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Formation of the U.S Military
The U.S. military was formed during the American Revolution in June of 1775. It was the country's first formal fighting force. This group was known as the Continental Army. This war was fought from 1775-1783. General George Washington was in command. The "shot heard round the world" occured at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. This war was concluded by the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783. At that time, the U.S. won their independence from Great Britain. -
Restructuring of the U.S. Army
At the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, the federal government reduced the military. President James Madison believed that keeping a large military would be costly. He felt that the young country was economically weak and couldn't handle the upkeep cost of a large military. Therefore, the Continental Army was disbanded and the soldiers were discharged. During this war, many soldiers died from disease. -
Mexican American War
By this time, the government had developed a more formal military force. The Mexican American War broke out in 1846. The army increased by about 30,000 troops. An altercation near the Rio Grande marked the beginning of hostilities. General Scott led the capture of Mexico City. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago in 1848. -
Civil War
Abraham Lincoln became president in 1860. In response, southern states began declaring their secession from the country. Civil War soon broke out when the Confederate Army attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina. This war centered on the issue of slavery. Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which legally ended slavery. The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in this war. The Union Arm was able to attack the Confederates from every angle. Lee surrendered to Grant, ending the war. -
Spanish American War
The U.S. declared war on Spain in April in 1898. This was in support of Cuba's independence from Spain. The U.S. wanted to bring stability back to Cuba.President McKinley placed a naval blockade on Cuba. U.S. troops landed on Guantanamo Bay. A cease fire was signed on August 12th.The 1898 Treaty of Paris ceded territories including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the U.S. One hundred and twelve medals of honor were awarded to soldiers who fought in this conflict. -
Charles Keller
Charles Keller graduated from West Point Academy in 1903. His role was the job of initiating policies and protecting the channels and the anchorages of most important harbors from being obstructed by the enemy. Keller was in the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, World War I, as well as World War II. He strategically deployed defensive mines in the harbors of Charleston.During the Philippine-American War, he commanded a company of engineers. -
WWI
In 1914, 30 countries declared war on one another following the assassination of Franz Ferdinand of Austria. It was a battle between Central Powers and Allied Powers. This war was characterized by trench warfare. This war saw an advancement in technology, weaponry, and large scale mobilization of forces. The U.S. started out neutral but soon had to join the Allied forces following attacks on U.S. ships by the Germans. One hundred twenty one troops received medals of honor. -
WWII
WWII began in 1939 with the Nazi invasion of Poland. This war involved many of the world's powerful nations. It was a battle between the Allies and Axis. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was a devastating blow. President Roosevelt declared war on Japan and its allies, Germany and Italy. The Battle of The Bulge is a famous battle. Also, Jews were freed from numerous concentration camps during this time. This war lasted until 1945 until Japan formally surrendered aboard the USS Missouri. -
Cold War
By 1948, tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union began to build. With support from the Soviet, N. Korea invaded S. Korea. The U.S. believed this could signal the start of Communism spreading. The U.S. military used the containment strategy. The triggered a deadly arms race with the Soviets. Both countries were developing atomic weapons and testing them. This lead to the development of the hydrogen bomb. This also gave way to the Space Race, and the formation of NASA. -
Vietnam War
This war was rooted in a continuation of the threat of Communist threats. The communist N. Vietnamese wanted to control S. Vietnam. This war saw a lot of U.S. involvement as the U.S. sought to protect the south Vietnamese from Communist control. In 1964, U.S. troops entered Vietnam. Operation Rolling Thunder began. The Tet Offensive marked the turning point in the war with the gradual withdrawal of troops.Johnson withdrew from the election and Nixon was elected. The fall of Saigon ended the war. -
9/11 War on Terrorism
The War on Terrorism was sparked by the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001. This attack killed nearly 3,000 people. This was a coordinated attack on the WTC and Pentagon. Bush announced a global war on terror. The first target was bin Laden. Other targets were the Taliban. Operation Enduring Freedom began on 10/7/01. SEALS landed and captured bin Laden and discovered other valuable intelligence. As the U.S. began to remove troops, the Talian took control of various areas of the country. -
Staff Sgt Ryan Johnson - Purple Heart
Staff Sgt. Jonson was born in Missouri in 1984. He joined the Army in 2003. He was recently awarded the Purple Heart. He suffered a traumatic brain injury while serving in Afghanistan. He bravely fought off an attack by the Taliban. Johnson and his team were in their sleeping quarters when a massive vehicle-borne explosive device, ground attack, occurred close to their location. Hi war efforts were extreme. His dedication to his country exemplifies the kind of leader our military needs.