Top 20 Battles in U.S. History

it was the greatest

Overrated battle... Maybe the best celebrated battle in history... But not America's most important battle.

dose any one know witch U.S. battle reseved the most congressional medals of honer

Does anybody actually study history anymore? Yes, Gettysburg is considered the turning point, in addition to being the same day as the Battle of Vicksburg. And both were Union victories. This last point is indisputable.

YEAH HISTORY!

Gettysburg was not the turning point in the Civil War. Antietam was the turning point in the Civil War becuase it stopped France from supporting the South.

Huh? Gettysburg culminated in the end of Lee's northern invasion. Lee had hope to drive to Philadelphia to convince Northern politicians to propose terms for peace. A victory at Gettysburg not only would have allowed him to drive further North, it likely would have resulted in many European powers recognizing the Confederacy officially, similar to what Saratoga did during the Revolution. If you look at every aspect of the battle, the confederates lost. First, they retreated from the battle field on day 3 and the union defended it's territory from invasion. Second, the confederates suffered more casualties than the union and the union had over 20,000 more men in the battle. Third, Lee's confidence in himself never recovered from the losses he sustained at Gettysburg. Finally, the battle stopped the last attempt at an invasion of the North by the Confederates. How you can classify this battle as a Confederate victory is mind boggling. At best, it was a draw that was the beginning of the demise ofthe Confederacy.

umm, Artofwar11 you may want to check your history Knowledge it wasn't exactly considered a union victory, a confederate if anything because the confederates got to keep their ground after wards.

D-Day

It broke the back of the German defenses in Northwestern France, and started a steady decline of the Third Reich's grip in the West.

Well... it's moved to number 4 now. Thank you. I would put it at top 3, however, because of the brilliant strategy, the incredible courage of the militia which had previously retreat at the sound of gunfire 75% of the time. And getting the French to fight took truly masterful negotiations and political patience.

I can't believe this is number twelve. This was the climax of the American Revolution. Without this battle, most of the others would have never happened

This may be the worst battle of the war in terms of misery and savagery, and is among the most savage battles in the history of mankind. 80,000 men battling on an 8 mile square island that had been riddled with caves containing artillery and automatic weapons.

This was the battle that essentially broke what remained of the Japanese war machine. This was the first U.S. conquest of what the Japanese considered to be Japanese soil.

ohh

Technically it was on neutral soil, since Maryland had not declared for the Union or the Confederacy at that point in the war. It was only after this battle that Maryland joined the Union unofficially.

A horrifying battle. The sickening stench of death hung throughout the forest. Too many casualties on both sides. A high price paid that helped pave the way for the eventual armistice.

An awful battle. Thought it was a critical Allied victory, It had the largest number of U.S. dead in a single battle, it is little remembered today in the United States. These dead should never be forgotten.

GOOD BATTLE

This is the battle that made america

In my own opinion I think it was the colonists fault for the bloody massacre and the all the stuff between the British and stuff so America wouldn't have been needed if they just listened the British were also at fault because they used power against others so It's both faults in a matter of speaking

This is my personal favorite battle, mainly because it was lost by ignorance. Also, because it was one by the U.S..

The Battle of Midway halted the Japanese march across the Pacific, and allowed the United States to begin rolling back the Japanese Empire.

great battle

Savage fighting and a blood bath are understatements. This battle was a factor in using the atomic bombs. The worst part were the Okinawain people caught in the cross-fire. Our fighting force resorted to slaughters to prevent being slaughtered.

My father was in the 9th Armored Division when the mostly inexperienced troops of the 7th, 9th & 10th Armored and various infantry and artillery units engaged the Germans in a furious defense of Belgium and Luxembourg. Although 82nd Airborne gets the credit for the defense of Bastogne, it should not be forgotten that for 3 days these young and untested men faced the might of 4 German Armies and held the vital roads until relieved by the 82nd and other American units.

Everyone forgets about 10th Armor and CCB, without them, 101st would have likely been decimated.

This was the finest hour of the U.S. Army in 20th century warfare: paratroopers ill-equipped for a prolonged siege combined with a pinchful of armored troops held off fifteen German divisions and proved to be a crucial factor in allowing the Allies to win the battle and crush the German offensive capacity in the West.

Significant in that it was the last major offensive the German war machine was able to mount. The fierce winter fighting that the 101st airborne endured while completely cut off and surrounded is the stuff of legends.

that is cool

Most history books only credit TR's Rough Riders, after all it made his career. What is often forgotten is the role of the Buffalo Soldiers, the US Cavalry's professional African-American soldiers.

This was the second-best battle fought by Generals Lee and Jackson together in the Civil War. They crushed a larger Union army and drove them far to the north easily, and set the stage for the raid into the North in the following month.

The Mother of All Routs!

The whole was over in one battle, fought in 4 days.

This is highly underrated! This was a truly horrible trek through hell and is famous in Marine history for courage, endurance, skill and power. The Marines were vastly outnumbered, at least 9 to 1, by Chinese troops, artillery and armor that joined the war against UN (USA) forces aiding N. Korea who had almost been defeated. The reds poured a million folks into the war. And they committed a huge force to the Chosin Reservoir battle, outnumbering Marines an estimated 9 to 1. One of the greatest of Marine actions, imo.

The Army fought just as hard side by side with their Marine brothers.

How can anyone say it wasn't a U.S. battle. Jefferson Davis fought in the Mexican–American War (1846–1848), as the colonel of a volunteer regiment from Mississippi.

While it can be argued it was a tactical disaster. Consider that 258 ill supplied and under trained Texans battled a well trained and well supplied Mexican Army of 5500 and killed an up to an estimated 2000 Mexican Soldiers. Taking that into consideration makes this a tremendous Military Battle and it had a huge impact on the War effort. In my opinion Santa Anna made the military blunder by not just bypassing the Alamo and chasing down the main Texan Army. This was a battle he didnt need to fight.

what is your guys problem it was the turing point for the mexcion american war and texas was a nutural land from amrica and mexcio so what texas had there own goverment all of the people were amarican form difernt states

The decision by the Texans to fight the battle was a poor tactical decision.

Texas was a separate republic at the time, so this was not an American battle. It was a ridiculous battle that never should have been fought - it was really a massacre.

Considering the Republic of Texas was home to many Americans, you just sound like an ignorant dumbass

It really isn't a US battle. It was fought between the Republic of Texas and Mexico, prior to the annexation of Texas by the US.

Death of Davy Crocket and James Bowie and William Travis and many others, let them rest in peace.

Intense fighting in an urban setting that was used as a flashpoint for an insurgency budding in Iraq following the fall of Saddam

what is this battle?

Hal Moore and his GIs fought fervently, smartly and tenaciously. A first engagement American and Vietnamese forces, Lessons learned were US stacks ‘em up like cord wood, we dont leave our men behind and though outnumbered - just like Chosen Reservoir in Korea- US forces find ways to defeat even determined foes when at full strength. The following engagement is why Ia Drang is considered a draw.

The Ia Drang Valley

I think this was a very brutal battle indeed. It was very tragic, but amazing how much they sacrificied just for 2 blackhawks. Like the 2 Delta snipers that died for 1 piolt

Gary Gordon and Randall Schugart are awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for one of the most courageous actsnof self sacrifice in American military history. A fierce fight indeed. Not necessarily historically significant since Somalia is still a wartorn country some 15 years or so later. But it did result in a US pull out at the time, basically a mini-Vietnam...win the battles, lose the war of public opinion.

I don't like that this is so negative. Great moment in our nation's military history under one of the greatest generals in our nation's history. Not the best president, but still a great leader.

Golden....you really shouldn't insult someone's knowledge of history when yours is clearly limited. Although the Treaty of Ghent was signed, the 10k British regulars that were intent on invading New Orleans weren't aware of that. So even though the war in essence was over, it certainly still mattered to the citizens of New Orleans and the force under Jackson that was sent to defend it. This battle resulted in an overwhelming American victory and saved the country some face in a war that most thought was won by the British/Canadians. Jackson had a hodge podge force of 4,000, only 400 of which were actual Americab soldiers. The rest were a mix of militia, freedmen, pirates, Indians, and local volunteers. And they managed to rout a force of 10,000 veterans of the Napoleonic Wars. As a side note, what makes you think the British wouldn't have attempted a land claim on New Orleans had they won the battle? New Orleans was invaded by a foreign power; saying the battle served no purpose is ignorant at best.

Are you kidding me that battle served no purpose it was fought after the war of 1812 was over bacause Andrew Jackson, the leader of that battle, didn't know

That same cowardly “ abandon the war effort” fueled by Walter Cronkite and public opinion, has caved in to socialism, leftist narratives and Islam. We do not win battles or wars based on cowards opinions of Vietnam ir any campaign. We are Americans and win!! Abandon effort now to the likes of Bernie, Pocohantis, Pelosi Schumer- Nadler, Harris?? Pass the ammo!!