosses the Texas border and penetrates several hundred miles into Mexican territory. Eventually reinforced to over 11,000 officers and men.

1914-1934

Haiti

Troops land, aerial bombardment leading to a 19-year military occupation.

1916-1924

Dominican Republic

Military intervention leading to 8-year occupation.

1917-1933

Cuba

Landing of naval forces. Beginning of a 15-year occupation.

1918-1920

Panama

Troops intervene, remain on "police duty" for over 2 years.

1918-1922

Russia

Naval forces and army troops fight battles in several areas of the country during a five- year period.

Yugoslavia

Marines intervene in Dalmatia.

Honduras

Marines land.

Guatemala

Troops intervene.

Turkey

Marines engaged in operations in Smyrna (Izmir).

1922-1927

China

Naval forces and troops deployed during 5-year period.

1924-1925

Honduras

Troops land twice in two-year period.

Panama

Marines land and engage in operations.

1927-1934

China

Marines and naval forces stationed throughout the country.

El Salvador

Naval forces intervene.

Cuba

Naval forces deployed.

China

Marines land in Foochow.

Iran

Troops deployed in northern province.

1946-1949

China

Major US army presence of about 100,000 troops, fighting, training and advising local combatants.

1947-1949

Greece

US forces wage a 3-year counterinsurgency campaign.

Italy

Heavy CIA involvement in national elections.

1948-1954

Philippines

Commando operations, "secret" CIA war.

1950-1953

Korea

Major forces engaged in war in Korean peninsula.

Iran

CIA overthrows government of Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh. Read More

Vietnam

Financial and materiel support for colonial French military operations, leads eventually to direct US military involvement.

Guatemala

CIA overthrows the government of President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman.

Lebanon

US marines and army units totaling 14,000 land.

Panama

Clashes between US forces in Canal Zone and local citizens.

Haiti

Marines land.

Congo

CIA-backed overthrow and assassination of Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba.

1960-1964

Vietnam

Gradual introduction of military advisors and special forces.

Cuba

CIA-backed Bay of Pigs invasion.

Cuba

Nuclear threat and naval blockade.

Laos

CIA-backed military coup.

Ecuador

CIA backs military overthrow of President Jose Maria Valesco Ibarra.

Panama

Clashes between US forces in Canal Zone and local citizens.

Brazil

CIA-backed military coup overthrows the government of Joao Goulart and Gen. Castello Branco takes power. Read More

1965-1975

Vietnam

Large commitment of military forces, including air, naval and ground units numbering up to 500,000+ troops. Full-scale war, lasting for ten years.

Indonesia

CIA-backed army coup overthrows President Sukarno and brings Gen. Suharto to power.

Congo

CIA backed military coup overthrows President Joseph Kasavubu and brings Joseph Mobutu to power.

Dominican Republic

23,000 troops land.

1965-1973

Laos

Bombing campaign begin, lasting eight years.

Ghana

CIA-backed military coup ousts President Kwame Nkrumah.

1966-1967

Guatemala

Extensive counter-insurgency operation.

1969-1975

Cambodia

CIA supports military coup against Prince Sihanouk, bringing Lon Nol to power. Intensive bombing for seven years along border with Vietnam.

Oman

Counter-insurgency operation, including coordination with Iranian marine invasion.

1971-1973

Laos

Invasion by US and South Vietnames forces.

Chile

CIA-backed military coup ousts government of President Salvador Allende. Gen. Augusto Pinochet comes to power.

Cambodia

Marines land, engage in combat with government forces.

1976-1992

Angola

Military and CIA operations.

Iran

Special operations units land in Iranian desert. Helicopter malfunction leads to aborting of planned raid.

Libya

Naval jets shoot down two Libyan jets in maneuvers over the Mediterranean.

1981-1992

El Salvador

CIA and special forces begin a long counterinsurgency campaign.

1981-1990

Nicaragua

CIA directs exile "Contra" operations. US air units drop sea mines in harbors.

1982-1984

Lebanon

Marines land and naval forces fire on local combatants.

Grenada

Military forces invade Grenada.

1983-1989

Honduras

Large program of military assistance aimed at conflict in Nicaragua.

Iran

Two Iranian jets shot down over the Persian Gulf.

Libya

US aircraft bomb the cities of Tripoli and Benghazi, including direct strikes at the official residence of President Muamar al Qadaffi.

Bolivia

Special Forces units engage in counter-insurgency.

1987-1988

Iran

Naval forces block Iranian shipping. Civilian airliner shot down by missile cruiser.

Libya

Naval aircraft shoot down two Libyan jets over Gulf of Sidra.

Philippines

CIA and Special Forces involved in counterinsurgency.

1989-1990

Panama

27,000 troops as well as naval and air power used to overthrow government of President Noriega.

Liberia

Troops deployed.

1990-1991

Iraq

Major military operation, including naval blockade, air strikes; large number of troops attack Iraqi forces in occupied Kuwait.

1991-2003

Iraq

Control of Iraqi airspace in north and south of the country with periodic attacks on air and ground targets.

Haiti

CIA-backed military coup ousts President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

1992-1994

Somalia

Special operations forces intervene.

1992-1994

Yugoslavia

Major role in NATO blockade of Serbia and Montenegro.

1993-1995

Bosnia

Active military involvement with air and ground forces.

1994-1996

Haiti

Troops depose military rulers and restore President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to office.

Croatia

Krajina Serb airfields attacked.

1996-1997

Zaire (Congo)

Marines involved in operations in eastern region of the country.

Liberia

Troops deployed.

Sudan

Air strikes destroy country's major pharmaceutical plant.

Afghanistan

Attack on targets in the country.

Iraq

Four days of intensive air and missile strikes.

Yugoslavia

Major involvement in NATO air strikes.

Macedonia

NATO troops shift and partially disarm Albanian rebels.

Afghanistan

Air attacks and ground operations oust Taliban government and install a new regime.

Iraq

Invasion with large ground, air and naval forces ousts government of Saddam Hussein and establishes new government.