U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Recent Conflicts

"Many wars or conflicts in U.S. history have federally designated “periods of war,” dates marking their beginning and ending. These dates are important for qualification for certain veterans’ pension or disability benefits. Confusion can occur because beginning and ending dates for “periods of war” in many nonofficial sources are often different from those given in treaties and other official sources of information, and armistice dates can be confused with termination dates. This report lists the beginning and ending dates for “periods of war” found in Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It also lists and differentiates other beginning dates given in declarations of war, as well as termination of hostilities dates and armistice and ending dates given in proclamations, laws, or treaties. The dates for the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq are included along with the official end date for Operation New Dawn in Iraq on December 15, 2011, and Operation Enduring Freedom on Afghanistan on December 28, 2014. This report will be updated when events warrant. For additional information, see the following: CRS Report RL31133, Declarations of War and Authorizations for the Use of Military Force: Historical Background and Legal Implications, by Jennifer K. Elsea and Matthew C. Weed, and CRS Report R42738, Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad, 1798-2016, by Barbara Salazar Torreon.."
U.S. Periods of War

U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Current Conflicts

"Many wars or conflicts in U.S. history have federally designated “periods of war,” dates marking their beginning and ending. These dates are important for qualification for certain veterans’ pension or disability benefits. Confusion can occur because beginning and ending dates for “periods of war” in many nonofficial sources are often different from those given in treaties and other official sources of information, and armistice dates can be confused with termination dates..."
U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Current Conflicts

U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Current Conflicts

"Many wars or conflicts in U.S. history have federally designated “periods of war,” dates marking their beginning and ending. These dates are important for qualification for certain veterans’ pension or disability benefits. Confusion can occur because beginning and ending dates for “periods of war” in many nonofficial sources are often different from those given in treaties and other official sources of information, and armistice dates can be confused with termination dates. This report lists the beginning and ending dates for “periods of war” found in Title 38 of the Code
of Federal Regulations, dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)..."

U.S. Periods of War
"Many wars or conflicts in U.S. history have federally designated “periods of war,” dates marking their beginning and ending. These dates are important for qualification for certain veterans’ pension or disability benefits. Confusion can occur because beginning and ending dates for “periods of war” in many nonofficial sources are often different from those given in treaties and other official sources of information, and armistice dates can be confused with termination dates. This report lists the beginning and ending dates for “periods of war” found in Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It also lists and differentiates other beginning dates given in declarations of war, as well as termination of hostilities dates and armistice and ending dates given in proclamations, laws, or treaties. This report will be updated when events warrant. For additional information, see CRS Report RL31133, Declarations of War and Authorizations for the Use of Military Force: Historical Background and Legal Implications."

Financing Issues and Economic Effects of American Wars
"The increased government outlays associated with wars can be financed in four
ways: through higher taxes, reductions in other government spending, government
borrowing from the public, or money creation. The first two methods are unlikely
to have an effect on economic growth (aggregate demand) in the short run: the
expansion in aggregate demand caused by greater military outlays is offset by the
contraction in aggregate demand caused by higher taxes or lower non-military
government spending. The latter two methods increase aggregate demand. Thus, a
by-product of American wars has typically been a wartime economic boom in excess
of the economy’s sustainable rate of growth. Wars may shift resources from nonmilitary spending to military spending, but because military spending is included in GDP, it is unlikely to lead to a recession. Just as wars typically boost aggregate
demand, the reduction in defense expenditures after a war removes some economic
stimulus as the economy adjusts to the return to peacetime activities."

Financing Issues and Economic Effects of American Wars
"The increased government outlays associated with wars can be financed in four
ways: through higher taxes, reductions in other government spending, government
borrowing from the public, or money creation. The first two methods are unlikely
to have an effect on economic growth (aggregate demand) in the short run: the
expansion in aggregate demand caused by greater military outlays is offset by the
contraction in aggregate demand caused by higher taxes or lower non-military
government spending. The latter two methods increase aggregate demand. Thus, a
by-product of American wars has typically been a wartime economic boom in excess
of the economy’s sustainable rate of growth. Wars may shift resources from nonmilitary spending to military spending, but because military spending is included in GDP, it is unlikely to lead to a recession. Just as wars typically boost aggregate
demand, the reduction in defense expenditures after a war removes some economic
stimulus as the economy adjusts to the return to peacetime activities..."

Costs of Major U.S. Wars
"This CRS report provides estimates of the costs of major U.S. wars from the
American Revolution through current conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. It
gives figures both in “current year dollars,” that is, in prices in effect at the time of each war, and in inflation-adjusted “constant dollars” updated to the most recently available estimates of FY2008 prices. All estimates are of the costs of military operations only and do not include costs of veterans benefits, interest paid for borrowing money to finance wars, or assistance to allies. The report also provides estimates of the cost of each war as a share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during the peak year of each conflict and of overall defense spending as a share of GDP at the peak. This report will be updated periodically to reflect additional appropriations for ongoing conflicts and to adjust constant dollar figures to prices of the current fiscal year."