page_title: List of armed conflicts involving the United States
section_title: 20th-century
hierarchical_section_title: List of armed conflicts involving the United States / 20th-century
caption_attribution_description: English: A Libyan Nanuchka-class corvette burning in the Gulf of Sidra, 24 March 1986. U.S. Navy Grumman A-6E Intruder aircraft from attack squadrons VA-55 and VA-85 attacked two Nanuchka-class corvettes with Rockeye cluster bombs and AGM-84 Harpoon missiles. One was sunk, the other was towed back to port. A-6Es from VA-34 destroyed a Libyan La Combattante IIa-class fast attack craft.
context_page_description: The history of armed conflicts involving the United States of America spans a period of more than four centuries. A period ranging from the early era of European colonization and the formation of the new national polity that is to become the United States, to its evolvement through technological and political upheavals into a decisively modern republic and military force, and ascent onto the world stage, through the calamities of the 20th century, as the largely unrivaled imperial superpower that it is today.
context_section_description: Covertly
  Direct U.S. involvement ended in 1973 with the Paris Peace Accords. Air Force and Special Ops continued some operations until April 1975; President Ford in a televised speech on April 23, 1975 declared the end of Vietnam War.
  The war reignited on 13 December 1974 with offensive operations by North Vietnam, leading to victory over South Vietnam in under two months.
caption: Libyan corvette obliterated after attempting to fire on US forces
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