Although American troops have been used very frequently since 1776, as a sovereign state, the United States has declared a state of war only 11 times, from the first declaration of war on Great Britain in 1812 to the acts of the Second World War era. The Constitution grants Congress the exclusive right to declare war, and since then it is Congress that authorizes the use of military force and also shapes military policy through appropriations and oversight. Below are images of each of the declarations of war passed by Congress. All documents are available on the US Senate National Archives website.
Declaration of War on Great Britain (17 June 1812)
Not to be confused with the American Revolutionary War. The war of 1812, as it is called in the United States, is little known here, in Russia, but for the Americans and the British it is an extremely important event. The results of the war turned out to be quite contradictory. The Americans failed to capture Canada, but they were able to defend their independence again. The British burned down the White House in Washington and staged a deaf naval blockade for the United States, but they failed to achieve a complete victory.
Declaration of War on Mexico (May 12, 1846)
The border dispute between the United States and Mexico led to an armed conflict in which 16 American soldiers were killed. President Polk demanded a declaration of war, falsely claiming that "Mexico crossed the border of the United States, invaded our territory, and shed American blood on American soil." On May 12, 1846, Congress agreed to declare war on Mexico. The war lasted a year and a half. US forces occupied New Mexico and both California, parts of Northern Mexico. Texas was torn away earlier.
Declaration of War on Spain (25 April 1898)
During the uprising against Spanish rule in Cuba, President McKinley sent the cruiser Maine to Havana after riots threatened American citizens. On February 15, 1898, a powerful explosion occurred on the ship, killing 288 American sailors. This event led public opinion to war, although the cause of the explosion was never determined. On April 25, 1898, Congress approved a resolution declaring war on Spain. The ten-week conflict ended with an American victory. In 1898, the Treaty of Paris established the American occupation of Cuba, as well as indefinite colonial rule over Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippine Islands, which precipitated the collapse of the Spanish Empire.
Declaration of War on Germany (6 April 1917)
Declaration of the Declaration of War on Austria-Hungary (7 December 1917)
In 1914, the First World War broke out between Germany and Austria-Hungary on the one hand, and Great Britain, France and the Russian Empire on the other. America did not formally intervene in this war for the first three years, although it was inclined to help Britain. But in 1917, the Americans, thanks to British intelligence, learned about a German plan to finance a Mexican military invasion of the United States, with the aim of helping to regain control over the territories of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. On April 6, 1917, Congress approved a resolution declaring war on Germany, and on December 7, 1917, on Austria-Hungary.
After the collapse of the German front in 1918, an armistice was signed. The Treaty of Versailles of 1919 formally ended the state of war between the Western Allies and Germany. It is noteworthy that the United States did not declare war on the Ottoman Empire and later did not conclude peace with it.
Declaration of War on Japan (8 December 1941)
Declaration of War on Germany (11 December 1941)
It is curious that the document was originally written about the Japanese Empire, but later the edits were made in pencil. In general, a large number of errors and corrections in such important documents is noteworthy.
Declaration of War on Italy (11 December 1941)
Declaration of War on Bulgaria (4 June 1942)
Declaration of War on Hungary (4 June 1942)
Declaration of War on Romania (4 June 1942)
Between December 8 and 11, 1941, Congress declared war on Japan, Germany and Italy, and on June 4, 1942, it approved military resolutions against other Axis countries - Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania. After five years of hostilities, all the Axis powers surrendered.
After World War II, the US Congress did not officially declare war on any country, but it voted 23 times to authorize "limited military action", including in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of these votes came after the fact.
