Army’s 250^th Birthday� �History of the United States Army��Jeff Rogers

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The Continental Army (1775)

• Founded June 14, 1775 by the Second Continental Congress
• Battle of Bunker Hill was three days later
• George Washington became

Commander-in-Chief July 3^rd 1775

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• Early Army was a mix of militias, volunteers,

and Continental troops

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• Nation’s oldest military service.

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The Revolutionary War

• Loosely organized force of militias & volunteers
• Key battles: Bunker Hill, Boston, New York, Trenton, Saratoga, & Yorktown
• Escape from New York
• Alliance with France pivotal
• Victory in 1781 established independence
• Official end - Sep 3rd 1783,The Treaty of Paris 
• George Washington quote: “Discipline is the soul of an army.”

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The Early Republic and War of 1812

• Prior to war peacetime Army remained small
• Initial British successes
• Burning of Washington, DC
• Other battles in Canada
• Battle of Chippawa (“Regulars by God”)
• Fort McHenry (National Anthem)
• War of 1812: Reinforced U.S. sovereignty
• Battle of New Orleans boosted morale

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Mexican War (1846-48)�

• Causes: Texas Annexation & American Expansionism
• Key battles included:
• Battle of Palo Alto
• Siege of Veracruz
• Battle for and capture of Mexico City
• International Deployment
• Incubation for many Civil War leaders
• Annexation of NM, NV CA, UT, most of AZ & CO plus parts of OK, KS, & WY

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�Civil War Army & Political Leaders �who served in Mexican War�

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Confederacy

Robert E. Lee

“Stonewall” Jackson

James Longstreet

P.T. Beauregard

Braxton Bragg

Jefferson Davis

Joseph Johnston

George Picket

Union

Winfield Scott

Ulysses S. Grant

William Sherman

George McClellan

George Meade

George Thomas

George Burnside

John Pope

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Civil War

• Civil War (1861–1865): Army split North/South (aka War Between the States)
• 600,000 Americans died, making it the deadliest war in U.S. history
• Pivotal battles: Antietam (Bloodiest single-day battle), Shiloh, Vicksburg, Gettysburg, Wilderness Campaign
• Reunited U.S. although much political unrest afterwards
• Reconstruction - Army deployed for occupation

of Southern states until 1877

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Post-Civil War and Indian Wars

• Indian wars - from colonial times to 1890
• Army patrolled western frontier
• Fought Indian Wars in the West during expansion
• Numerous engagements (many cavalry OPS)
• Emergence of professional soldiering

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Spanish-American War (1898)

• Short but significant conflict
• Army fought in Cuba, Philippines
• Battle for San Juan Hill
• 1LT John Pershing - 10 Cavalry (Buffalo Soldiers)
• LTC Theodore Roosevelt - Rough Riders
• Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902)
• U.S. emerged as global power

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Army Engineers�US infrastructure

• Railroads (surveying and early construction)
• Panama Canal 1914
• George Goethals
• William Gorgas
• 10-year U.S. effort
• 5,600 deaths
• Significant role - New Deal projects & beyond
• Dams
• Navigation
• flood control projects

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Military Aviation �

• Army Initiative
• Army LT Thomas Selfridge
• 1^st military to fly in an airplane
• Wright flyer at Ft Myer in 1908
• Army played the significant role from that point forward until the USAF established in 1947

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World War I

• Preceded by the Punitive Expedition into

Mexico against Pancho Villa in 1916

• U.S. entered war in 1917
• Over 4M men mobilized
• Deployment of an Army across an ocean
• American Expeditionary Force under

Gen. Pershing

• Introduced tanks, aircraft, trench warfare

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World War II

• Over 8 million served
• Army fought in Europe, North Africa, Pacific
• Highly effective use of heavy forces in Africa and Europe and Airborne OPS
• Holocaust, Battle of Britain, Pearl Harbor,

D-Day invasion

• Tactical and strategic air OPS
• Deployment of Nuclear Weapons
• Led to major military-industrial expansion

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Cold War

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• Division of Europe following WWII
• Creation of NATO in 1949
• Korean War (1950 - 53): 1^st Cold War conflict
• Vietnam War (1965-1973)
• Army modernized for nuclear age

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Korean War

• After WWII, Korea divided at 38^th parallel
• North Korean invasion June 25, 1950
• U.S. & UN intervened to support South Korea
• Pusan Perimeter, Inchon, & stalemate battles such as Pork Chop Hill and Old Baldy
• “Armistice” July 27, 1953 - no peace treaty
• Solidified political division of Korea

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Vietnam War (1965-1973)

• Army end strength 1.5M (500K in Vietnam)
• Jr Officers & NCOs (HS, Basic, AIT, OCS & NCOS)
• The Soldiers (mostly draftees)
• Conscription controversy
• Toxic political climate coupled w/failed public Policy
• Ethical issues (e.g. body counts & awards)
• Discipline issues toward the end of our effort

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Post Vietnam

• Downsizing the force to 750K aka Reductions in Force (RIFs)
• Discipline Issues during the downsizing
• AWOL rates
• Disrespect for leadership
• Property destruction
• Racial tension
• All-volunteer force established in 1973
• High School Diploma Grads
• Army stabilized after 1980

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Recent Conflicts

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• Urgent Fury - Grenada 1983
• Just Cause - Panama 1989
• Gulf War (1990–1991): High-tech warfare
• U.S. Led Coalition - 30 nations
• Successful with short duration
• Massive logistics in a short time
• Iraq & Afghanistan (2001-21): Counterinsurgency
• Prolonged US presence
• Sparked intervention debates
• U.S. Army performed well despite challenges

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Technology and the Army Today

• Overcoming recruiting challenges
• Met fiscal 2025 goal of 61K four months early
• Drones, cyber warfare, Laser enhance weapons, GPS, satellites
• Humanitarian aid, global missions
• Modern training and multinational cooperation

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Structure and Mission

• Components: Active Duty, National Guard, Reserve
• Headquarters: Pentagon
• Motto: “This We’ll Defend”

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Conclusion

• From militias to global force
• Key role in shaping U.S. history
• Evolution through war, peace, political unrest, and innovation
• Service to the nation

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