Wars That Lasted Far Too Long

Wars are often remembered for victories and defeats, but many dragged on long after their outcomes were clear. Pride, politics, and stubborn ambition kept fighting alive when peace could have arrived sooner. These drawn-out conflicts cost lives and reshaped history in ways that might have been avoided. This list revisits 20 wars that stretched years beyond necessity—struggles that show that delay can be as destructive as battle itself.

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1. The Hundred Years’ War

Claims to the French throne fueled the Hundred Years’ War, which lasted an astonishing 116 years between 1337 and 1453. Although peace was possible after decisive victories, ambition always won out. Joan of Arc emerged as an unlikely heroine from this war.

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2. The Thirty Years’ War

Beginning in 1618 as a religious struggle, the Thirty Years’ War devastated the Holy Roman Empire for decades. Political ambition soon joined the fight, and early chances for peace were wasted. Armies looted civilians as often as they fought, killing millions.

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3. The Peloponnesian War

The Peloponnesian War ran from 431 to 404 BC, even as both Athens and Sparta were drained of strength early on. Repeated truces collapsed, and a disastrous Athenian campaign in Sicily worsened matters. By its end, Athens’ golden age had collapsed.

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4. The War Of The Spanish Succession

Dynastic rivalry between France and Austria ignited the War of the Spanish Succession, which raged from 1701 to 1714. Despite opportunities to settle, the battles continued across Europe and North America. Britain gained Gibraltar, still held today, while several nations sank into bankruptcy.

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5. The Crimean War

Russia’s weakness was clear early. However, the Crimean War raged on from 1853 to 1856 against Britain, France, and the Ottoman Empire. The conflict achieved little, yet it left unforgettable images as one of the first wars photographed. Things were so bad that Florence Nightingale rose to fame for her nursing practices during this devestating conflict.

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6. The War Of 1812

This conflict lasted from 1812 to 1815, continuing even after a peace treaty was signed. Washington, D.C., was burned, and New Orleans saw battle afterward. Neither side gained much, but “The Star-Spangled Banner” emerged, destined to become America’s national anthem.

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7. The American Civil War

The Union’s industrial strength made victory likely early, but the Civil War still raged from 1861 to 1865. Even after defeats at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, Confederates fought on. Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation reshaped the conflict, and families were torn apart as brothers faced each other.

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8. Soviet–Afghan War

Fought from 1979 to 1989, the Soviet–Afghan War became “Russia’s Vietnam.” It cost thousands of lives and weakened Soviet power while U.S. aid fueled Afghan resistance. Many fighters later shaped global politics, leaving scars from a decade-long conflict the Soviets knew was unwinnable.

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9. The Napoleonic Wars

Napoleon’s downfall was clear after 1812, yet Europe fought from 1799 until 1815. His empire stretched from Spain to Russia, one of the largest in continental Europe since Rome. Escaping exile for “The Hundred Days,” he finally fell at Waterloo—defeated even by armies including his own former soldiers.

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10. The Second Boer War

Between 1899 and 1902, Britain’s expected quick win in South Africa turned into years of resistance. Guerrilla tactics prolonged fighting, while scorched-earth policies and concentration camps worsened suffering. Winston Churchill famously escaped capture, but the war’s stubborn length left lasting scars on both sides.

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11. The Russo-Japanese War

Japan stunned the world from 1904 to 1905 by defeating Russia, marking the first time an Asian nation beat a European empire. Despite early losses, the Tsar dragged on the war, which fueled unrest that sparked revolution. Theodore Roosevelt mediated peace and earned a Nobel Prize.

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12. The Mexican–American War

U.S. forces quickly overwhelmed Mexico between 1846 and 1848. However, the fighting continued until Mexico City fell. Expansion goals were achieved early, with vast new territories added. Future Civil War generals fought here, while the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo reshaped North America’s borders permanently.

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13. Irish War Of Independence

Between 1919 and 1921, Britain fought to hold Ireland but failed to keep control. Negotiations eventually granted independence, though years of violence could have been avoided. The IRA relied on ambushes, the “Black and Tans” became notorious, and independence movements worldwide drew inspiration.

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14. The Korean War

The Korean War erupted in 1950, but by 1951, it was a stalemate. Despite this, fighting dragged on until 1953, ending with borders nearly unchanged. Labeled “The Forgotten War,” it drew over 20 nations. Despite everything, no peace treaty means it technically continues today.

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15. The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War stretched from 1955 to 1975, though U.S. leaders knew by the 1960s it was unwinnable. Withdrawal came only after huge losses in lives and money. Televised battles shocked the public, helicopters became iconic tools of war, and anti-war protests reshaped American politics and culture permanently.

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16. The Seven Years’ War

Called the first truly global war, it raged from 1756 to 1763 across five continents. Britain and France traded territory repeatedly without decisive results. Known in North America as the French and Indian War, it bankrupted France and helped spark the French Revolution.

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17. The War Of The Roses

England’s throne was contested from 1455 to 1487 by rival houses of Lancaster and York. Opportunities for peace were ignored, extending the bloodshed. Their roses became lasting political symbols, and Henry VII’s marriage ended the feud and launched the Tudor dynasty.

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18. The First World War

Trench warfare turned 1914–1918 into a grinding stalemate, where millions died for front lines that barely moved. New weapons—tanks, poison gas, and airplanes—reshaped combat. Even the famous Christmas Truce of 1914 couldn’t prevent Versailles from ending the war while planting seeds for another.

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19. The Second World War

By 1943, after defeats in Russia and North Africa, Germany’s loss was nearly certain, yet fighting dragged on until 1945. More than 100 million served worldwide. D-Day’s vast invasion reshaped Europe, and atomic bombs finally ended Japan’s doomed efforts and the world's most destructive wars.

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20. Iran–Iraq War

Stalemate defined the Iran–Iraq War after just two years. However, it dragged on until 1988. Both nations used trench warfare and chemical weapons, shocking the world. Hundreds of thousands perished and economies collapsed. And in the end, the brutal conflict ended without either side gaining any territory.

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