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War Through Pictures How Different Conflicts have effected the united states By Harrison Stockdale and Daniel Locklar

Columbus Discovering Hispaniola (1494) While a rudimentary representation, this woodcut displays Columbus' interaction with the Native Americans. This depiction is before any conflict had broken out as Columbus entreats the locals to an honest trade, though this foreshadows the events of history that beget conflict. Shortly after the first exploration of the Americas by the Columbus, a wave of conquistadores followed year after year, and a conflict between the intruders and the Native Americans ensued for the next several hundred years as disease and advanced technology massacred the Native Americans.

Third Anglo-Dutch War (April 7, 1672 - February 19, 1674)

With the Dutch in a war against France in the Franco-Dutch war from 1672-1678, the newly allied English came to the call of the French. Louis XIV planned on attacking the Dutch in Northern America to gain more territory in that area, and several naval battles ensued. This particular image depicts the Battle of Solebay, during which the Anglo-French alliance was badly injured and forced to retreat, surrendering vital trade routes to the Dutch.

American Revolutionary War (Apr 19, 1775 – Sep 3, 1783

This image depicts the British firing upon the American soldiers at Lexington. This is famously known as the shot heard round the world because it was the beginning of the American Revolution, which ended up changing the global powers of the time and inspiring other countries to have a similar shift in power. This shot most notably inspired France, which began their revolution merely years afterward. The American Revolution is most likely one of the country's most significant events throughout history as it marked its independence and inception.

War of 1812 (Jun 18, 1812 – Feb 18, 1815)

This image portrays General Andrew Jackson in 1815 during the last significant Battle (Battle of New Orleans) as a heroic figure to the American population. This three-year-long war produced a new generation of great American generals like Andrew Jackson, seen in this photo. Due to the courageous and fearless effort from his soldiers, he's seen as a monumental figure who later became president from 1829 to 1837. This war was a war fought over British violations of U.S. maritime rights. It ended with the exchange of ratifications of the Treaty of Ghent.

American Civil War (Apr 12, 1861 – Apr 9, 1865)

The Civil War was another one of the vital wars in American history. It is well known for the bloodshed and casualty count being the highest of any of the wars America has participated in. It was also crucial to America today as it was the deciding factor of whether there would be two different countries where the United States lies today. In this image, soldiers aboard the U.S.S. Mendota displays the number of men handling each of the major ships brought to battle during the Civil War. Ships during the Civil War evolved from the wood hulls standard at the time to metal-reinforced battleships more commonly seen in use today. (1864)

Spanish–American War (Apr 21, 1898 – Dec 10, 1898)

As Tensions rose during the late 1800s between America and Spain, it was only a matter of time before the fuse was lit on the powder keg. America had long wanted Spain and other countries out of the Gulf of Mexico, and when the Spanish blew up an American boat, the Spanish-American war flew into action. For nearly four months, the US battled the Spanish in Cuba, ultimately winning the war and kicking Spain out of the Gulf and assisting Cuba with their revolution, cementing the United States as a global power. This image depicts American soldiers firing rifles towards the enemy and signifies the unity of the soldiers in their firing line.

World War I (July 28, 1914 – Nov 11, 1918)

The first World War lasted four long years and was fought between the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire, and more) and the Allies (France, Great Britain, the US, and more). On April 6, 1917, the US joined the war due to Germany sinking many American merchant ships around the British Isles, which prompted the American entry into the war. The US came into the war following the common military tactic of trench warfare introduced by the French. Here, we see American soldiers scouting out the "no-man's land" to see if there's any movement. Being dragged into the war, the US lost more than 115,000 soldiers.

Vietnam War (Nov 1, 1955 – Apr 30, 1975)

This image depicts the rescue of an injured soldier during the Vietnam War making his way through the long Vietnamese grass. With the use of Guerrilla Warfare and other warfare styles, the Vietnamese land was used to get an edge on the enemy (United States). In short, the U.S. entered the Vietnam War in an attempt to prevent the spread of communism. Still, foreign policy, economic interests, national fears, and geopolitical strategies also played significant roles. In doing so, this also led to the death of more than 55,000 US soldiers during this conflict.

War Against Iraq (Mar 20, 2003 – Dec 15, 2011)

This image illustrates the heartbreaking consequences of war and the possible result of serving in the war. Just three days after President George W. Bush announces war on Iraq (March 20, 2003), we witness a picture of a couple of US Marines carrying a fellow Marine out of a combat zone during a gun battle. During this eight-year-long war with Iraq, 4,424 men in uniform died in combat, alongside another 3 to 4,000 soldiers who died in later years during the Afghanistan War.