Wars The United States Didn't Win

Wars The United States Didn't Win

Since independence in 1776, the United States has built one of the world's most powerful militaries. It has about 2 million active-duty military personnel across all branches and has engaged in over 100 military conflicts in the last249 years, usually with success. But let's look at some wars that America didn't win.

The American-Algerian War

The American-Algerian War lasted between 1785 and 1795. It was the first military conflict the United States engaged in after obtaining independence from Great Britain. Because the Royal Navy was no longer patrolling the High Seas, Algerian Barbary pirates captured 53 American merchant vessels and one prison ship

Historical merchant trading ship

Wenceslaus Hollar, Wikimedia Commons

The Back Story

Led by Dey Muhammad, the Regency of Algiers declared war on the United States in 1785 and began capturing American ships along the Barbary Coast (a region now comprising the coasts of Turkey and Morocco) after the Royal Navy informed Barbary states like Algeria that US ships were no longer under their protection. The American ships were defenseless, as the flat-broke United States didn't have enough money for a navy.

Rescue Of The Royal Albert, By John Eric Christian Petersen

Johan Petersen, Wikimedia Commons

The War

America's first military conflict was solved rather diplomatically, without any losses on either side, minus the captured ships and crewmembers.

The United States began negotiations with Morocco, but Thomas Jefferson (then Minister to France) failed to gather a coalition of states to act militarily against Algiers.

This left negotiation and payment for the release of their sailors and ships as America's only option.

Official Presidential Portrait Of Thomas Jefferson - 1801

Rembrandt Peale, Wikimedia Commons

The Aftermath

In total, the Americans paid $21,600 in tributes to the Algerians for the release of their men and ships, as part of a peace treaty they negotiated in 1795. In 1794, the US Congress passed the Naval Act, creating the United States Navy to help prevent this from happening again. The initial US Navy comprised only six frigates.

William Bainbridge pays tribute to the Dey.

Henry Alexander Ogden, Wikimedia Commons