So remember way back in December of
last year when I published the “Top 10 Biggest Military Losers of
Modern History” list? Well, I figured it'd be fun to write a
companion list to that spotlighting the most successful wartime
nations. My feelings about war only making losers out of societies
(i.e. there are no winners) still stands, so for this list I'm
ranking it based less on lives lost/territory won and more on the
nation's consistency of strategic/tactical victory. Maybe that's why
I've found this list so much harder to compose than the top 10 losers
list. As with last time, only conflicts taking place after 1800 will
be counted. And as always, this list is simply my take on things:
disagree, if you wish.
Honourable Mentions:
Vietnam, South Korea, and Russia/USSR even though they were on the
top 10 losers list. What can I say? Russians: they win big, they lose
big.
10 – Cuba
After twice
failing to expel their Spanish overlords (in 1878 and 1880) the Cuban
people finally achieved independence in 1898 with American help.
After half a century of several uprisings and US interventions,
Cuba's government – then headed by the corrupt Bautista regime –
came under the control of Fidel Castro's revolutionaries in 1959,
taking much of the world by surprise. In 1961, a combined force of
American CIAgents and Cuban exiles invaded at the Bay of Pigs, hoping
to initiate an uprising against Castro. This invasion failed and
became a major embarrassment to US foreign policy. Since then, the
Cuban military has attempted both to export their model of popular
uprising and to intervene in revolutionary struggles around the
world, sometimes successfully (Nicaragua, Angola, Ogaden War) and
sometimes unsuccessfully (Congo, Bolivia, Ethiopia).
9 – Prussia
I guess I'm
cheating a little bit here by ignoring Prussia's history after 1871,
but the Prussians played a huge role in how modern armies and
strategies are formed and maintained. Prussia was on the losing side
of the War of the Fourth Coalition against Napoleon, resulting in the
loss of one-third of its territory and its subjugation to the French.
But after defeating Napoleon's France with the Sixth and Seventh
Coalitions by 1815, Prussia was granted a huge amount of territory in
Westphalia, Saxony, and the Rhineland (which included the industrial
centres of the Ruhr). Over the next half-century, the Kingdom of
Prussia's political and economic influence swelled to make it the
dominant German state of the 19th century. After losing
the First Schleswig War (1848-52) to Denmark, Prussia rallied back
with three astounding victories against Denmark (1864), Austria
(1866), and finally France (1870-1). It was after the war against
France that the German states became united under Prussian leadership
to become the German Empire, which lasted until 1918.
8 – India
In
the early 19th
century, India was more-or-less run by the British East India
Company. It was under Company Rule that India scored numerous
victories against the Persians, the Sikhs, and the Chinese while
suffering few losses. But following the Indian Mutiny of 1857, the
British army dissolved the Mughal and Maratha Empires, bringing all
of India under the direct governance of the crown. And so for the
next 89 years, the rampaging Indians took part in a spectacular
stream of conflicts putting down rebellions, expelling raiders, and
expanding their territory. India also served in a multitude of
colonial wars for their British masters, including both World Wars,
the Russian Civil War, and the Turkish War of Independence. Since
gaining their own independence in 1947, India has participated in
several limited/regional conflicts with mixed success. For example,
India lost to China in 1962 but won against Pakistan in 1971.
7 – Australia
and New Zealand
Yeah, I know
anyone from Australia or New Zealand reading this (like that'll ever
happen) is going to be pissed that I've lunked both countries
together, but their war records are so similar – and admittedly,
I'm not terribly familiar with either nation's history in particular
– that I can't separate them. In fact, both countries' troops
served together in the combined ANZAC Corps of the First and Second
World Wars. Not only that, but most of their wars were victories.
Both countries served their British masters in the Second Boer War,
the Boxer Rebellion, and both World Wars. After achieving full
independence, both nations were involved in the Korean War, the
Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the Afghanistan War. The only major
difference I can see between the two is that Australia took part in
the Iraq War while New Zealand did not. I guess the Australians are
the more bloodthirsty of the two.
6 – The United
States
Everyone today
knows about the seemingly worldwide US hegemony of the mid/late 20th
century, but their international exploits have not always been
successful or well-received. Both World Wars were unquestionable
wins, and many Americans today dubiously claim that the victories
were entirely of their country's doing. The Korean War was technically a
stalemate, but I'm willing to count it as a win because the US war
aim of preserving the government of the Republic of Korea was
achieved. Conversely, the Vietnam War was a loss because the US's
goal of preserving the Republic of Vietnam's government was not
achieved. The US saw successes against Grenada, Panama, Iraq (twice),
Somalia, and Yugoslavia. And yet immediately after this time, US
forces became bogged down in lengthy wars against insurgents in
places like Iraq and Afghanistan (twice). However, I do think the
USA's military success in the Americas are exceptionally impressive
and deserve much more attention. Through the various Indian Wars
(which lasted until 1924), Washington DC extended its sovereignty
from sea to sea. American territory was massively expanded with very
few setbacks (those being the War of 1812 and Red Cloud's War).
Moreover, the defeat of Spain in 1898 not only awarded the US with
the Philippines and Guam, but more importantly it gave the United
States free reign over the republics of Central America and the
Caribbean. It was in these countries between 1898 and 1934, US forces
staged no fewer than 29 interventions, coups, and occupations in what
are now known as the Banana Wars. Oh yeah, there was also that US
Civil War; Americans were on both sides so that means the Americans
won! And lost. If nothing else, the United States does deserve credit
for maintaining one of the largest, best financed, and most advanced
militaries in world history.
5 – Canada
Aw yeah, girl!
You knew Canada had to be on this list somewhere. So since
confederation, Canada had to defend its own turf from the Fenian
Raids (from the US) and the Northwest Rebellion (1885). As a loyal
member of the British Empire, the Dominion of Canada participated in
the Sudan Campaign, the Second Boer War, and the First World War.
After attaining independence in 1934, Canada's armed forces fought in
the Second World War, Korean War, Gulf War, Bosnian War, Kosovo War,
and the Afghanistan War: all of them victories. In fact, I think the
only loss that Canada's army ever suffered was during the Russian
Civil War, and that was probably because our troops didn't really get
to do anything and were denied the opportunity to wreak the havoc
they so dearly craved.
4 – The United
Kingdom
No nation in
modern history has been involved in more wars than the UK. For the
past 200+ years, Britain's armed forces have been one of the most
powerful in the world, thanks to its historically outstanding navy
and its experienced, professional army. After losing the Wars of the
3rd, 4th, and 5th Coalition against
Napoleon's France, victory finally came in 1815 with the 6th
and 7th. During the 19th century, the British
Empire expanded – often by conquest – to become the largest
empire in world history. By the early 20th century, the
Union Flag was flying over such places as India, Sudan, Egypt,
and South Africa: “from Cairo to Cape Town” as was often said.
Some wars were fought within the context of colonial competition;
i.e. showing off to the other European empires. These sometimes went
well (the Crimean War, the Opium Wars), sometimes not so much (First
Anglo-Afghan War, the First Boer War). The UK was one the key victors
of both World Wars, and despite the Empire reaching its territorial
zenith in 1922 the seeds of decline had already been sown. The
country was more-or-less bankrupt and the war efforts of the
colonies/dominions gave rise to nationalist movements everywhere.
British forces notably withdrew from places like Ireland, Palestine,
and Egypt just to name a few. Most withdrawals went OK, but the Aden
Emergency was a disastrous exception. Other conflicts during the
post-war period included the Korean War (a stalemate/win, depending
on how you see it), the Suez War (a costly win), the Cyprus Emergency
(a costly win), the Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, and the Iraq War.
Postwar British forces have had exceptional success in
counterinsurgency operations in places like Dhofar, Malaya, and
Kenya. During both the Troubles in Northern Ireland (1968-98) and the
Falklands War (1982), Britain successfully defended her territories
from terrorists and invaders. Despite recent problems with financing
and under-staffing, the British armed forces retains its enviable reputation
as an impeccably trained and professional fighting machine.
3 – Israel
The day after
declaring its independence in May 1948, Israel was forced to defend
itself against a huge coalition of Arab nations. But this coalition
was poorly coordinated and was defeated easily. The young nation
quickly organized itself as a tightly regimented society, ready to
respond in the event of a crisis by mobilizing its substantial
reserves. The go-to strategy that emerged was one of a quick and
devastating attack (led by air power and fast-moving armour) to
eliminate any Arab threat. Israel swiftly defeated Egypt in the Suez
War of 1956, but was made to give up its gains. Twice more – in
1967 and 1973 – Israel duked it out with Arab coalitions, and twice
more Israel won, albeit at a progressively higher cost each
successive time. During these wars, Israel's borders had expanded to
include all territories of the former (British) Mandatory Palestine,
including the land allotted to the Palestinian Arabs under United
Nations resolutions. This nearly 50-years-long occupation has been
the source of an incredible amount of unrest – with the two
Intifadas from the Palestinians and the multiple
crackdowns/supressions from the IDF – which Israeli troops
typically win. Elsewhere, Israel's forces have been involved in wars
in Lebanon (1982, 2006) with mixed success. Still, when it comes to
conventional war nobody does it better than Israel.
2 – Ireland
For decades
Irishmen had volunteered for the British military in such conflicts
as the Napoleonic Wars and the First World War. But the Irish War of
Independence in 1919-22 resulted in most of Ireland becoming its own
republic. Immediately after this, the new country was engulfed by a
brief civil war. The most well-known Irish conflict of the 20th
century was the Troubles, in which Irish republican terrorists and
Ulster loyalist terrorists slugged it out over the political status
of Northern Ireland while security forces from both the UK and
Republic of Ireland tried keeping things under control. After nearly
30 years of turmoil, both sides called it a stalemate. In the
meantime, Irish forces had participated in UN operations in Somalia
and East Timor. The republic has yet to lose its first war.
1 – Brazil
Brazil is one of
those countries that, as far as I can tell, has never lost a war.
Ever since winning independence from Portugal in 1824 Brazil has put
down numerous rebellions, participated in both World Wars, and fought
in a multitude of regional wars against countries like Argentina,
Uruguay, and Paraguay: and always on the winning side. No wonder they
have such a big country.
