(Updated to Include Appropriations Enacted Through June 30, 2008) --2--
Military Costs of Major U.S. Wars
Years of War Spending Peak Year of War Spending Total Military Cost of War in Millions/Billions of Dollars War Cost % GDP in Peak Year of War Total Defense % GDP in Peak Year of War American Revolution
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$1775-1783
101 million
1,825 million NA NA War of 1812
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$1812-1815
90 million
1,177 million1813 2.2% 2.7% Mexican War
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$1846-1849
71 million
1,801 million1847 1.4% 1.9% Civil War: Union
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$1861-1865
3,183 million
45,199 million1865 11.3% 11.7% Civil War: Confederacy
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$1861-1865
1,000 million
15,244 million NA NA Spanish American War
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$1898-1899
283 million
6,848 million1899 1.1% 1.5% World War I
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$1917-1921
20 billion
253 billion1919 13.6% 14.1% World War II
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$1941-1945
296 billion
4,114 billion1945 35.8% 37.5% Korea
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$1950-1953
30 billion
320 billion1952 4.2% 13.2% Vietnam
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$1965-1975
111 billion
686 billion1968 2.3% 9.5% Persian Gulf War /a/
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$1990-1991
61 billion
96 billion1991 0.3% 4.6% Iraq /b/
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$2003-Present
616 billion
648 billion2008 1.0% 4.2% Afghanistan/GWOT /b,c/
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$2001-Present
159 billion
171 billion2007 0.3% 4.0% Post-9/11 Domestic Security (Operation Noble Eagle) /b/
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$2001-Present
28 billion
33 billion2003 0.1% 3.7% Total Post-9/11--Iraq, Afghanistan/GWOT, ONE /d/
Current Year $
Constant FY2008$2001-Present
809 billion
859 billion2008 1.2% 4.2%
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