United Nations forces cross the thirty-eighth parallel
Five years after the Second World War, the Korean Peninsula had become the center of a new conflict.
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United States agrees to purchase Alaska
Two years after the Civil War, Americans still debated how far their nation should extend and where strategic interests lay. On March 30th, 1867, Secretary of State William Seward signed a treaty with Russia to purchase Alaska, a vast, sparsely populated territory stretching from the Pacific into the Arctic. Critics mocked the deal as “Seward’s Folly,” seeing only ice and distance in exchange for seven point two mill
United States Air Force becomes a separate service
In the aftermath of global war, American leaders restructured their armed forces to meet emerging strategic realities.
United States announces deployment to Somalia
Finally, on December 4th, 1992, President Bush addressed the nation to announce that American troops would deploy to Somalia as part of a multinational effort to secure humanitarian relief operations.
United States Army Air Forces established
As global war raged and American involvement drew nearer, leaders in Washington recognized that the Army’s air component needed a more robust structure. On June 20th, 1941, the War Department reorganized the existing Army Air Corps into the United States Army Air Forces, giving it a more unified command structure and increased authority over training, doctrine, and operations.
United States Army Nurse Corps established
On February 2nd, 1901, Congress created the United States Army Nurse Corps as a permanent part of the regular Army. The Spanish-American War and campaigns in the Philippines had highlighted how crucial trained nursing was to survival, not only in battle but also against disease. Before the Corps, the Army relied heavily on contract nurses and ad hoc arrangements that made it difficult to build experience and enforce
United States assumes Panama Canal project
On this day the United States formally took over the stalled French canal project in Panama, turning a failing commercial venture into a strategic national priority. Army engineers and medical officers were at the heart of the effort, battling yellow fever and malaria while reshaping the isthmus with steam shovels, dynamite, and railroad lines.
United States carriers raid Marshall and Gilbert Islands
On February 1st, 1942, less than two months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, American carrier task forces struck back across the Pacific. The carriers Enterprise and Yorktown launched waves of aircraft against Japanese bases in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands, hitting airfields, shipping, and shore installations. The material damage to the enemy was limited compared with later campaigns, but the raid marked the fir
United States Coast Guard created
On January 28th, 1915, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation merging the Revenue Cutter Service and the Life-Saving Service into a single organization: the United States Coast Guard. The revenue cutters had long chased smugglers, enforced customs laws, and supported naval operations, while life-saving crews manned small stations along dangerous coasts, ready to pull shipwrecked sailors from the surf.
United States declares war on Austria-Hungary
Fifty-five years later to the day, on December 7th, 1917, the United States again made a momentous move, this time with a declaration of war against Austria-Hungary.
United States declares war on Germany
Four days after Wilson’s address, Congress approved the declaration of war, formally bringing the United States into World War I on the side of the Allies. The decision triggered a sweeping mobilization effort at home, including the enactment of the Selective Service system to raise a large national army. The American Expeditionary Forces, under General John J.
United States declares war on Great Britain
Nearly four decades after independence, the United States again found itself in conflict with its old imperial rival. On June 18th, 1812, after months of debate over British interference with American trade, the impressment of American sailors into the Royal Navy, and tensions along the frontier, Congress passed and President James Madison signed a declaration of war.
United States declares war on Japan
The day after Japanese aircraft and submarines attacked Pearl Harbor and other Pacific outposts, President Franklin Roosevelt addressed Congress in a joint session that would be remembered for its “day of infamy” language.
United States Expedition to Korea, 1871
An American mission seeking diplomatic contact became a punitive naval and amphibious operation. The capture of Korean forts in June demonstrated military power without securing the agreement the expedition sought.
United States forces capture Nuremberg
As the European war neared its end, American units fought their way into cities that had symbolized the enemy regime. By April 20th, 1945, elements of the United States Seventh Army had battled through the outskirts and defensive belts around Nuremberg, a city deeply associated with party rallies and racial laws. The fighting involved street-by-street advances, clearance of fortified buildings, and close coordination
United States invasion of Puerto Rico
During the Spanish–American War, American forces stepped ashore on the southern coast of Puerto Rico and opened a new front in the conflict with Spain. Troops under Major General Nelson Miles landed near the small harbor of Guánica, taking advantage of surprise and local currents to avoid heavier defenses elsewhere. Initial resistance was limited, but skirmishes soon broke out as Spanish and Puerto Rican troops probe
United States name adopted
On this date, the Continental Congress resolved that the “United Colonies” would henceforth be known as the “United States of America.” It was a decision made in the middle of a war whose outcome was far from certain, but it gave the rebellion a clearer political…
United States Naval School opens at Annapolis
Not every turning point comes with smoke and cannon fire.