List of wars involving the United Kingdom

This is a list of wars and humanitarian conflicts involving the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its predecessor states (the Kingdom of Great Britain, Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Scotland and generally the British Isles). Notable militarised interstate disputes are included. For a list of wars before the Acts of Union 1707 please see List of wars involving England & List of wars involving Scotland. To see wars that have been fought on the United Kingdom mainland, see the list of wars in Great Britain.

Historically, the United Kingdom relied most heavily on the Royal Navy and maintained relatively small land forces. Most of the episodes listed here deal with insurgencies and revolts in the various colonies of the British Empire.

During its history, the United Kingdom's 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.

 British victory - 102
 Another result * - 23
 British defeat - 24
 Ongoing conflict - 2

*e.g. a treaty or peace without a clear result, status quo ante bellum, result of civil or internal conflict, result unknown or indecisive, inconclusive

Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1801)

Conflict Britain & allies Britain's opposition Outcome
The Great Northern War
(1700–1721)
Sweden Swedish Empire

 Ottoman Empire
 United Provinces
Brunswick-Lüneburg
 Great Britain

Tsardom of Russia

Cossack Hetmanate
Denmark Denmark–Norway
 Electorate of Saxony
Poland–Lithuania
 Prussia
Province of Hanover Hanover

Inconclusive for Great Britain
  • Britain did not gain or lose anything from the war and had exited the war a year before it ended due to financial trouble

Russian Allied victory:

The War of the Spanish Succession
(1701–1714)

including

Holy Roman Empire Austria

 Dutch Republic
 Savoy
 Great Britain
 Prussia
Portugal Portugal

 France

Spain Spain
Bavaria Bavaria

British victory
  • Treaty of Utrecht:
  • Philip V recognized as King of Spain by the Grand Alliance
  • Territory in Canada and the West Indies ceded from France
  • Territory in Europe ceded from Spain
  • Indecisive or failure for Britain's various allies
Civil war: Post-Spanish Succession Caribbean Piracy
(1715–1726)
 Great Britain Anglo-American-Caribbean privateers
Republic of Pirates
Civil war, British victory
  • Piracy outlawed by Treaty of Utrecht
  • Anti-Caribbean Piracy campaign by Royal Navy
  • Disestablishment of the Republic of Pirates in 1718
  • Defeat of Edward Teach in 1718
  • Defeat of Calico Jack in 1720
  • Defeat of Black Bart in 1722
  • Defeat of Edward Low in 1724
  • Most outlawed Caribbean privateers captured or killed by 1726, marking the end of the Golden Age of Piracy
Civil war:
(1715–1716)

Jacobite rising of 1715
including

 Great Britain Jacobites Civil war, British victory

Jacobite restoration attempt defeated

The War of the Quadruple Alliance

including

 Holy Roman Empire
 Great Britain

 France
 Dutch Republic
 Savoy

Spain Spain

Jacobites (against the British Crown and government only)

British Allied victory:
  • Royal navy won a battle; a small-scale Jacobite invasion was defeated
  • Treaty of The Hague:
  • Spanish attempt at expansion fails.
Dummer's War
(1721–1725)
"The Pine Tree flag of New England" New England Colonies
Mohawk
Wabanaki Confederacy British victory
  • Britain recognises the rights of the region's indigenous inhabitants.
The War of Jenkins' Ear
(1739–1748)

Location: New Granada, Caribbean, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Pacific and Atlantic

 Great Britain Spain Spain Inconclusive/Other Outcome
The War of the Austrian Succession
(1740–1748)

including

Holy Roman Empire Austria

 Great Britain
Province of Hanover Hanover
 Dutch Republic
 Saxony
 Sardinia
 Russia
East India Company

 France

 Prussia
Spain Spain

Bavaria Bavaria
 Saxony
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Naples and Sicily
 Genoa
Sweden Sweden
Kingdom of France French East India Company

French Allied Victory in Europe but British Victory outside of Europe
Civil War:

Jacobite rising of 1745
(1741–1745)

 Great Britain Jacobites Civil war, British victory

Jacobite restoration attempt defeated

The Second Carnatic War
(1749–1754)
East India Company

Forces of Nasir Jang Mir Ahmad
Forces of Mohamed Ali Khan Walajan

Kingdom of France French East India Company
Forces of Chanda Shahib

Forces of Muhyi ad-Din Muzaffar Jang Hidayat

British Allied victory

Treaty of Pondicherry:

Seven Years' War
(1756–1763)

including

 Great Britain

 Prussia
Province of Hanover Hanover
Iroquois Confederacy
Portugal
Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Hesse Hesse-Kassel
Schaumburg-Lippe

Cherokee Nation (before 1758)

Catawba

Mingo

Lenape (from 1758)

Wyandot of Ohio Country (British supported faction)

 France

 Holy Roman Empire
 Russian Empire
 Sweden
Spain Spain

 Saxony
 Sardinia

Mughal Empire

Wabanaki Confederacy

Miꞌkmaq

Algonquin

Ojibwe

Odawa

Shawnee

Lenape (until 1758)

Wyandot of Fort Detroit (French supported faction)

British Allied victory

Treaty of Paris:

  • Extensive North American lands (incl. all of
    Canada) ceded from France
  • Caribbean colonies ceded from France
  • Senegal River colony (excluding Gorée) ceded
    from France
  • Florida ceded from Spain
  • French trading posts in India administered by British
  • Sumatra ceded from France
Anglo-Cherokee War
(1758–1761)
 Great Britain Cherokee British victory

Pro-British Attakullakulla becomes Cherokee leader

Tacky's War
(1760)
 Great Britain
Jamaica Jamaican Government
Jamaica Jamaican Maroons
Ashanti Slaves British Allied victory
  • Slave defeat
  • Death of Tacky
  • Tacky's men commit suicide
Pontiac's Rebellion
(1763–1766)
 Great Britain Native American Coalition: Inconclusive/Other Outcome
  • British policy change
  • British suzerainty over First Nation Tribes
  • Niagara Falls area ceded from Seneca Nation
First Anglo-Mysore War
(1766–1769)
East India Company

 Maratha Empire
Hyderabad State

Kingdom of Mysore Mysore victory

Hyderabad cedes territory to Mysore

First Anglo-Maratha War
(1774–1783)
East India Company  Maratha Empire Maratha victory
 Great Britain

Iroquois
Cherokee
Hanover
Loyalists

 United States
 France

Spain Spain
Vermont Republic
Oneida tribe
Tuscarora tribe
Watauga Association
Catawba tribe

Civil War / American Allied victory
  • The American Revolution started as a civil war within the British Empire. It became a larger international war in 1778 once France joined.

Treaty of Paris:

  • 13 North American colonies recognised as the independent United States of America
  • Territory in North America ceded to the newly independent United States of America
  • Senegal River colony returned to France
  • French recognises British suzerainty over the Gambia river
  • Territory in India returned to France
  • British retention and creation of British North America
  • Menorca ceded to Spain
  • East & West Florida ceded to Spain
4th Anglo-Dutch War
(1780–83)
 Great Britain  Dutch Republic
Kingdom of France France
Spain Spain
British victory
  • The Dutch Republic did not enter into a formal alliance with the rebelling American colonies and their allies. The war, contemporary with the War of American Independence (1775–1783), broke out over British and Dutch disagreements on the legality and conduct of Dutch trade with Britain's enemies in that war.
  • The war settled the decline of the Dutch Empire and further cemented Great Britain as the leading commercial power.

Treaty of Paris

2nd Anglo-Mysore War
(1780–1784)
East India Company

 Maratha Empire
Hyderabad State

Kingdom of Mysore

 France

Inconclusive/Other Outcome
3rd Anglo-Mysore War
(1789–1792)
East India Company

 Maratha Empire
Hyderabad State
Travancore

Kingdom of Mysore British Allied victory

Treaty of Seringapatam:

  • Half of Mysore territory ceded to East India Company
War of the First Coalition
(1793–1797)
Dutch Republic Dutch Republic
(until 1795)
 Great Britain
 Holy Roman Empire (until 1797)

Papal States Papal States (until 1797)
 Parma (until 1796)
 Portugal
 Prussia (until 1795)
Sardinia (until 1796)
Spain Spain (until 1795)
 Naples (until 1796)
Other Italian states Switzerland

Constitutional Cabinet of Louis XVI Kingdom of France (until 1792)
French First Republic French Republic (from 1792)

French satellites:

French Victory
War of the Second Coalition
(1797–1802)
 Holy Roman Empire (until 1801)

 United Kingdom
 Russia
 Ottoman Empire
 Naples (until 1801)
 Portugal
Sardinia

 French Republic
Spain Spain
French client republics:
French Victory

Treaty of Lunéville, Treaty of Amiens

Ibn Ufaisan's Invasion
(1793)
Kuwait
 Great Britain
Emirate of Diriyah British Allied victory
  • Saudi retreat from Kuwait.
Second Maroon War
(1795–1796)
 Great Britain
British Jamaica
Jamaican Maroons British victory
  • Maroon defeat
  • Treaty signed established that the Maroons would beg on their knees for the King's forgiveness, return all runaway slaves, and be relocated elsewhere in Jamaica
  • Breach of treaty caused deportation of several Maroons to Nova Scotia and later to Sierra Leone in Africa
Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars
(1795–1816)
Burrberongal Tribe
 Great Britain
from 1801: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Dharug
Eora
Tharawal
Gandangara
Irish-convict sympathisers
British victory

Displacement of Aborigines from their land

Anglo-Spanish War
(1796–1808)

Location: Newfoundland, English Channel, Straits of Gibraltar, Balearic Islands, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata

 Great Britain
from 1801:  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Spain
French Republic
Inconclusive/Other Outcome
Kandyan Wars
(1796–1818)
 Great Britain
from 1801:  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Kingdom of Kandy British victory
  • End of 2357 years of Sinhalese independence
Irish Rebellion of 1798
(1798)
 Kingdom of Ireland


 Great Britain

United Irishmen

Defenders
France French Republic

British victory
  • Rebellion defeated
  • 1801 Act of Union
4th Anglo-Mysore War
(1798–1799)
East India Company

 Maratha Empire
Hyderabad State

Kingdom of Mysore British Allied victory

Complete annexation of Mysore by Britain and allies

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801–1922)

Conflict Britain & allies Britain's opposition Outcome
Temne War
(1801–1807)
Susu tribes Kingdom of Koya British Allied victory

Northern shore of Sierra Leone ceded by Koya

Second Anglo-Maratha War
(1802–1805)
East India Company  Maratha Empire British victory

Extensive territory in India ceded by the Maratha Empire

First Kandyan War
(1803–1805)
 United Kingdom Kandy British victory

Territory captured from Kandy

Civil War:

Emmet's Insurrection
(1803)

 United Kingdom Forces of Robert Emmet British victory

Rebellion defeated

British Expedition to Ceylon
(1803)
 Dutch Republic
 United Kingdom
Chiefdom of Vanni
 Kingdom of Kandy
British Allied victory
  • Vanni region lost to the British
  • The last Tamil resistance against colonial rule was crushed.
War of the Third Coalition
(1803–1805)
 Austrian Empire

 Russian Empire
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Naples and Sicily
Portugal
 Sweden

France French Empire

Netherlands Batavia
Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic) Italy
Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic) Etruria
 Spain
Bavaria Bavaria
Kingdom of Württemberg Württemberg

French Allied victory
War of the Fourth Coalition
(1806–1807)
 Prussia

 Russia
 Saxony
 Sweden
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Sicily

France French Empire

Confederation of the Rhine

Polish Legions
Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic) Italy
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Naples
Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic) Etruria
Netherlands Holland
Switzerland Swiss Confederation
 Spain

French Allied victory

Treaties of Tilsit:

  • French victory
  • Half of Prussia ceded to French allies
  • Russia exits the war
  • Anglo-Russian War begins
Ashanti–Fante War
(1806–1807)
 Ashanti Empire

Netherlands Dutch Empire

Fante Confederacy
 United Kingdom
Dutch victory
Anglo-Turkish War
(1807–1809)
 United Kingdom  Ottoman Empire Turkish victory

Treaty of the Dardanelles:

  • Turkish military victory
  • Commercial and legal concessions to British interests within the Ottoman Empire
  • Promise to protect the empire against French encroachment
Gunboat War
(1807–1814)
 United Kingdom Denmark Denmark–Norway British victory

Treaty of Kiel:

  • Denmark and Norway split up
  • Heligoland ceded from Denmark
Anglo-Russian War
(1807–1812)
 United Kingdom  Russian Empire Inconclusive/Other Outcome
Peninsular War
(1807–1814)
 Spain

Portugal
 United Kingdom

France French Empire British Allied victory

Treaty of Paris:

  • Bourbon dynasty restored
  • Tobago, St. Lucia, Mauritius ceded from France
  • All other French possessions restored as per 1792 borders
  • Abolition of French Slave Trade
  • Swiss independence
Travancore rebellion
(1808–1809)
East India Company  Travancore
Kingdom of Cochin
British victory
War of the Fifth Coalition
(1809)
 Austrian Empire

Tyrol
Hungary
Kingdom of Prussia Black Brunswickers
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Sicily
 Sardinia

France French Empire

Warsaw
Confederation of the Rhine

Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic) Kingdom of Italy
Naples
SwitzerlandSwiss Confederation
Netherlands Holland

French Allied victory
Persian Gulf campaign of 1809
(1809)
 United Kingdom Al Qasimi British victory
4th Xhosa War
(1811–1812)
 United Kingdom
 Cape Colony
Xhosa tribes British victory

Xhosa tribes pushed beyond the Fish River, reversing their gains in the previous Xhosa wars

War of 1812
(1812–1815)
 United Kingdom

Tecumseh's Confederacy

United States United States Inconclusive/Other Outcome

Treaty of Ghent; Status quo ante bellum with no boundary changes

  • United States invasions of British Canada repulsed. All Pre-War borders restored under the Treaty of Ghent
  • British invasions of the United States repulsed. All pre-war borders restored under the Treaty of Ghent
War of the Sixth Coalition
(1812–1814)
Original Coalition
 Russian Empire
 Prussia
 Austrian Empire
 United Kingdom
 Sweden
 Spain
 Portugal
 Two Sicilies
 Kingdom of Sardinia

After Battle of Leipzig

 First French Empire

Until January 1814

British Allied victory
Second Kandyan War
(1815)
 United Kingdom Kandy British victory

Kandyan Convention:

  • Dissolution of the Kandy royal line
  • British King declared King of Kandy
Hundred Days
(1815)

War of the Seventh Coalition

 United Kingdom

 Prussia
France France
Hanover
German Confederation
 Austria
 Russia
 Sweden
 Netherlands
 Spain
Portugal
 Sardinia
 Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Tuscany

France French Empire

Naples

British Allied victory

Treaty of Paris:

  • General French defeat
  • Restoration of the House of Bourbon
  • Abolition of the slave trade (all signatories)
  • ₣100,000,000 compensation from France
Third Anglo-Maratha War
(1817–1818)
East India Company  Maratha Empire British victory

Virtually all territory south of the Sutlej River controlled by Britain

Greek War of Independence
(1821–1829)
1821:
Filiki Eteria
Greek revolutionaries
After 1822:
Hellenic Republic
Supported by:
Romanian Revolutionaries (1821)
Greece Philhellenes
 United Kingdom (after 1826)
Russian Empire (after 1826)
Kingdom of France (after 1826)
Serb and Montenegrin volunteers
Ottoman Empire British Allied victory
  • First Hellenic Republic established and recognized
First Ashanti War
(1823–1831)
 British Empire  Ashanti Empire Inconclusive/Other Outcome
  • Stalemate after armistice
First Anglo-Burmese War
(1824–1826)
East India Company

Native tribes

Burmese Empire British Allied victory

Treaty of Yandabo:

  • Assam, Manipur, Rakhine, and Taninthayi coast south of Salween river ceded from Burmah
  • £1,000,000 compensation from Burma
British attack on Berbera
(1827)
 United Kingdom  Isaaq Sultanate British Allied victory
  • Destruction of large parts of Berbera
  • Indemnity agreed upon for 1825 Habr Awal attack
  • Crucial caravan trade halted temporarily
Revolt of the Mercenaries
(1828)
Empire of Brazil Brazil
 United Kingdom
France
Germany German Mercenaries
Republic of Ireland Irish Mercenaries
British Allied victory
  • Mutiny suppressed
Baptist War
(1831–1832)
 United Kingdom
Colony of Jamaica
Rebel slaves British victory
  • Slave defeat
  • Rebellion suppressed
First Carlist War
(1833–1840)
Spain Forces of Queen Isabella II

France French Kingdom
Portugal Forces of Queen Maria II
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Auxiliary Legion

Carlists: Inconclusive/Other Outcome
The 6th Xhosa War
(1834–1836)
United Kingdom Free Khoikhoi Xhosa tribes British victory

Extensive territorial gains from Xhosa

Rebellions of 1837
(1837–1838)
 United Kingdom
United Kingdom Province of Upper Canada

United Kingdom Province of Lower Canada

Patriotes
Hunters' Lodges
Reform Movement
British victory
Pastry War
(1838–1839)
also known First Franco–Mexican War
 Mexico  France
 United Kingdom
British Victory
  • Mexican government accepts to pay the 600,000 pesos
First Anglo-Afghan War
(1838–1842)
East India Company
Durrani Kingdom
Maimana Khanate
Khulm (August 1840 for mere days, September 1840-November 1841)
Sadozai loyalists
Emirate of Kabul
Principality of Qandahar
Khanate of Kalat
Khulm (August 1840, November 1841 onwards.)
Marri
Bugti
Afghan Tribes
Barakzai Loyalists
Barakzai Afghan victory
  • British retreat from Afghanistan
First Opium War
(1839–1842)
 United Kingdom  Qing dynasty British victory

Treaty of Nanking:

  • Five Chinese ports open to foreign trade
  • $21,000,000 compensation from the Qing Empire
  • Hong Kong Island ceded from the Qing Empire
Second Egyptian-Ottoman War
(1839–1841)
Ottoman Empire
 British Empire
Egypt Eyalet
France Kingdom of the French
Spain Spain
British Allied victory
  • Egypt renounced its claim to Syria.
First Anglo-Sikh War
(1845–1846)
East India Company
Patiala State
Sikh Empire British Allied victory

Treaty of Lahore:

  • Extensive territory ceded from the Sikh Empire
  • Partial control over Sikh foreign affairs
The 7th Xhosa War
(1846–1847)

The War of the Axe

 United Kingdom
 Cape Colony
Xhosa tribes British victory

Territory ceded from Xhosa

Caste War of Yucatán
(1847–1901)
 Mexico
Republic of Yucatán
 Guatemala
 United Kingdom
 British Honduras
Maya British Allied victory
  • Republic of Yucatán rejoins the United Mexican States in 1848
  • Mayas achieve an independent state from 1847 to 1883
  • Mexico recaptures Yucatán
  • Conflict between the Mexicans and the Mayans continued until 1933
Second Anglo-Sikh War
(1848–1849)
East India Company Sikh Empire British victory

Complete annexation of the Punjab by the East India Company

Battle of Tysami
(1849)
 United Kingdom Chui A-poo's pirates British victory
The 8th Xhosa War
(1850–1853)

Mlanjeni's War

 United Kingdom
 Cape Colony
Xhosa tribes

Khoikhoi tribes
United Kingdom Native Kafir Police

British victory

Xhosa-Khoi attacks defeated Status quo ante bellum

Taiping Rebellion
(1850–1864)
 Qing dynasty
 France
 United Kingdom
Taiping Heavenly Kingdom British Allied victory
Second Anglo-Burmese War
(1852–1853)
 United Kingdom Burmese Empire British victory

Burmese revolution ended fighting Lower Burma annexed

Crimean War
(1853–1856)
France French Empire

 Ottoman Empire
 Kingdom of Sardinia

 Russian Empire

Bulgaria Bulgarian Legion

British Allied victory

Treaty of Paris

Second Opium War
(1856–1860)

Arrow War

France French Empire

 United States
 United Kingdom

 Qing dynasty British Allied victory

The Treaty of Tientsin:

  • Kowloon ceded from the Qing Empire
  • Peking opened to foreign trade
  • 11 more Chinese ports opened to foreign trade
  • Yangtze River opened to foreign warships
  • 4,000,000 taels of silver compensation
  • China banned from referring to subjects of the crown as barbarians
Anglo-Persian War
(1856–1857)
Afghanistan

East India Company

Persia

Herat

British Allied victory

Persian withdrawal from Herat

Indian Rebellion of 1857
(1857–1858)
East India Company

Nepal
Jammu and Kashmir
Princely states:

Sepoys of the East India Company

Mughal Empire
Awadh
Jhansi
7 Princely states

British Allied victory

Act for the Better Government of India:

Bombardment of Kagoshima
(1863)
 British Empire Satsuma Domain British victory
  • Tactical stalemate and mitigated British victory
British Expedition to Abyssinia
(1867–1868)
 United Kingdom Ethiopia British victory
Klang War
(1867–1874)

Selangor Civil War

Forces of Raja Abdullah of Klang

British Straits Settlements

Forces of Raja Mahadi British Allied victory
Third Ashanti War
(1873–1874)
 United Kingdom  Ashanti Empire British victory

Treaty of Fomena:

  • 50,000 oz of gold compensation from Ashanti Empire
  • Ashanti withdrawal from coastal areas
  • Ashanti banned from practising human sacrifice
Second Anglo-Afghan War
(1878–1880)
 India Afghanistan Stalemate

Treaty of Gandamak:

Anglo-Zulu War
(1879)
United Kingdom Natal Zulu Kingdom British victory

Zululand annexed to Natal

'Urabi Revolt
(1879–1882)
 United Kingdom
Khedivate of Egypt
Egyptian and Sudanese forces under Ahmed 'Urabi British Allied victory
  • 'Urabi forces defeated and exiled
Basuto Gun War
(1880–1881)
 United Kingdom
 Cape Colony
Basuto people Basuto victory
  • Basuto people maintain their partial autonomy
  • British failure to disarm Basuto people
First Boer War
(1880–1881)
 United Kingdom  South African Republic South African victory

Pretoria Convention:

  • South African Republic granted self-government
Mahdist War
(1881–1899)
 United Kingdom
Kingdom of Italy Italy

Ethiopian Empire Ethiopian Empire

 Congo Free State

Egypt

Mahdist Sudan British allied victory
  • Britain and Egypt took over Sudan and turned it into a condominium known as the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
  • Kassala temporarily occupied by Italy
Third Anglo-Burmese War
(1885)
 United Kingdom Burmese Empire British victory

Upper Burma annexed to India

Sikkim Expedition
(1888)
 India Qing dynasty Tibet British victory

Tibet recognizes British suzerainty over Sikkim

Anglo-Manipur War
(1891)
 United Kingdom Kingdom of Manipur British victory
First Matabele War
(1893–1894)
South Africa Company Ndebele Kingdom British victory
Anglo-Zanzibar War
(1896)
 United Kingdom Zanzibar British victory

Pro-British Sultan installed

Second Matabele War
(1896–1897)
South Africa Company Matebele British victory
Cretan Revolt (1897–1898) Cretan revolutionaries
Kingdom of Greece
 British Empire
 France
Kingdom of Italy Italy
 Russian Empire
 Austria-Hungary (until April 12, 1898)
 German Empire (until March 16, 1898)
 Ottoman Empire British victory
  • Establishment of the Cretan State.
  • Withdraw of Ottoman forces from Crete.
Second Samoan Civil War

(1898–1899)

Supporters of Tanumafili I

 United States
 United Kingdom

Supporters of Mata'afa

 Germany

Inconclusive/Other Outcome
Boxer Rebellion
(1899–1901)
 United Kingdom

 Russia
 Japan
France France
 United States
 Germany
 Italy
 Austria-Hungary

Righteous Harmony Society

 Qing dynasty

British Allied victory

Boxer Protocol:

  • Anti-foreign societies banned in China
Second Boer War
(1899–1902)
 United Kingdom  Orange Free State

 South African Republic
Foreign volunteers

British victory

Treaty of Vereeniging:

  • All Boers to surrender arms and swear allegiance to the Crown
  • Dutch language permitted in education
  • Promise to grant Boer republics self-government
  • £3,000,000 compensation "reconstruction aid" to Afrikaners
Mahsud Waziri blockade
(1900–1902)
 India Mahsud rebels British victory
Anglo-Aro War
(1901–1902)
 United Kingdom Aro Confederacy British victory

Aro Confederacy destroyed

British expedition to Tibet
(1903–1904)
 India Qing dynasty Tibet British victory

Status quo ante bellum

Bazar Valley campaign
(1908)
 India Rebel tribes British victory
First World War
(1914–1918)
Allied Powers

 France
 British Empire

 Russia
 United States
 Italy
 Japan
 China
 Serbia
 Montenegro
 Romania
 Belgium
 Greece
 Portugal
 Brazil
Other Allies

Central Powers

 Germany

 Austria-Hungary
 Ottoman Empire
 Bulgaria

  • Bulgarian Doman
British Allied victory

Treaty of Versailles:

  • German demobilisation

Treaties of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Trianon:

Russia pulls out in 1917

  • Russian Civil War
    • Creation of the Soviet Union

Creation of League of Nations:

Estonian War of Independence
(1918–1920)
 Estonia
 United Kingdom
 Latvia
Russia White Movement
Baltic German volunteers
Denmark Danish volunteers
Finland Finnish volunteers
Sweden Swedish volunteers
 Russian SFSR

Baltische Landeswehr

British Allied victory
  • Independence of Estonia
  • Vidzeme gained by the Republic of Latvia
Latvian War of Independence
(1918–1920)
 Latvia
 Estonia
Russia White Movement
 Poland
 Lithuania
 United Kingdom
 German Empire
West Russian Volunteer Army

 Russian SFSR
 Latvian SSR

British Allied victory
  • Independence of Latvia
Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War
(1918–1920)
Russia White Movement

 British Empire

 United States
France France
 Japan
 Czechoslovakia
 Greece
 Estonia
 Serbia
 Italy
 Poland
 Romania
 China

 Russian SFSR

 Far Eastern Republic
Latvian SSR
Ukrainian SSR
Commune of Estonia
Mongolian Communists

Bolshevik victory
  • Allied withdrawal from Russia
  • Bolshevik victory over White Army
  • Soviet Union new Russian power
Turkish War of Independence
(1919–1923)
 Greece
 France
 Armenia (in 1920)
 United Kingdom
 Ottoman Empire (until 1922)

Georgia (in 1921)

Turkish National Movement

Supported by:

  • Doman

 Russian SFSR
Azerbaijan SSR
Georgian SSR
Bukharan PSR
Afghanistan
All-India Muslim League  Italy

Turkish Allied victory

Treaty of Lausanne

Third Anglo-Afghan War
(1919)
 India  Afghanistan Inconclusive/Other Outcome
  • Successful repel of Afghan invasion of north-west India
  • Inconclusive military operation
  • Reaffirmation of the Durand Line
  • Afghan independence with full sovereignty in foreign affairs
Kuwait–Najd War
(1919–1920)
Kuwait
 British Empire
Sultanate of Nejd British Allied victory
Irish War of Independence
(1919–1921)
 United Kingdom Republic of Ireland Irish Republic Irish Republic victory
Great Iraqi Revolution of 1920
(1920)
 United Kingdom Iraqi rebels British victory
  • Revolt suppressed, greater autonomy given to Iraq
1922 Burao Tax Revolt
(1922)
 United Kingdom

 •  British Somaliland

Habr Yunis tribesmen Tribal victory
  • Tax policy abandoned

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1922–present)

Conflict Britain & allies Britain's opposition Outcome
Adwan Rebellion
(1923)
 United Kingdom
Jordan Emir Abdullah's forces
Jordan Hashemite allied tribesmen:
  • Sheykh Minwar al-Hadid
Jordan Sultan al-Adwan's forces British Allied victory

Sultan al-Adwan's defeat and exile

Ikhwan Revolt
(1927–1930)
Kuwait
Nejd and Hejaz
RAF
Ikhwan British Allied victory
  • Ikhwan attack on Kuwait repelled.
  • The remnants of the Ikhwan incorporated into regular Saudi units.
  • The Ikhwan leadership was either slain or imprisoned.
Great Arab Revolt in Palestine
(1936–1939)
 United Kingdom
Israel Yishuv
Arab Higher Committee British Allied victory

Revolt suppressed

Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine
(1939–1948)
 United Kingdom Israel Yishuv Yishuv victory
S-Plan
16 January 1939 – March 1940
 United Kingdom Republic of Ireland Irish Republican Army British victory
  • British victory
  • IRA failed to force the withdrawal of British troops from Ireland
Second World War
(1939–1945)
Allied Powers

 United States
 Soviet Union
 United Kingdom
 China
France France
Poland Poland
 Canada
 Australia
 New Zealand
 British India
 South Africa
 Yugoslavia
 Greece
 Denmark
 Norway
 Netherlands
 Belgium
 Luxembourg
 Czechoslovakia
 Ethiopia
 Brazil
 Mexico
Nepal Gorkha Kingdom

Axis Powers

 Germany
 Japan
 Italy
 Hungary
 Romania
 Bulgaria
 Croatia
 Slovakia
 Finland
 Iraq
 Thailand
 Manchukuo
 Mengjiang

British Allied victory

Nazi Germany formally surrenders 8 May 1945, ending the Second World War in Europe.
On August 15, 1945, following the dropping of atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan announces its surrender, ending the Second World War

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.

Afghan tribal revolts of 1944–1947
(1944–1947)
 Afghanistan
 • Allied Nuristani tribesmen
 British Empire
 •  British India
Rebel tribes: Afghan government & British victory
  • Rebel invasion of India in 1944 repelled
  • Rebels fully defeated by Afghan government in January 1947
1944–45 Insurgency in Balochistan
(1944–1945)
 United Kingdom Badinzai rebels British victory
  • Insurgency subsided by March 1945
Northern Campaign
2 September 1942 – December 1944
United Kingdom Royal Ulster Constabulary Republic of Ireland Irish Republican Army British victory
  • IRA campaign failure
Greek Civil War
(1946–1948)
 Kingdom of Greece

 United Kingdom
 United States

D.S.E. (Δ.Σ.Ε.)

 Albania
 Yugoslavia
 Bulgaria

British Allied victory
Communist forces defeated, many D.S.E. soldiers exiled in Eastern Europe.
Battalion of UK troops still in Greece until 1948
1945 Sheikh Bashir Rebellion
(1945)
 United Kingdom

 •  British Somaliland

Armed Habr Je'lo tribesmen British Pyrrhic victory
Sheikh Bashir killed, unrest continues, anti-colonialist and nationalist sentiment increases in Somaliland
Indonesian National Revolution
(1945–1949)
 United Kingdom
 Netherlands

 Japan (until 1945)

 Indonesia Inconclusive/Other Outcome
  • Hand over to Dutch in 1946
  • Netherlands recognises Indonesian Independence
Operation Masterdom
(1945–1946)
 United Kingdom

France
Empire of Japan

North Vietnam Việt Minh British victory
Corfu Channel incident
(1946–1948)
 United Kingdom  Albania Inconclusive/Other Outcome
  • World Court case concluded in 1949
  • Britain breaks off talks aimed at establishing diplomatic relations with Albania.
Malayan Emergency
(1948–1960)
British Empire British Commonwealth

 Thailand

Malayan Communist Party

Malayan National Liberation Army

British Allied victory
  • Destruction of the majority of MNLA guerrilla organisations, Communist leadership retreat to Thailand
  • Preservation of capitalism and British economic interests
Korean War
(1950–1953)
United Nations United Nations Command

 South Korea
 United States
British Empire British Commonwealth Forces Korea

  •  United Kingdom
  •  Canada
  •  Australia
  •  New Zealand
  •  India

 Belgium
 France
 Philippines
 Colombia
 Ethiopia
 Greece
 Luxembourg
 Netherlands
 South Africa
 Thailand
 Turkey

 North Korea

 China
 Soviet Union

Inconclusive/Other Outcome
  • Korean Armistice Agreement
  • Communist invasion of South Korea repelled
  • UN invasion of North Korea repelled
1951 Anglo-Egyptian War
(1951–1952)
 United Kingdom Egypt Egypt British victory
Mau Mau Uprising
(1952–1960)
 United Kingdom Mau Mau British victory
  • Defeat of Mau Mau
  • Kenyan independence
Jebel Akhdar War
(1954–1959)
Sultanate of Muscat and Oman
 United Kingdom
Imamate of Oman British Allied victory
  • Dissolution of the Imamate of Oman
Cyprus Emergency
(1955–1959)
 United Kingdom

Turkey TMT

EOKA Inconclusive/Other Outcome
  • EOKA was not defeated
  • Enosis not achieved
  • Cyprus became an independent republic in 1959 with Britain retaining control of two Sovereign Base Areas, at Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
Suez Crisis
(1956–1957)
 United Kingdom

France France
 Israel

Egypt Egypt Inconclusive/Other Outcome

Coalition military victory
Egyptian political victory

  • Anglo-French withdrawal following international pressure (December 1956)
  • Israeli occupation of Sinai (until March 1957)
  • UNEF deployment in Sinai
  • Straits of Tiran re-opened to Israeli shipping
Border Campaign
(1956–1962)
 United Kingdom Irish Republican Army British victory

IRA campaign fails

First Cod War
(1958–1961)
 United Kingdom  Iceland Icelandic victory
Iceland expands its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles
Upper Yafa disturbances
(1959)
 British Empire Rebels British victory
Dhofar Rebellion
(1962–1975)
 Oman
 United Kingdom
Iran Iran

 Jordan

Various insurgents British Allied victory

Insurgency defeated
Modernisation of Oman

Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation
(1963–1966)
Commonwealth of Nations
  •  Malaysia
  •  United Kingdom
  •  Australia
  •  New Zealand
 Indonesia British Allied victory

Indonesia recognises Malaysian rule over former North Borneo

Aden Emergency
(1963–1967)
Federation of South Arabia Federation of South Arabia
 United Kingdom
South Yemen NLF
FLOSY
Yemeni NLF victory
People's Republic of South Yemen established
The Troubles
(1968–1998)
 United Kingdom

Loyalist paramilitaries:

Provisional Irish Republican Army

Official Irish Republican Army

Irish National Liberation Army

Irish People's Liberation Organisation

Continuity Irish Republican Army

Real Irish Republican Army

Stalemate

Inconclusive/Other Outcome
Good Friday Agreement:

  • Devolution in Northern Ireland
  • Power-sharing deal
  • Cross-border cooperation
  • Disarming of paramilitary groups
  • Police reform
  • Demilitarisation
Second Cod War
(1972–1973)
 United Kingdom  Iceland Icelandic victory
UK accept Iceland's 50 nautical mile exclusive fishery zone
Third Cod War
(1975–1976)
 United Kingdom  Iceland Icelandic victory
Iceland expands its exclusive fishery zone to 200 nautical miles
Falklands War
(1982)
 United Kingdom  Argentina British victory
Multinational Force in Lebanon
(1982–1984)
 United Kingdom

 France
 United States
 Italy

Islamic Jihad Organization
Iran Iran
 Syria
Progressive Socialist Party
Amal Movement
Syrian Allied victory
Gulf War
(1990–1991)
 Kuwait

 United States
 United Kingdom
 Saudi Arabia
 France
 Egypt
 Syria
Other Allies

Iraq British Allied victory

Kuwait regains its independence

Bosnian War
(1992–1995)
United Nations UNPROFOR

 NATO

 Republika Srpska

 Serbian Krajina
Western Bosnia

Military stalemate

Dayton Accords

Operation Desert Fox
(1998)
 United States

 United Kingdom

 Iraq British Allied victory

Objectives largely achieved

Kosovo War
(1998–1999)
 United States

 United Kingdom
 France
 Canada
 Denmark
 Germany
 Italy
Kosovo Liberation Army

 Yugoslavia British Allied victory

Kosovo occupied by Nato forces
Kosovo administered by UNMIK

Sierra Leone Civil War
(2000–2002)
 Sierra Leone

 United Kingdom

Rebels

 Liberia

British Allied victory

Rebels defeated

War in Afghanistan
(2001–2021)
 Afghanistan

 United States
 United Kingdom
 Canada
 Germany
 Italy
 France
 Denmark
 Poland
 Romania
 Turkey
 Australia
 Spain
 Netherlands
ISAF

Afghanistan Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Taliban victory
  • The Taliban militia, overthrown in 2001.
  • British withdrawal in 2014.
  • Taliban regained power on 15 August 2021, after 20 years of NATO deployment.
Iraq War
(2003–2009)
 United States

 United Kingdom
 Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein
 Australia
 Poland
 Denmark
 Iraqi Kurdistan

 Iraq under Saddam Hussein

Islamic State of Iraq
Various insurgents

British Allied victory:
First Libyan Civil War
(2011)
Many NATO NATO members acting under United Nations UN mandate, including:

 United States
 United Kingdom
 France
 Denmark
 Italy
 Canada
and
Libya Anti-Gaddafi forces
Arab League several Arab League states
 Sweden

Libya Pro-Gaddafi forces British Allied victory
Operation Shader
(2014–present)
 United States
 United Kingdom
 Iraq
Syria Syrian Opposition
 Australia
 Belgium
 Canada
 Denmark
 France
 Germany
 Italy
 Netherlands
 New Zealand
 Norway
 Portugal
 Spain
 Turkey
 Bahrain
 Jordan
 Morocco
 Qatar
 Saudi Arabia
 United Arab Emirates
 Rojava
 Egypt
 Libya
 Nigeria
 Cameroon
 Chad
 Niger
 Russia
 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Boko Haram

al-Nusra Front
Khorasan


Ahrar ash-Sham

Ongoing
  • The UK's Operation Shader is ongoing as part of intervention in Iraq and Syria (2014–present)
  • 3,000+ ISIL fighters killed in 1,700 British airstrikes.
  • Ongoing operations by UK Special Forces in Syria.
  • British armed forces provide material and training to Iraqi Security Forces and Peshmerga.
  • As part of the American-led interventions in Syria and Iraq, contributes to the loss of all of ISIL's territory in Iraq (by December 2017) and Syria (by March 2019).
Operation Prosperity Guardian
(2023–present)
 United States
 United Kingdom
 Canada
 France
 Greece
 Italy
 Netherlands
 Norway
 Spain
 Bahrain
 Seychelles
 Sri Lanka
 New Zealand
Yemen Supreme Political Council Ongoing

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-03-17 19:47 UTC. Update now. View original page.

All our content comes from Wikipedia and under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.


Top

If mathematical, chemical, physical and other formulas are not displayed correctly on this page, please useFirefox or Safari