Wars Flashcards
Match the Years, Important People, & Description to the War that Concerns Them
1775–1783
Important People: George Washington, King George III, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin.
This war was fought between Great Britain and the thirteen American colonies, which sought independence. It resulted in the formation of the United States of America following the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
The American Revolutionary War
1803–1815
Important People: Napoleon Bonaparte, Duke of Wellington, Tsar Alexander I, Horatio Nelson.
A series of wars between Napoleonic France and various European coalitions. The wars ended with the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo and his subsequent exile to Saint Helena.
The Napoleonic Wars
1861–1865
Important People: Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis.
Fought between the Northern states (Union) and Southern secessionist states (Confederacy) over issues including states’ rights and slavery. The Union’s victory preserved the United States and led to the abolition of slavery.
The American Civil War
1914–1918
Important People: Woodrow Wilson, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Tsar Nicholas II, David Lloyd George.
A global war originating in Europe, triggered by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The war involved major powers divided into the Allies and Central Powers. It ended with the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed heavy reparations on Germany.
World War I
1939–1945
Important People: Adolf Hitler, Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin.
A global conflict involving most of the world’s nations. The Allies, led by the U.S., Soviet Union, and the UK, fought against the Axis powers led by Germany, Italy, and Japan. It resulted in significant geopolitical changes and the establishment of the United Nations.
World War II
1950–1953
Important People: Kim Il-sung, Syngman Rhee, Douglas MacArthur, Harry S. Truman.
A war between North Korea (with support from China and the Soviet Union) and South Korea (with principal support from the United States). The war ended in an armistice, with Korea remaining divided at the 38th parallel.
The Korean War
1955–1975
Important People: Ho Chi Minh, Ngo Dinh Diem, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon.
A conflict between communist North Vietnam and non-communist South Vietnam, with heavy U.S. involvement. It ended with the fall of Saigon and the unification of Vietnam under communist control.
The Vietnam War
1990–1991
Important People: Saddam Hussein, George H. W. Bush, Norman Schwarzkopf, Colin Powell.
Triggered by Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, this conflict saw a coalition of forces led by the United States expel Iraqi troops from Kuwait. It ended with a decisive coalition victory and the liberation of Kuwait.
The Gulf War
2003–2011
Important People: George W. Bush, Saddam Hussein, Tony Blair, Nouri al-Maliki.
Initiated by the United States and the United Kingdom under the pretext of eliminating weapons of mass destruction and ending Saddam Hussein’s regime. The war led to significant instability and the eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops in 2011.
The Iraq War
2011–present
Important People: Bashar al-Assad, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin.
An ongoing conflict beginning with protests against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. It evolved into a complex civil war involving multiple factions, including ISIS, Kurdish forces, and foreign interventions by the U.S., Russia, and others.
The Syrian Civil War
1337–1453
Important People: Joan of Arc, King Edward III, King Henry V, King Charles VII.
A series of conflicts waged between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of France over control of the French throne. The war saw major battles like Agincourt and the rise of notable figures such as Joan of Arc. It ended with the French reclaiming their territories.
The Hundred Years’ War
1618–1648
Important People: Ferdinand II, Gustavus Adolphus, Cardinal Richelieu, Albrecht von Wallenstein.
A religious and political conflict primarily fought in Central Europe. It began as a struggle between Protestant and Catholic states in the fragmented Holy Roman Empire but expanded to involve most of Europe. The war ended with the Peace of Westphalia, leading to significant changes in the political map of Europe.
The Thirty Years’ War
1853–1856
Important People: Tsar Nicholas I, Queen Victoria, Napoleon III, Florence Nightingale.
Fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, Britain, and Sardinia. The war centered around the rights of Christian minorities in the Holy Land, then part of the Ottoman Empire. It ended with the Treaty of Paris, curtailing Russian influence in the region.
The Crimean War
1870–1871
Important People: Otto von Bismarck, Napoleon III, Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, Wilhelm I.
A conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia, along with its German allies. The war resulted in the defeat of France, the fall of Napoleon III, and the unification of Germany under Prussian leadership, leading to the establishment of the German Empire.
The Franco-Prussian War
1904–1905
Important People: Tsar Nicholas II, Emperor Meiji, Admiral Togo Heihachiro, General Nogi Maresuke.
Fought between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over rival imperial ambitions in Manchuria and Korea. The war ended with a decisive Japanese victory, marking the first time an Asian power defeated a European power in modern warfare. The Treaty of Portsmouth concluded the conflict.
The Russo-Japanese War
