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Thesis
While America has participated in many proxy wars, America's first true proxy war was the First Samoan Civil War. Up until this point the US had simply either been the location of the proxy war, rendering the title untrue or, America refused to participate in world politics due to its initial weak standing among global powers. Once the Samoan War commenced a new age of warfare would begin for the United States that lasted over a century. -
First Samoan Civil War (1886-1894)
Two rival rulers of Samoa tried to gzin control of Samoa. Germany supported one side and accidentley destroyed American property. Soon America supported the other side. The fighting ended when a cyclone destroyed both fleets and all powers agreed to reinstate the former King who had been exiled. No exact dates are available. -
First Italio-Ethiopean War
This was fought between ethiopia and italy. Originated from a disputed treaty. Ethiopia won. -
Second Samoan Civil War (1898-1899)
Germany, The United Kingdom and the US all wanted control of Samoa. In the end the land was split with Both Germany and America gaining half of the Samoas while Britain gained fromer German islands. The exact date is unkown. -
Venezulean Crisis (1902-1903)
Britain, Germany and Italy made a naval blockade against Venezula because they wouldn't pay foreign debts. The US initially ignored this and let the countries blockade Venezula, Castro would not back down and instead said he would settle by submitting to international arbitrition; at least somewhat. Germany did not approve and soon became more aggresive. At this point the US threaened that if Germany were to enter Venezuela it would be considered an act of war. After a standoff peace was achieve -
Somaliland Campaign
This was a series of military expeditions that took place in the Horn of Africa, led by "the mad moolah" the allies were italy and ethiopia. -
Chinese Civil War (1927-1936)
While the Conflict began in 1927with communists of China fighting nationalists of China the US did not become involved until 1945 with the Yalta Conference. The US coudn't agree with the USSR and soon they began supporting opposing sides. Over time the nationalists slowly lost and US support was revoked entirely. -
Iran crisis of 1946
The Iran crisis of 1946, also known as the Iran-Azerbaijan Crisis, followed the end of World War II and stemmed from the Soviet Union's refusal to relinquish occupied Iranian territory, despite repeated assurances. In 1941 Iran had been jointly invaded and occupied by the Allied powers of the Soviet Red Army in the north and by the British in the central area and south. -
Corfu Channel incident
The Corfu Channel Incident consists of three separate events involving Royal Navy ships in the Channel of Corfu which took place in 1946, and it is considered an early episode of the Cold War. During the first incident, Royal Navy ships came under fire from Albanian fortifications. The second incident involved Royal Navy ships striking mines and the third incident occurred when the Royal Navy conducted mine-clearing operations in the Corfu Channel. -
The Korean war
The Korean War was a war between North and South Korea, in which a United Nations force led by the United States fought for the South, and China fought for the North, which was also assisted by the Soviet Union. The war arose from the division of Korea at the end of World War II and from the global tensions of the Cold War that developed immediately afterwards. -
Mau Mau Uprising
A military conflict that took place in British Kenya between 1952 and 1960.It involved Kikuyu-dominated groups summarily called Mau Mau, the white settlers, and elements of the British Army including local Kenya Regiment mostly consisting of the British, auxiliaries, and anti-Mau Mau Kikuyu. -
First Taiwan Strait Crisis(1954-1955)
The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) invaded the Yijiangshan Islands forcing the Republic of China to withdraw from the Tachen Islands due to theri proximity. The United states helped to evacuate ROC members and civilians from Tachen Islands while simultanouesly fighting the PRC on both the Kinmen and Matsu Islands. -
Vietnam war
The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, and known in Vietnam as Resistance War Against America or simply the American War, was a Cold War-era proxy war that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War (1946–54) and was fought between North Vietnam supported by the Soviet Union,other communist allies. -
Second Taiwan Strait Crisis
After the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) took the Yijiangshan Islands they soon wanted to drive the Republic of China (ROC) out of the Kinmen and Matsu islands by shelling them. The ROC requested help and the US stepped in by sending both naval and air power. With better equipment the ROC was able to hold off the attackers. The belligerents then shelled the other side with propoganda leafletts until 1979. -
Basque Conflict
An armed and political conflict between Spain and the Basque National Liberation Movement, a group of social and political Basque organizations which sought independence from Spain and France. The movement was built around the separatist organization ETA which since 1959 launched a campaign of attacks against Spanish administrations. -
Malayan emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a Malayan guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army, the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP), from 1948–60. Despite the communists' defeat in 1960, communist leader Chin Peng renewed the insurgency in 1967. It lasted until 1989, and became known as the Communist Insurgency War. -
Eritrean War for Independence
A conflict fought between the Ethiopian government and Eritrean separatists, both before and during the Ethiopian Civil War. The war started when Eritrea’s autonomy within Ethiopia, where troops were already stationed, was revoked. Eritrea had become part of Ethiopia after World War II, when both territories were liberated from Italian occupation. Ethiopia claimed that Eritrea was part of their country. Ethiopia's wishes were fulfilled after a United Nations General Assembly federated Eritrea t -
Cuban missile crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis, the Caribbean Crisis or the Missile Scare, was a 13-day confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union concerning Soviet ballistic missiles deployment in Cuba. Along with being televised worldwide, it was the closest the Cold War came to escalating into a full-scale nuclear war. -
Columbian Conflict
Began approximately in 1964 or 1966 and is an ongoing low-intensity asymmetric war between the Colombian government, paramilitary groups, crime syndicates and left-wing guerrillas such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and the National Liberation Army (ELN), fighting each other to increase their influence in Colombian territory. -
Conclusion
While proxy wars will most likely never end the Colombian Conflict marks the last of the notable proxy wars America has taken place in. Though some may argue modern wars are proxy wars involving America they are not proxy wars due to their lack of influence from America, the belligerents fighting of their own volition, and the absence of an American rivalry with a nation who has a starkly different way of life; like communism.
