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) |
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Coalition victory:
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The War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) including |
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Grand Alliance Victory:
|
Civil War: (1715–1716) including |
Government forces | Jacobites | Victory
Jacobite restoration attempt defeated |
The War of the Quadruple Alliance
including
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![]() Jacobites (against the British Crown and Government only) |
Quadruple Alliance Victory:
|
Dummer's War (1721–1725) |
![]() Mohawk |
![]() Wabanaki Confederacy |
Victory
|
The War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748) including
|
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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) |
![]() Forces of Nasir Jang Mir Ahmad Forces of Mohamed Ali Khan Walajan |
![]() Forces of Muhyi ad-Din Muzaffar Jang Hidayat |
Victory
|
Seven Years' War (1756–1763) |
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Victory
|
The Third Carnatic War (1757–1763) |
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Victory
|
Anglo-Cherokee War (1758–1761) |
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Cherokee | Victory
Pro-British Attakullakulla becomes Cherokee leader |
Tacky's War (1760) |
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Ashanti Slaves | Victory
|
Pontiac's Rebellion (1763–1766) |
Confederation of First Nation Tribes | Stalemate
| |
First Anglo-Mysore War (1766–1769) |
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British defeat, Hyderabad cedes territory to Mysore |
First Anglo-Maratha War (1774–1783) |
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Indecisive
Pre-war status quo remained.[2][3] Treaty of Salbai:
|
|
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Defeat
|
2nd Anglo-Mysore War (1780–1784) |
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Treaty of Mangalore: |
Northwest Indian War (1785–1795) |
Western Confederacy | ![]() |
Defeat
|
3rd Anglo-Mysore War (1789–1792) |
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Victory
|
War of the French Revolution (1793–1802) |
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Defeat
|
Ibn Ufaisan's Invasion (1793) |
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Victory
|
Second Maroon War (1795–1796) |
![]() British Jamaica |
Jamaican Maroons | Victory
|
Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars (1795–1816) |
Burrberongal Tribe ![]() from 1801: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
Dharug Eora Tharawal Gandangara ![]() |
Victory
Displacement of Aborigines from their land |
Kandyan Wars (1796–1818) |
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Victory
|
Irish Rebellion of 1798 (1798) |
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Victory
Rebellion defeated 1801 Act of Union |
4th Anglo-Mysore War (1798–1799) |
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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) |
![]() Albanian, German, and Greek mercenaries ![]() ![]() |
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Victory
|
Second Anglo-Maratha War (1802–1805) |
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Victory
Extensive territory in India ceded by the Maratha Empire |
First Kandyan War (1803–1805) |
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Victory
Territory captured from Kandy | |
Civil War: Emmet's Insurrection |
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Victory
Rebellion defeated | |
British Expedition to Ceylon (1803) |
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Chiefdom of Vanni![]() |
Victory
|
War of the Third Coalition (1803–1805) |
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??
|
War of the Fourth Coalition (1806–1807) |
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Treaties of Tilsit:
|
British invasions of the Río de la Plata (1806–1807) |
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Invasion defeated | |
Ashanti-Fante War (1806–1807) |
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Fante Confederacy | |
Anglo-Turkish War (1807–1809) |
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Treaty of the Dardanelles:
| |
Gunboat War (1807–1814) |
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Victory
|
Anglo-Russian War (1807–1812) |
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Treaty of Örebro:
|
Peninsular War (1807–1814) |
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Victory
|
War of the Fifth Coalition (1809) |
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??
|
Conquest of French Guiana (1809) |
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Victory
|
Merina Conquest of Madagascar (1810–1817) |
Merina Kingdom | ![]() |
Victory
Merina control of Madagascar Merina pro-British policies |
Punjab War (1810–1820) |
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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) |
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Fante Confederacy
Akwapim tribes Akim tribes |
Tantamkweri ceded to Akwapim tribes |
Action of 3 February 1812 (1812) |
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Victory |
War of 1812 (1812–1815) |
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Stalemate
|
War of the Sixth Coalition (1812–1814) |
Original Coalition![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() After Battle of Leipzig |
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|
Victory
|
Second Kandyan War (1815) |
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Victory
| |
Hundred Days (1815) War of the Seventh Coalition |
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Victory
|
Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818) |
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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) |
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Victory
Establishment of the Kingdom of Greece |
First Ashanti War (1823–1831) |
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Stalemate with a truce | |
First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826) |
![]() Native tribes |
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Victory
|
Revolt of the Mercenaries (1828) |
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Victory
|
Portuguese Civil War (1828–1834) |
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Victory
|
Baptist War (1831–1832) |
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Rebel Slaves | Victory
|
First Carlist War (1833–1840) |
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|
Carlists:
|
Victory
British mediated Convention of Vergara |
The 6th Xhosa War (1834–1836) |
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Xhosa tribes | Victory
Extensive territorial gains from Xhosa |
Rebellions of 1837 (1837–1838) |
![]() ![]() Supported by: |
![]() Hunters' Lodges Reform Movement |
Victory
|
First Anglo-Afghan War (1839–1842) |
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British retreat from Afghanistan |
First Opium War (1839–1842) |
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Victory
| |
Second Egyptian-Ottoman War (1839–1841) |
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Victory
|
Uruguayan Civil War (1839–1851) |
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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) |
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Victory
|
Flagstaff War (1845–1846) |
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Stalemate |
Hutt Valley Campaign (1846) |
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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) |
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Stalemate
12 year peace and trade |
Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848–1849) |
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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) |
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Taiping Heavenly Kingdom | Victory
|
Second Anglo-Burmese War (1852–1853) |
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Victory
Burmese revolution ended fighting Lower Burma annexed | |
Crimean War (1853–1856) |
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Victory |
The National War in Nicaragua (1856–1857) |
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Victory
Sonora/Nicaraguan government defeat. |
Second Opium War (1856–1860) Arrow War |
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Victory
|
Anglo-Persian War (1856–1857) |
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Victory
Persian withdrawal from Herat |
Indian Mutiny (1857–1858) |
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Victory
Act for the Better Government of India:
|
First Taranaki War (1860–1861) Second Māori War |
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Stalemate | |
Bombardment of Kagoshima (1863) |
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Victory
|
Second Ashanti War (1863–1864) |
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Stalemate | |
Invasion of Waikato (1863–1866) Third Māori War |
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Victory
Māori King Movement defeated, confined to King Country |
Bhutan War (1864–1865) |
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Bhutan | Victory
Treaty of Sinchula:
|
British Expedition to Abyssinia (1867–1868) |
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Victory |
Klang War (1867–1874) Selangor Civil War |
Forces of Raja Abdullah of Klang
|
Forces of Raja Mahadi | Victory |
Titokowaru's War (1868–1869) Part of the New Zealand land wars |
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Victory
Ngāti Ruanui Iwi withdrawal |
1868 Expedition to Abyssinia (1868) |
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Victory
British hostages freed War of the Abyssinian Succession begins |
Te Kooti's War
Part of the New Zealand land wars |
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Victory
End of New Zealand land wars Territory ceded by Māori Iwis |
Red River Rebellion (1869–1869) |
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Victory
Defeat of rebellion Manitoba Act:
|
Third Ashanti War (1873–1874) |
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Victory
Treaty of Fomena:
| |
The 9th Xhosa War (1877–1879) |
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Xhosa Gcaleka Tribe | Victory
All Xhosa territory annexed to the Cape Colony |
Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–1880) |
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Victory
British control over Afghan foreign affairs |
Anglo-Zulu War (1879) |
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Zulu Kingdom | Victory
Zululand annexed to Natal |
‘Urabi Revolt (1879–1882) |
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Victory
|
First Boer War (1880–1881) |
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Defeat
| |
Mahdist War (1884–1889) |
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Mahdist Sudan | Victory |
Third Anglo-Burmese War (1885) |
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Victory
Upper Burma annexed to British Raj | |
Sikkim Expedition (1888) |
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Victory
Tibet recognizes British suzerainty over Sikkim |
Anglo-Zanzibar War (1896) |
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Victory
Pro-British Sultan installed | |
Boxer Rebellion (1899–1901) |
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Righteous Harmony Society | Victory
|
Second Boer War (1899–1902) |
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Victory
| |
Anglo-Aro War (1901–1902) |
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Victory
Aro Confederacy destroyed | |
British expedition to Tibet (1903–1904) |
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Victory |
World War I (1914–1918) |
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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) |
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Victory
|
Latvian War of Independence (1918–1920) |
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Victory
|
Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War (1918–1920) |
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Defeat
|
Turkish War of Independence (1919–1923) |
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British withdrawal before war's conclusion
|
Third Anglo-Afghan War (1919–1919) |
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Partial victory, Full Afghan independence |
Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) |
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Anglo-Irish Treaty:
|
Somaliland campaign (1920) (1920) |
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Victory
Demise of the Dervish State |
Great Iraqi Revolution of 1920 (1920) |
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Victory
|
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1922–present)
Conflict | Britain & Her Allies | Belligerent Opposing Britain | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
Adwan Rebellion (1923) |
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Victory
Sultan al-Adwan's defeat and exile |
Ikhwan Revolt (1927–1930) |
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Victory
|
Great Arab Revolt in Palestine (1936–1939) |
Jewish Settlement PoliceJewish Supernumerary Police HaganahSpecial Night SquadsFOSHPeulot MeyuhadotIrgunPeace Bands | ![]() |
Victory
Revolt suppressed |
Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine (1938–1948) |
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Haganah PalmachIrgunLehi | British terminate Mandate and withdrawIsraeli Declaration of Independence |
S-Plan 16 January 1939 – March 1940 |
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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 |
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Victory
|
Greek Civil War (1944–1948) |
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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) |
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Hand over to Dutch in 1946
|
Operation Masterdom (1945–1946) |
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Hand over to French
First Indochina War begins |
Corfu Channel incident (1946–1948) |
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Victory
|
Malayan Emergency (1948–1960) |
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Victory
|
Korean War (1950–1953) |
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Ceasefire
|
1951 Anglo-Egyptian War[7] (1951–1952) |
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Victory
|
Mau Mau Uprising (1952–1960) |
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Mau Mau | Victory
|
Jebel Akhdar War (1954–1959) |
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Victory
|
Cyprus Emergency (1955–1959) |
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Suez Crisis (1956–1957) |
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Coalition military victory[8][9][10] Egyptian political victory[8]
|
Border Campaign (1956–1962) |
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Victory
IRA campaign fails |
First Cod War (1958–1961) |
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Defeat Iceland expands its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles |
Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation (1962–1966) |
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Victory
Indonesia recognises Malaysian rule over former North Borneo |
Dhofar Rebellion (1962–1975) |
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Victory
Insurgency defeated Modernisation of Oman |
Aden Emergency (1963–1967) |
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Defeat People's Republic of South Yemen established |
Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970) |
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Victory
|
The Troubles (1968–1998) |
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Ulster Volunteer Force Ulster Defence Association Red Hand Commando Ulster Resistance Loyalist Volunteer Force |
Stalemate Good Friday Agreement:
|
Second Cod War (1972-1973) |
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Defeat UK accept Iceland's 50 nautical mile exclusive fishery zone |
Third Cod War (1975-1976) |
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Defeat Iceland expands its exclusive fishery zone to 200 nautical miles |
Falklands War (1982) |
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Victory
The Falklands are retaken from Argentina |
Multinational Force in Lebanon (1982–1984) |
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Islamic Jihad Organization |
Multinational Force withdrawal |
Gulf War (1991) |
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Victory Kuwait regains its independence |
Bosnian War (1992–1996) |
UNPROFOR, | ![]() |
Victory |
Operation Desert Fox (1998) |
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Victory
Objectives largely achieved |
Kosovo War (1998–1999) |
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Victory Kosovo occupied by Nato forces Kosovo administered by UNMIK |
Sierra Leone Civil War (2000–2002) |
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Victory
Rebels defeated |
War in Afghanistan Fourth Anglo-Afghan War[12] (2001–2014) |
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Victory Fall of Taliban régime and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Osama bin Laden killed Taliban insurgency |
Iraq War (2003–2009) |
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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 ![]() ![]() and
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Victory
|
Military intervention against ISIL (2014–present) |
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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