Major Wars and
Conflicts of The 20th Century
The20th Century was the
bloodiest, costliest century of warfare in human history.
Two world wars, and a large number of major revolutions,
along with significant social, political, and economic
upheavals made the period from 1901 to 2000 of great
importance in a historical and military sense.
Below is a list (with links) of the
major wars of the twentieth century. Any such list is by
nature somewhat subjective, but the wars and conflicts
listed below all had signifcant importance in history.
This list of 20th Century wars is presented in rough
chronological order, with the earliest listed first, and
descending toward the also war-filled 21st
Century.
The Second Boer War (1899-1902)--Britain vs.
The Boer Republics (Orange Free State and Transvaal) in
what is now South Africa.
Somali "Mad Mullah" Jihad (1899-1905)--Somali
tribesmen led by religious leader Muhammad ibn Abd Allah
Hasan waged a desert guerrilla war against Britain, Italy
and Ethiopia. Following repeated defeats by the Somalis,
the colonial powers offered him territory in Italian
Somaliland in exchange for peace. He resumed his war in
1908 and harassed the occupiers of his country until
1920.
Philippine-American
War (1899-1902)--Originally called the
"Philippine Uprising", this was a war of independence
fought by the Filipinos against the occupying American
military. Filipino resistance was ruthlessly crushed.
The Boxer Rebellion (1899-1900)-- The
Chineses secret religious and nationalistic Society of
the Righteous Harmonious Fists (Boxers), initiated a
rebellion against both foreign colonizers, missionaries
and their own government in 1899. By 1900, the Chinese
government had co-opted the rebels and directed their
violent fury entirely upon the foreign presence in China.
The Boxers, aided by Chinese Imperial troops, besieged
the diplomatic legations (embassies) of the Western
powers and Japan, sparking a truly international
response. A retaliatory relief expedition composed of
troops from: the United State, Great Britain, France,
Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Russia and Japan invaded
China and captured the capital of Peking (now called
Beijing).
Italo-Ottoman War (1911-1912)--(also known
as the Turco-Italian War and the Tripolitanian
War)--Italy decided to add to its growing African
empire by attacking Ottoman-ruled Tripolitinia (Libya).
The Italian victory began the very swift fall of the
Ottoman Empire which would end with the Empire's
disintegration at the end of World War One in 1918. The
day after Ottoman Turkey made peace with Italy, the
Balkan Leage attacked in the First Balkan War
(below).
First Balkan War (1912-1913)--The Balkan
nations of Montenegro, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Greece
defeated Ottoman Empire, and seized nearly all of the
Ottoman Empire's remaining European territories.
Second Balkan War (1913)--The victors in the
First Balkan War fell out among themselves, with Bulgaria
attacking Serbia and Greece in an attempt to gain more of
the spoils from the first war. Rumania, Montenegro, and
the Ottomans also joined the war against Bulgaria.
World War One (1914-1918)--The first "official"
world war was originally known as "The Great War," and
also as "The World War."
Russian Civil
War
Polish-Soviet
War
(1919-1921)--Major
war between Poland and Russia/The Soviet
Union.
Sino-Japanese War
(1937-1945)
Second Italo-Ethiopian
War (1935-1936)--(also known as the Abyssinian
War)--Italy's Fascist dicator, Benito Mussolini, wanted
to conquer a new "Roman Empire," and chose Ethiopia as
his first victim. Ethiopia had defeated Italy in the
First Italo-Ethiopian War in 1896, and Mussolini sought
revenge for that embarrassing Italian defeat. This war
exposed the inherent weaknesses of the League of Nations
(an earlier and very weak version of the United Nations)
when it was unable to prevent war. Italy successfuly
conquered Ethiopia in 1936. During World
War Two, British,
Commonwealth, Free French, Free Belgian, and Ethiopian
forces liberated Ethiopia in 1941
Spanish Civil War
(1936-1939)--The Spanish Civil War began as a
right-wing rebellion against the leftist Republican
government of Spain. Led by General Francisco Franco, the
Nationalist rebels fought a long and bloody civil war
against their Republican foes. Franco was received
significant military aid from Nazi Germany and Fascist
Italy. The Republican side was aided by the Soviet Union.
Franco won the war in 1939 and set up a Fascist
government. This war is considered one of the precursor
conflicts leading to World
War Two.
World
War Two
(1939-1945)
Cold War
(1945-1990)
Greek Civil War
(1946-1949)--The first major military conflict of the
Cold War. Communist rebels supported by Yugoslavia and
other Communist nations fought against the pro-Western
Greek government, which was given significant support by
the United States and Great Britain. The war ended with a
government victory.
First Indochina War
(1946-1954) --The "First IndochinaWar" was really a
regional conflict involving France, as the colonial ruler
of "French Indochina," against the nationalist (but
Communist) rebels seeking independence for Vietnam, Laos,
and Cambodia. This war was a part of the Cold War, since
in also involved the United States (and to a lesser
extent), Great Britain, aiding their ally France, while
the Communist rebels (the Viet Minh, Pathet Lao, and
Khmer Issarak), enjoyed aid from the Soviet Union and
Communist China. Below are the "smaller" conflicts that
in part made up the First Indochina War. This war led
directly to the Second Indochina War, which in the United
States is best known as the Vietnam
War.
this
conflict included:
French
Indochina War (1946-1954) --(known in Vietnam
as "The French War")--Communist Viet Minh rebels
led by Ho Chi Minh waged a successful war of
independence against French colonial forces who
re-occupied Indochina following the Japanese defeat in
World
War Two. The
Viet Minh were aided by the Soviet Union and by
Communist China. France received significant material
support from the United States. France agreed to grant
independence to North Vietnam, South Vietnam, Laos,
and Cambodia following the Viet Minh victory over
French troops at Dien Bien Phu.
Pathet Lao War
(1950-1954)--Laotian communist forces (The Pathet
Lao) were allied with the Viet Minh fought against
French colonial forces. Independence achieved after
the Vietnamese communists defeated the French at Dien
Bien Phu. The Pathet Lao later continued their war
against the new Laotian government, finally taking
over the country in 1975.
Khmer Issarak War
(1950-1954)--Cambodian (Khmer) communist forces
allied with the Viet Minh fought against French
colonial forces. Independence achieved after the
Vietnamese communists defeated the French at Dien Bien
Phu. The Khmer communists (Khmer Rouge) later
continued their war against the new Cambodian
government, finally taking over the country in
1975.
First Kashmir War
(1947-1948)--First war between India and Pakistan
over possession of Kashmir.
Korean
War
(1950-1953)
Suez
War of 1956
Second Indochina War
(1956-1975) --The so-called "Vietnam War" was really
a regional and international conflict involving not just
North and South Vietnam and the U.S. but also embroiling
Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, South Korea, Australia and New
Zealand. Below are some of the "smaller" conflicts that
in part made up the Second Indochina War.
this
conflict included:
Vietnam
War
(1956-1975)--The Communist North Vietnamese and
the southern Viet Cong engaged in a long war to
overthrow the pro-American government of South
Vietnam. The U.S. and other allied nations sent troops
to aid the Saigon regime. The last U.S. combat troops
left in 1973 and Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese
on April 30, 1975. Known in the U.S. and much of the
world as "The Vietnam War." Known in Vietnam as "The
American War."
Laotian Civil War
(1959-1975)--North Vietnam sent large numbers of
troops into Laos to aid the Communist Pathet Lao
against the U.S.-backed Royal Laotian government. The
Pathet Lao seized power in 1975 and maintains a good
relationship with Hanoi.
Cambodian Civil War
(1967-1975) --North Vietnam sent large numbers of
troops into Cambodia to aid the Communist Khmer Rouge
against the U.S.-backed Cambodian government. The
North Vietnamese Army (NVA) had maintained a large
presence in eastern Cambodia for years prior to the
beginning of the Khmer Rouge war in 1967. Following
the fall of the U.S.-backed governments in Cambodia
and South Vietnam, the two former Communist allies
engaged in warfare between themselves. (See
below).
Yemen Civil War
(1962-1970)-- Egypt sent troops to support the Yemeni
Republican government against Royalist rebels supported
by Saudi Arabia. This was a major rift in the Arab
world.
Sino-Indian War
(1962)--Short but bloody border war between China and
India.
Second Kashmir War
(1965)--Second war between India and Pakistan over
Kashmir.
Six-Day
War (1967)-- Israel defeated the
combined forces of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq in six
days.
Warsaw Pact Invasion of Czechoslovakia
(1968)--The armed forces of the Communist Warsaw Pact
(Soviet Union, East Germany, Poland, and Hungary) invaded
Czechoslovakia to bring down a reformist Czech
government.
Bengali War of
Independence (1971)--Can also be considered a
Pakistani civil war. East Pakistan rebelled against West
Pakistan, seeking independence. India intervened and
helped East Pakistan break away and become the new nation
of Bangaladesh.
Lebanese Civil War (1975-1991)
Ogaden War
(1977-1978)- Ethiopia against Somalia and Somali
rebels in the Ogaden desert area. The Soviet Union
provided huge amounts of material and logistcal support
and Cuba sent thousands of troops to fight on Ethiopia's
side. This war was a part of the Cold War.
Third Indochina War
(1977-1989) this
conflict included:
Cambodia-Vietnam
War (1977-1991)--During
their war against the U.S.-sponsored regimes in Saigon
and Phnom Penh, the North Vietnamese and the Khmer
Rouge were able to mask their ideological differences
and ignore the historical hostility between their two
peoples. After taking power though, these differences
turned violent. Beginning with low-level cross-border
raids and escalating into full-fledged war in late
December of 1978 when Vietnam launched a massive
conventional invasion of Cambodia, swiftly occupying
the nation within days. Vietnam set up a new
government in Phnom Penh with Khmer Rouge defectors
but found itself immersed in a long and difficult war
of occupation as the Khmer Rouge returned to the
guerrilla warfare they knew so well. Vietnamese troops
left after more than a decade, with the friendly
government of Heng Samrin in control of most of
Cambodia.
China
-Vietnam War
(Feb. 17-Mar. 16, 1979)-- Similar to the
difficulties between Cambodia and Vietnam, the Hanoi
regime enjoyed good relations with China during the
war against the United States and South Vietnam, but
once that conflict ended, ideological and historical
differences interfered with Sino-Vietnamese relations.
Using the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia as a
pretext, China launched a massive attack along their
common border. Vietnam's border troops put up a very
good defense, causing major casualties to the Chinese
People's Liberation Army (PLA). Within a month of the
invasion, China basically declared that it had taught
Hanoi a lesson and withdrew. Results of this war
include: moving Hanoi closer to the Soviet Union,
which was a rival of China; a modernization of the PLA
as China realized they did not do very well against a
smaller country; and the beginning of a long-lasting
but low-level border conflict with between Vietnam and
China. (See below).
China-Vietnam
Border Clashes (1979-1988)--After the Chinese
invasion of Vietnam in 1979, continued warfare and
infiltration along the border kept these two neighbors
in a state of low-level warfare. The two Communist
neighbors now maintain cordial relations, but further
research is needed to ascertain when the cross-border
raids and artillery exchanges ended.
Thai-Laotian Border
Clashes (1980, 1984, 1987)
Afghan
Civil War
(1978-Present)
Iranian
Hostage Crisis
(1979-1981)--Though technically not a war, this was a
major crisis that nearly brought the U.S. and Iran to
war, and the repercussions of this conflict are still
felt today. (see Iran
War Scenarios for
more information on the recent issues between America and
Iran)
Soviet Invasion of
Afghanistan (1979-1989)
Iran-Iraq War
(1980-1988)
Falkland Islands War
(1982)
Israeli Invasion and
Occupation of Southern Lebanon (1982-2000)
Invasion
of Grenada
(1983)
Gulf
War (1991)
Third
Balkan War
Second
Chechen War
Congo
War
