List of conflicts involving the United Kingdom
This is a list of conflicts involving the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its predecessors the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Kingdom of Great Britain.
The Kingdom of Great Britain was formed in 1707 through the Acts of Union 1707, which united the kingdoms of England and Scotland into a single kingdom encompassing the whole island of Great Britain and its outlying islands. It did not include the Kingdom of Ireland, which remained a separate realm. On 1 January 1801, the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland were merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1922, five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom and the state was renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
During its history, British forces or forces with a British mandate have invaded, had some control over or fought conflicts in 171 of the world's 193 countries that are currently UN member states, or nine out of ten of all countries (or 89% of UN Nations).[1]
- British victory
- British defeat
- Another result (e.g. a treaty or peace without a clear result, status quo ante bellum, result of civil or internal conflict, result unknown or indecisive)
- Ongoing conflict
Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1801)
Conflict | Britain & Her Allies | Belligerents Opposing Britain | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
The Great Northern War (1700–1721) |
Tsardom of Russia | Swedish Empire | Coalition victory:
|
The War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) including |
Austria | France | Grand Alliance Victory:
|
Civil War: (1715–1716) including |
Government forces | Jacobites | Victory
Jacobite restoration attempt defeated |
The War of the Quadruple Alliance
including
|
Holy Roman Empire | Spain
Jacobites (against the British Crown and Government only) |
Quadruple Alliance Victory:
|
Dummer's War (1721–1725) |
New England Colonies Mohawk |
France Wabanaki Confederacy |
Victory
|
The War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748) including
|
Austria | France | Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle: |
Civil War:
Jacobite rising of 1745 |
Government forces | Jacobites | Victory
Jacobite restoration attempt defeated |
The Second Carnatic War (1749–1754) |
East India Company
Forces of Nasir Jang Mir Ahmad Forces of Mohamed Ali Khan Walajan |
French East India Company Forces of Chanda Shahib
Forces of Muhyi ad-Din Muzaffar Jang Hidayat |
Victory
|
Seven Years' War (1756–1763) |
Prussia | France | Victory
|
The Third Carnatic War (1757–1763) |
East India Company | France | Victory
|
Anglo-Cherokee War (1758–1761) |
Great Britain | Cherokee | Victory
Pro-British Attakullakulla becomes Cherokee leader |
Tacky's War (1760) |
Great Britain Jamaican Government Jamaican Maroons |
Ashanti Slaves | Victory
|
Pontiac's Rebellion (1763–1766) |
Confederation of First Nation Tribes | Stalemate
| |
First Anglo-Mysore War (1766–1769) |
East India Company | Kingdom of Mysore | British defeat, Hyderabad cedes territory to Mysore |
First Anglo-Maratha War (1774–1783) |
East India Company | Maratha Empire | Indecisive
Pre-war status quo remained.[2][3] Treaty of Salbai:
|
|
Iroquois
Cherokee |
United States France | Defeat
|
2nd Anglo-Mysore War (1780–1784) |
East India Company | Kingdom of Mysore | Treaty of Mangalore: |
Northwest Indian War (1785–1795) |
Western Confederacy | United States | Defeat
|
3rd Anglo-Mysore War (1789–1792) |
East India Company | Kingdom of Mysore France |
Victory
|
War of the French Revolution (1793–1802) |
Austria | French Republic | Defeat
|
Ibn Ufaisan's Invasion (1793) |
Kuwait Great Britain |
Emirate of Diriyah | Victory
|
Second Maroon War (1795–1796) |
Great Britain British Jamaica |
Jamaican Maroons | Victory
|
Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars (1795–1816) |
Burrberongal Tribe Great Britain from 1801: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
Dharug Eora Tharawal Gandangara Irish-convict sympathisers | Victory
Displacement of Aborigines from their land |
Kandyan Wars (1796–1818) |
Great Britain from 1801: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
Kingdom of Kandy | Victory
|
Irish Rebellion of 1798 (1798) |
Kingdom of Ireland | United Irishmen | Victory
Rebellion defeated 1801 Act of Union |
4th Anglo-Mysore War (1798–1799) |
East India Company | Kingdom of Mysore | Victory
Complete annexation of Mysore by Britain and allies |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801–1922)
Conflict | Britain & Her Allies | Belligerents Opposing Britain | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
Temne War (1801–1807) |
Susu tribes | Kingdom of Koya | Victory
Northern shore of Sierra Leone ceded by Koya |
Tunisian-Sicilian War (1801-1804) |
Kingdom of Sicily Albanian, German, and Greek mercenaries Kingdom of Sardinia (from 1802) United Kingdom[4] |
Beylik of Tunis Tunisian pirates Regency of Algiers Eyalet of Tripolitania (from 1803) |
Victory
|
Second Anglo-Maratha War (1802–1805) |
East India Company | Maratha Empire | Victory
Extensive territory in India ceded by the Maratha Empire |
First Kandyan War (1803–1805) |
Kandy | Victory
Territory captured from Kandy | |
Civil War: Emmet's Insurrection |
Forces of Robert Emmet | Victory
Rebellion defeated | |
British Expedition to Ceylon (1803) |
Dutch Republic United Kingdom |
Chiefdom of Vanni Kingdom of Kandy |
Victory
|
War of the Third Coalition (1803–1805) |
Austrian Empire | French Empire | ??
|
War of the Fourth Coalition (1806–1807) |
Prussia | French Empire | Treaties of Tilsit:
|
British invasions of the Río de la Plata (1806–1807) |
Spain | Invasion defeated | |
Ashanti-Fante War (1806–1807) |
Ashanti Empire | Fante Confederacy | |
Anglo-Turkish War (1807–1809) |
Ottoman Empire | Treaty of the Dardanelles:
| |
Gunboat War (1807–1814) |
United Kingdom | Denmark-Norway | Victory
|
Anglo-Russian War (1807–1812) |
United Kingdom | Russian Empire | Treaty of Örebro:
|
Peninsular War (1807–1814) |
Spain | French Empire | Victory
|
War of the Fifth Coalition (1809) |
Austrian Empire | French Empire | ??
|
Conquest of French Guiana (1809) |
Portugal Colonial Brazil United Kingdom |
France | Victory
|
Merina Conquest of Madagascar (1810–1817) |
Merina Kingdom | French Empire | Victory
Merina control of Madagascar Merina pro-British policies |
Punjab War (1810–1820) |
East India Company | Sikh Empire | Defeat
|
4th Xhosa War (1811–1812) |
Xhosa tribes | Victory
Xhosa tribes pushed beyond the Fish River, reversing their gains in the previous Xhosa wars | |
Ga-Fante War (1811) |
Ashanti Empire | Fante Confederacy
Akwapim tribes Akim tribes |
Tantamkweri ceded to Akwapim tribes |
Action of 3 February 1812 (1812) |
United Kingdom | Haiti | Victory |
War of 1812 (1812–1815) |
United Kingdom | United States | Stalemate
|
War of the Sixth Coalition (1812–1814) |
Original Coalition Russian Empire Prussia Austrian Empire United Kingdom Sweden Spain Portugal Two Sicilies Kingdom of Sardinia After Battle of Leipzig |
First French Empire
Until January 1814
|
Victory
|
Second Kandyan War (1815) |
Kandy | Victory
| |
Hundred Days (1815) War of the Seventh Coalition |
Prussia | French Empire | Victory
|
Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818) |
East India Company | Maratha Empire | Victory
Virtually all territory south of the Sutlej River controlled by Britain |
5th Xhosa War (1818–1819) |
Khoikhoi Forces | Forces of Xhosa Chief Maqana Nxele | Victory
Xhosa pushed beyond Keiskama River |
Greek War of Independence (1820–1830) |
Greek revolutionaries | Ottoman Empire | Victory
Establishment of the Kingdom of Greece |
First Ashanti War (1823–1831) |
Ashanti Empire | Stalemate with a truce | |
First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826) |
East India Company
Native tribes |
Kingdom of Burma | Victory
|
Revolt of the Mercenaries (1828) |
Brazil United Kingdom France |
German Mercenaries Irish Mercenaries |
Victory
|
Portuguese Civil War (1828–1834) |
Liberal Forces of Queen Maria II | Absolutist Forces of King Miguel | Victory
|
Baptist War (1831–1832) |
United Kingdom Jamaican Government |
Rebel Slaves | Victory
|
First Carlist War (1833–1840) |
Forces of Queen Isabella II
Forces of Queen Maria II |
Carlists:
|
Victory
British mediated Convention of Vergara |
The 6th Xhosa War (1834–1836) |
Free Khoikhoi | Xhosa tribes | Victory
Extensive territorial gains from Xhosa |
Rebellions of 1837 (1837–1838) |
United Kingdom Province of Upper Canada Supported by: |
Patriotes Hunters' Lodges Reform Movement |
Victory
|
First Anglo-Afghan War (1839–1842) |
East India Company | Emirate of Afghanistan | British retreat from Afghanistan |
First Opium War (1839–1842) |
Manchu-China | Victory
| |
Second Egyptian-Ottoman War (1839–1841) |
Ottoman Empire British Empire |
Egypt Eyalet Kingdom of the French Spain |
Victory
|
Uruguayan Civil War (1839–1851) |
Colorados | Blancos | British and French withdrawal before war's conclusion Peace treaty with the Argentine Confederation[5][6] Eventual Colorados victory |
First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846) |
East India Company Patiala State |
Sikh Empire | Victory
|
Flagstaff War (1845–1846) |
Forces of Tāmati Wāka Nene | Ngāpuhi Iwi | Stalemate |
Hutt Valley Campaign (1846) |
Te Āti Awa Iwi | Ngāti Toa Iwi | Victory
Ngāti Toa Iwi retreat |
The 7th Xhosa War (1846–1847) The War of the Axe |
Xhosa tribes | Victory
Territory ceded from Xhosa | |
Wanganui Campaign (1847) |
Māori Kupapa | Māori Iwis | Stalemate
12 year peace and trade |
Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848–1849) |
East India Company | Sikh Empire | Victory
Complete annexation of the Punjab by the East India Company |
The 8th Xhosa War (1850–1853) Mlanjeni's War |
Xhosa tribes
Khoikhoi tribes |
Victory
Xhosa-Khoi attacks defeated Status quo ante bellum | |
Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864) |
Qing dynasty France United Kingdom |
Taiping Heavenly Kingdom | Victory
|
Second Anglo-Burmese War (1852–1853) |
Kingdom of Burma | Victory
Burmese revolution ended fighting Lower Burma annexed | |
Crimean War (1853–1856) |
French Empire | Russian Empire | Victory |
The National War in Nicaragua (1856–1857) |
Costa Rica
Rebel Forces of Patricio Rivas |
Sonora | Victory
Sonora/Nicaraguan government defeat. |
Second Opium War (1856–1860) Arrow War |
French Empire | Manchu-China | Victory
|
Anglo-Persian War (1856–1857) |
Afghanistan | Persia | Victory
Persian withdrawal from Herat |
Indian Mutiny (1857–1858) |
East India Company | Sepoys of the East India Company | Victory
Act for the Better Government of India:
|
First Taranaki War (1860–1861) Second Māori War |
Māori Iwis | Stalemate | |
Bombardment of Kagoshima (1863) |
British Empire | Satsuma Domain | Victory
|
Second Ashanti War (1863–1864) |
Ashanti Empire | Stalemate | |
Invasion of Waikato (1863–1866) Third Māori War |
Māori Kupapa | Māori King Movement | Victory
Māori King Movement defeated, confined to King Country |
Bhutan War (1864–1865) |
India | Bhutan | Victory
Treaty of Sinchula:
|
British Expedition to Abyssinia (1867–1868) |
United Kingdom | Ethiopia | Victory |
Klang War (1867–1874) Selangor Civil War |
Forces of Raja Abdullah of Klang
British Straits Settlements |
Forces of Raja Mahadi | Victory |
Titokowaru's War (1868–1869) Part of the New Zealand land wars |
Māori Kupapa | Ngāti Ruanui Iwi | Victory
Ngāti Ruanui Iwi withdrawal |
1868 Expedition to Abyssinia (1868) |
India | Abyssinia | Victory
British hostages freed War of the Abyssinian Succession begins |
Te Kooti's War
Part of the New Zealand land wars |
Māori Kupapa | Māori Iwis | Victory
End of New Zealand land wars Territory ceded by Māori Iwis |
Red River Rebellion (1869–1869) |
Dominion of Canada | Métis Forces of Louis Riel | Victory
Defeat of rebellion Manitoba Act:
|
Third Ashanti War (1873–1874) |
Ashanti Empire | Victory
Treaty of Fomena:
| |
The 9th Xhosa War (1877–1879) |
Mfengu Tribe | Xhosa Gcaleka Tribe | Victory
All Xhosa territory annexed to the Cape Colony |
Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–1880) |
India | Afghanistan | Victory
British control over Afghan foreign affairs |
Anglo-Zulu War (1879) |
Natal | Zulu Kingdom | Victory
Zululand annexed to Natal |
‘Urabi Revolt (1879–1882) |
United Kingdom Khedivate of Egypt |
Egyptian and Sudanese forces under Ahmed ‘Urabi | Victory
|
First Boer War (1880–1881) |
South African Republic | Defeat
| |
Mahdist War (1884–1889) |
Egypt | Mahdist Sudan | Victory |
Third Anglo-Burmese War (1885) |
Kingdom of Burma | Victory
Upper Burma annexed to British Raj | |
Sikkim Expedition (1888) |
India | Tibet | Victory
Tibet recognizes British suzerainty over Sikkim |
Anglo-Zanzibar War (1896) |
Zanzibar | Victory
Pro-British Sultan installed | |
Boxer Rebellion (1899–1901) |
Japan | Righteous Harmony Society | Victory
|
Second Boer War (1899–1902) |
Orange Free State |
Victory
| |
Anglo-Aro War (1901–1902) |
Aro Confederacy | Victory
Aro Confederacy destroyed | |
British expedition to Tibet (1903–1904) |
India | Tibet | Victory |
World War I (1914–1918) |
India | Austria-Hungary | Victory
Treaties of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Trianon:
Russia pulls out in 1917
Creation of League of Nations:
|
Estonian War of Independence (1918–1920) |
Estonia United Kingdom Finland Denmark Latvia White movement Swedish volunteers |
Soviet Russia
|
Victory
|
Latvian War of Independence (1918–1920) |
Latvia Estonia White Movement Poland Lithuania United Kingdom |
German Empire West Russian Volunteer Army |
Victory
|
Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War (1918–1920) |
British Empire | Soviet Russia | Defeat
|
Turkish War of Independence (1919–1923) |
United Kingdom | Ottoman Empire Turkish Nationalists | British withdrawal before war's conclusion
|
Third Anglo-Afghan War (1919–1919) |
India | Afghanistan | Partial victory, Full Afghan independence |
Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) |
Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) | Irish Republic | Anglo-Irish Treaty:
|
Somaliland campaign (1920) (1920) |
British Somaliland | Dervish State | Victory
Demise of the Dervish State |
Great Iraqi Revolution of 1920 (1920) |
Iraqi rebels | Victory
|
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1922–present)
Conflict | Britain & Her Allies | Belligerent Opposing Britain | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
Adwan Rebellion (1923) |
United Kingdom Emir Abdullah's forces Hashemite allied tribesmen:
|
Sultan al-Adwan's forces | Victory
Sultan al-Adwan's defeat and exile |
Ikhwan Revolt (1927–1930) |
Kuwait Nejd and Hejaz RAF |
Ikhwan | Victory
|
Great Arab Revolt in Palestine (1936–1939) |
Jewish Settlement PoliceJewish Supernumerary Police HaganahSpecial Night SquadsFOSHPeulot MeyuhadotIrgunPeace Bands | Arab Higher Committee | Victory
Revolt suppressed |
Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine (1938–1948) |
United Kingdom | Haganah PalmachIrgunLehi | British terminate Mandate and withdrawIsraeli Declaration of Independence |
S-Plan 16 January 1939 – March 1940 |
United Kingdom | Irish Republican Army | Victory
|
World War II (1939–1945) |
The Allies | Axis Powers | Victory
Nazi Germany formally surrenders 8 May 1945, ending World War II in Europe. British (and Commonwealth), French, American, and Soviet troops occupy Germany until 1955, Italy and Japan lose their colonies, Europe is divided into 'Soviet' and 'Western' spheres of interest. |
Northern Campaign 2 September 1942 – December 1944 |
Royal Ulster Constabulary | Irish Republican Army | Victory
|
Greek Civil War (1944–1948) |
Kingdom of Greece | D.S.E. (Δ.Σ.Ε.) | VictoryCommunist forces defeated, many D.S.E. soldiers exiled in Eastern Europe.Battalion of UK troops still in Greece till 1948 |
Indonesian National Revolution (1945–1949) |
United Kingdom Netherlands
Empire of Japan (Until 1945) |
Indonesia | Hand over to Dutch in 1946
|
Operation Masterdom (1945–1946) |
United Kingdom | Viet Minh | Hand over to French
First Indochina War begins |
Corfu Channel incident (1946–1948) |
United Kingdom | People's Socialist Republic of Albania | Victory
|
Malayan Emergency (1948–1960) |
British Commonwealth | Malayan Communist Party | Victory
|
Korean War (1950–1953) |
United Nations Command | North Korea | Ceasefire
|
1951 Anglo-Egyptian War[7] (1951–1952) |
United Kingdom | Egypt | Victory
|
Mau Mau Uprising (1952–1960) |
United Kingdom | Mau Mau | Victory
|
Jebel Akhdar War (1954–1959) |
Sultanate of Muscat and Oman United Kingdom |
Imamate of Oman
|
Victory
|
Cyprus Emergency (1955–1959) |
United Kingdom | EOKA
|
|
Suez Crisis (1956–1957) |
United Kingdom France | Egypt | Coalition military victory[8][9][10] Egyptian political victory[8]
|
Border Campaign (1956–1962) |
United Kingdom | Irish Republican Army | Victory
IRA campaign fails |
First Cod War (1958–1961) |
United Kingdom | Iceland | Defeat Iceland expands its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles |
Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation (1962–1966) |
Commonwealth of Nations | Indonesia | Victory
Indonesia recognises Malaysian rule over former North Borneo |
Dhofar Rebellion (1962–1975) |
Oman United Kingdom Iran | Various insurgents | Victory
Insurgency defeated Modernisation of Oman |
Aden Emergency (1963–1967) |
Federation of South Arabia United Kingdom |
NLF FLOSY |
Defeat People's Republic of South Yemen established |
Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970) |
Nigeria Egypt United Kingdom |
Biafra | Victory
|
The Troubles (1968–1998) |
United Kingdom | Provisional Irish Republican Army
Official Irish Republican Army Irish National Liberation Army Irish People's Liberation Organisation Continuity Irish Republican Army Loyalist paramilitaries: Ulster Volunteer Force Ulster Defence Association Red Hand Commando Ulster Resistance Loyalist Volunteer Force |
Stalemate Good Friday Agreement:
|
Second Cod War (1972-1973) |
United Kingdom | Iceland | Defeat UK accept Iceland's 50 nautical mile exclusive fishery zone |
Third Cod War (1975-1976) |
United Kingdom | Iceland | Defeat Iceland expands its exclusive fishery zone to 200 nautical miles |
Falklands War (1982) |
United Kingdom | Argentina | Victory
The Falklands are retaken from Argentina |
Multinational Force in Lebanon (1982–1984) |
United Kingdom | Islamic Jihad Organization |
Multinational Force withdrawal |
Gulf War (1991) |
Kuwait | Iraq | Victory Kuwait regains its independence |
Bosnian War (1992–1996) |
UNPROFOR, | Republika Srpska | Victory |
Operation Desert Fox (1998) |
United States | Iraq | Victory
Objectives largely achieved |
Kosovo War (1998–1999) |
United States | Yugoslavia | Victory Kosovo occupied by Nato forces Kosovo administered by UNMIK |
Sierra Leone Civil War (2000–2002) |
Sierra Leone | Rebels | Victory
Rebels defeated |
War in Afghanistan Fourth Anglo-Afghan War[12] (2001–2014) |
Afghanistan | Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan | Victory Fall of Taliban régime and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Osama bin Laden killed Taliban insurgency |
Iraq War (2003–2009) |
United States
Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein |
Iraq under Saddam Hussein | Victory Fall of Ba'athist rule in Iraq Occupation of southern Iraq British withdrawal in 2009, conflict ended in 2011 |
Libyan Civil War (2011) |
Many NATO members acting under UN mandate, including:
and several Arab League states |
Pro-Gaddafi forces | Victory
|
Military intervention against ISIL (2014–present) |
United States United Kingdom Iraq Syrian Opposition Australia Belgium Canada Denmark France Germany Italy Netherlands New Zealand Norway Portugal Spain Turkey Bahrain Jordan Morocco Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Egypt Libya Nigeria Cameroon Chad Niger Russia |
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Boko Haram |
Ongoing
|
See also
- List of wars involving England
- List of wars in Great Britain
- Military history of the United Kingdom
- Declaration of war by the United Kingdom
- Undeclared war
References
- ↑ Laycock, S. (2012). All the Countries We've Ever Invaded – And the Few We Never Got Round To. The History Press.
- ↑ M. R. Kantak, The First Anglo-Maratha War, 1774-1783: A Military Study of Major Battles, quote: "Inspite of British superiority in the military science, the British troops could not force a decisive win over the Maratha troops in the First Anglo-Maratha War. The ultimate result of the War showed that the two sides remained evenly balanced.", p. 226
- ↑ John Bowman, Columbia Chronologies of Asian History and Culture, quote: "First Anglo-Maratha War...The war ends inconclusively.", Columbia University Press, p. 290
- ↑ "British Slaves on the Barbary Coast".
- ↑ Rosa, José María (1974) [1970]. Historia Argentina [History of Argentina] (in Spanish). V. Buenos Aires: Editorial Oriente S.A. pp. 279–288.
- ↑ Abad de Santillán, Diego. Historia Argentina (in Spanish). Buenos Aires: TEA (Tipográfica Editora Argentina). p. 383.
- ↑ Egypt 1951 War with Britain, Globalsecurity.org
- 1 2 Tal (2001) p 203
- ↑ Mart, Michelle. Eye on Israel: How America Came to View the Jewish State as an Ally. p. 159. ISBN 0791466876.
- ↑ Stewart (2013) p 133
- ↑ Kunz, Diane B. The Economic Diplomacy of the Suez Crisis. p. 187. ISBN 0-8078-1967-0.
- ↑ The Fourth Afghan War is lost The Daily Telegraph, 4 September 2009
- ↑ "Islamic State: Military Intervention:Written question - 9798". Parliament. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2015.
- ↑ "About 330 Isis members killed in RAF airstrikes in past year – MoD". The Guardian. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2015.
- 1 2 "Op Shader - A Year On". Ministry of Defence. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ↑ "Bustle". Retrieved 23 June 2015.
- ↑ "Isis controls over 50% of Syria after taking Palmyra". Newsweek. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
Notes
- ↑ Duchy of Warsaw as a state was in effect fully occupied by Russian and Prussian forces by May 1813, though most Poles remained loyal to Napoleon