1. The American Revolutionary War (1775-1783): The colonies sought independence from British rule due to the lack of representation and oppressive policies imposed by the British government.
2. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815): Napoleon Bonaparte’s ambitious expansionist policies and desire to establish French dominance in Europe led to conflicts with other European powers who sought to maintain the balance of power.
3. The American Civil War (1861-1865): The major cause was the disagreement between the northern and southern states over issues of slavery and the division of power between the federal government and state governments.
4. World War I (1914-1918): The main cause was complex and included factors such as intense nationalism, imperialistic rivalries, and a system of alliances between nations. The immediate spark was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, leading to a chain reaction of declarations of war between various countries.
5. World War II (1939-1945): Primarily provoked by the aggressive expansionist policies of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler and the militaristic ambitions of Japan, seeking to establish their dominance over other countries through conquest and ideological supremacy.
6. The Korean War (1950-1953): Fought between North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union and China, and South Korea, supported by the United Nations, it began as a result of North Korea’s attempt to forcibly reunify the peninsula under a communist regime.
7. The Vietnam War (1955-1975): Stemming from the Cold War, it started as a resistance by communist forces in Vietnam against the South Vietnamese government, which was supported by the United States. The U.S. aimed to contain the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.
8. The Gulf War (1990-1991): Iraq invaded Kuwait, citing territorial claims and oil-related disputes as the central causes. The international community, led by a coalition of nations, intervened to liberate Kuwait and restore stability in the region.
9. The War in Afghanistan (2001-present): Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, the war began as a response to remove the Taliban regime in Afghanistan for harboring and supporting the Al-Qaeda terrorist group responsible for the attacks.
10. The Iraq War (2003-2011): The stated reason was to disarm Iraq of alleged weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and remove Saddam Hussein from power, based on claims that he posed a threat to regional stability and had ties to terrorist organizations. The presence of WMDs proved to be false intelligence.