Key Points and Summary – Even the formidable U.S. Army has suffered significant defeats throughout its history.
Five major combat losses stand out: the humiliating Battle of Bladensburg (1814), which led to the burning of Washington D.C.; the Battle of the Little Bighorn (1876), Custer’s infamous last stand; the devastating Battle of Kasserine Pass (1943), a major setback against Rommel in WWII; the fall of the Philippines (1941-42), resulting in thousands captured; and the Battle of Ia Drang Valley (1965), considered a strategic loss despite a tactical win due to the lessons learned by the North Vietnamese.
Five Biggest Combat Losses in US Army History
As a US Army veteran, I find it difficult to write this article because it is about losing. Yes, it’s true.
The US Army has lost some important battles during its history, and it’s not pleasant to talk about all the bloodshed involved.
You can’t win them all, and historians can point to many failures of the vaunted American fighting force, which still stings anyone who wears (or has worn) the uniform of the US Army.
Here are the five most significant defeats noted by War History Online, which has an excellent overview of the various historical calamities.
Battle of Bladensburg
First, there is the awful recount of the worst setback of the War of 1812. It happened at the Battle of Bladensburg on August 24, 1814. Remember, this was the British fighting us on our soil, and the war had already taken its toll on the Americans. The battle took place in Maryland about 9 miles northeast of Washington, DC.
The soldiers lined up on both sides, and the British attacked first with well-disciplined and battle-hardened infantry. The Americans stood strong early on, but the English force was just too powerful. The home team ordered a fighting retreat back to Washington, but then all hell broke loose. Instead of fighting and then breaking contact to re-group, the Americans just flat out started running away.
The soldiers reached DC and then kept running through the streets of the city in terror. To add insult to injury, the federal government cabinet secretaries had to be removed from office and evacuated. Then the White House was burned, and other federal structures were set ablaze. This engagement was forever remembered as a massive failure by the Army.
Battle of the Little Bighorn
This one will jog your memory. The Battle of the Little Bighorn is difficult to forget. This battle happened on June 25th and 26th in 1876. The Army had the 7th Cavalry Regiment led by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer. His troopers were surrounded by a huge contingent of Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes in Big Horn County, Montana Territory.
Crazy Horse led the Native Americans as an intrepid and courageous leader, uniting multiple tribes during a time when alliances of Indians in the West were difficult to come by. Two hundred and sixty-eight cavalry soldiers were killed.
The Native warriors suffered about 100 dead. The battle was considered a significant loss because it symbolized ancient cultures with rudimentary tactics against a US Army that was heavily industrialized and confident after winning the Civil War. Custer’s Last Stand showed just how tough the Native Americans would be to intimidate with heavy firepower and advanced operational art.
Battle of Kasserine Pass
Next, we skip to World War II. It was February 1943 in North Africa. The United States and its British allies desperately needed a decisive victory against the Nazis. Still, they were faced with the expertise and skill of the famed Desert Fox, Field Marshall Erwin Rommel. The US Army wanted to take Kasserine Pass in Tunisia. The British beat the Germans handily at El Alamein at the beginning of November 1942. The Americans thought they could do so again.
Rommel knew better. He set off Operation Morning Air. The Desert Fox totally surprised the US Army. Rommel was lightning quick and proceeded with fewer tanks and little air support. The Americans didn’t think he would try such an audacious attack.
Fifty American tanks were knocked out rapidly. Then the German and Italian infantry advanced into the pass that was protected by 30,000 US Army troops. The Germans and Italians engaged in a turkey shoot. The Americans ended up losing 200 tanks, numerous support vehicles, and 6,000 prisoners taken in one of the most considerable losses during World War II.
Battle of the Philippines
Also, shifting over to the Pacific, the Battle of the Philippines was a stinging defeat for the Army. The Philippines was a critical basing station for the US military. It was considered a fortress that could not be assailed. The Japanese knew that if they could combine the surprise of Pearl Harbor, along with an attack on the Philippines, the Americans would be knocked out by a one-two punch.
The Japanese conducted an invasion by sea from Formosa. The American force was actually bigger than the marauders, but the Japanese were much more experienced. By the end of 1941, the Japanese took over Luzon in the northern Philippines. Four months later, Japan had pushed all of the American troops to the Bataan Peninsula. The Japanese were relentless and highly skilled. They never let up until about 23,000 Americans were killed or captured.
Battle of Ia Drang Valley
The next one may have my Vietnam War veterans disagreeing with me. This Vietnam battle was actually considered a tactical win, but I considered it a strategic loss. The Battle of Ia Drang Valley happened in 1965. The US Army’s First Cavalry Division was trying out a new doctrine called air mobile and air assault from helicopters. The North Vietnamese Army wanted to ambush the helicopters as they dropped American troopers onto “hot” landing zones.
This was the first large-scale force-on-force battle between NVA regulars and well-trained and elite American troops. The American public was shocked at the US losses. Three hundred and five soldiers died in 43 days. The NVA lost almost 3,600 killed.
That was a win by any standards, but a long-term loss, nonetheless. The Vietnamese learned from Ia Drang that if they fought close-in, American air support and field artillery would have a difficult time protecting Army troops.
The United States realized that the NVA was ready to fight a protracted war of attrition and ambush helicopters when they landed. These were tactics that were to be repeated until the Americans left the country in 1975. The Battle of Ia Drang Valley was immortalized by the book We Were Soldiers … Once and Young and a movie by the same name.
About the Author: Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
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