Statistical Summary of America's Major Wars
Conflict Population Enrolled Ratio
(millions) (thousands)
Revolutionary War 3.5 200.0 5.7%
War of 1812 7.6 286.0 3.8%
Mexican War 21.1 78.7 0.4%
Civil War: Union 26.2 2,803.3 10.7%
: Confederate 8.1 1,064.2 13.1%
: Combined 34.3 3,867.5 11.1%
Spanish-American War 74.6 306.8 0.4%
World War I 102.8 4,743.8 4.6%
World War II 133.5 16,353.7 12.2%
Korean War 151.7 5,764.1 3.8%
Vietnam War 204.9 8,744.0 4.3%
Gulf War 260.0 2,750.0 1.1%
The military participation ratio is the percentage of people under arms.
While the ratio for the Second World War seems surprisingly high compared with
those for the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, this is due to the fact that
the War for Independence took place before the Industrial Revolution, and the
Civil War occurred before its fullest impact, while the nation's womanpower was
not tapped in either earlier conflict as well, for either military or economic
mobilization. The figure "Enrolled" represents the number of personnel
maintained in the service. It is somewhat unreliable, since it includes multiple
enlistments in the case of wars prior to 1900, and is a gross figure, including
all personnel ever in the service during the conflict. In addition, figures for
post-1945 wars are polluted to some extent by the fact that a significant
portion of the forces under arms during these conflicts were not actually
directly engaged in the war, but were securing the nation's other global
commitments.
<------------Casualties------------>
[-----Deaths---] <-----Percentages-----> Duration
Conflict Enrolled Combat Other Wounded Total Ratio KIA Dead Casualty Months KIA/Month
Revolutionary War 200.0 4,435 * 6,188 10,623 2.4 2.2% 2.2% 5.3% 80 55
War of 1812 286.0 2,260 * 4,505 6,765 3.0 0.8% 0.8% 2.4% 30 75
Mexican War 78.7 1,733 11,550 4,152 17,435 1.3 2.2% 16.9% 22.2% 20 87
Civil War: Union 2,803.3 110,070 249,458 275,175 634,703 1.8 3.9% 12.8% 22.6% 48 2,293
Confederate 1,064.2 74,524 124,000 137,000 + 335,524 1.7 7.0% 18.7% 31.5% 48 1,553
Combined 3,867.5 184,594 373,458 412,175 + 970,227 1.7 4.8% 14.4% 25.1% 48 3,846
Spanish-American War 306.8 385 2,061 1,662 4,108 1.7 0.1% 0.8% 1.3% 4 96 &
World War I 4,743.8 53,513 63,195 204,002 320,710 2.7 1.1% 2.5% 6.8% 19 2,816
World War II 16,353.7 292,131 115,185 670,846 1,078,162 2.6 1.8% 2.5% 6.6% 44 6,639
Korean War 5,764.1 33,651 * 103,284 136,935 4.1 0.6% 0.6% 2.4% 37 909
Vietnam War 8,744.0 47,369 10,799 153,303 211,471 3.6 0.5% 0.7% 2.4% 90 526
Gulf War 2,750.0 148 145 467 ^ 760 2.6 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1 148
Combat deaths refers to troops killed in action or dead of wounds. Other
includes deaths from disease, privation, and accidents, and includes losses
among prisoners of war. Wounded excludes those who died of their wounds, who are
included under Combat Deaths. Ratio is the proportion of wounded in action to
combat deaths. Note that the wounded figures do not include cases of disease.
Under Percentages, KIA refers to the percent of those enrolled killed in action,
Dead to the percent dead from all causes, and Casualty to the percent killed or
injured. KIA/Month, killed in action per month, gives a fair indication of the
intensity of combat
Notes:
* Non-battle deaths not known for these wars.
+
Confederate non-battle deaths and wounded estimated.
& Actually only six
weeks of sustained combat.
^ There was only one month of combat.
Conflict Cost in $ Billions Per Capita
Current 1990s (in $1990)
The Revolution (1775-1783) .10 1.2 $ 342.86
War of 1812 (1812-1815) .09 0.7 92.11
Mexican War (1846-1848) .07 1.1 52.13
Civil War (1861-1865): Union 3.20 27.3 1,041.98
: Confederate 2.00 17.1 2,111.11
: Combined 5.20 44.4 1,294.46
Spanish American War (1898) .40 6.3 84.45
World War I (1917-1918) 26.00 196.5 1,911.47
World War II (1941-1945) 288.00 2,091.3 15,655.17
Korea (1950-1953) 54.00 263.9 1,739.62
Vietnam (1964-1972) 111.00 346.7 1,692.04
Gulf War (1990-1991) 61.00 61.1 235.00
The table compares the cost of America's principal wars since 1775 on the basis of then current and 1990s dollars. Current dollars are the actual numbers spent at the time. Thus, a 1775-1783 dollar had the equivalent purchasing power of $10.75 in 1990s terms. Actually this conversion is only a very rough guide, but at least gives some idea of the relative costs of the ten wars on an adjusted basis. However, it is not possible to take into account drastic changes in social structure (most Americans were farmers in 1775, and didn't use much money), and the increasing affluence of American society over the two centuries covered by the table.
Note that the figures are for direct costs only, omitting pension costs, which tended to triple the ultimate outlays. The table also omits the cost of damage to the national infrastructure during those wars waged on American soil. Confederate figures are estimated.
For the Gulf War it is worth noting that various members of the allied
coalition reimbursed the U.S. for 88-percent ($54 billion) of the amount shown,
so the actual cost to the taxpayer was only about $7 billion, roughly the same
as for the Spanish-American War, and on a per capita basis only $26.92, arguably
the least expensive war in the nation's history.
Compiled by Al Nofi.
Sources:
Table 2-23: "Principal Wars in which the US Participated: US Military Personnel
Serving and Casualties" prepared by Washington Headquarters Services,
Directorate for Information Operations and Reports. US Department of Defense
Records.
Other Related Links:
USCWC Links--CasualtiesBack to Index of Civil War Information on the Internet
America's Wars and Casualties
Americans Killed in Action
This page last modified
02/16/06