This is a chronological list of wars involving Australia since federation in 1901.
Dates indicate the years in which Australia was involved in the war.
Conflict | Combatant 1 | Combatant 2 | Result for Australia and/or its Allies | Australian losses (Killed or missing) |
---|
ADF forces | Civilians |
---|
Second Boer War (1899–1902) | {{flagcountry|United Kingdom|size=22px}} {{flag|Canada|1868|size=22px}} {{flag|Australia|1901|size=22px}} {{flag|New Zealand|size=22px}} | {{flag|Orange Free State|size=22px}} {{flag|South African Republic|size=22px}} | Victory | 561[1] | None |
Boxer Rebellion (1900–1901) | {{flagcountry|Empire of Japan|size=22px}} {{flagicon|Russia|size=22px}} Russia {{flagcountry|United Kingdom|size=22px}} {{flag|Australia|1901|size=22px}} {{flagicon|France|size=22px}} France {{flag|United States|1896|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|German Empire|size=22px}} {{flag|Austria-Hungary|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Italy|size=22px}} | {{flagicon image|Yihetuan flag.png|size=22px}} Yihetuan {{flag|Qing Dynasty|name= Qing China|size=22px}} | Victory- Rebellion suppressed
- Signing of the Boxer Protocol
- Provisions for foreign troops stationed in Beijing
| 6[2] | None |
World War I (1914–1918) | {{flagicon|France|size=22px}} France {{flagcountry|United Kingdom|size=22px}} {{flag|Australia|size=22px}} {{flag|Canada|1868|size=22px}} {{flag|New Zealand|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Union of South Africa|1912|size=22px}} {{flagicon|Russia|size=22px}} Russia {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Italy|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|United States|1912|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Serbia|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Empire of Japan|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Belgium|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Greece|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Romania|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Portugal|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Brazil|1889|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Thailand|name=Siam|size=22px}} Hejaz | {{flagcountry|German Empire|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Austria-Hungary|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Ottoman Empire|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Bulgaria|size=22px}} | Victory- End of the German, Russian, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian empires
- Formation of new countries in Europe and the Middle East
- Transfer of German colonies and regions of the former Ottoman Empire to other powers
- Establishment of the League of Nations.
| 59,330[3] –62,081[4]Unknown | |
Russian Civil War (1918–1919) | {{flagicon|Russia|size=22px}} White Movement {{flagicon|United Kingdom|size=22px}} United Kingdom {{flag|Canada|1868|size=22px}} {{flag|Australia|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Empire of Japan|name=Japan|size=22px}} {{flag|Czechoslovakia|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Greece|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Second Polish Republic|size=22px}} {{flag|United States|1912|size=22px}} {{flagicon|France|size=22px}} France {{flagcountry |Kingdom of Romania|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Serbia|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Italy|size=22px}} {{flagicon|Republic of China (1912–1949)|1912|size=22px}} China | {{flag|Russian SFSR|1918|size=22px}} | Defeat- Allied withdrawal from Russia
- Defeat of the White Movement
| 10 | None |
Egyptian Revolution of 1919 (1919) | {{Country|United Kingdom|size=22px}} {{Country|Australia|size=22px}} | Wafd Party | Victory | ? | None |
World War II (1939–1945) | {{flag|Soviet Union|1936|size=22px}} {{flag|United States|1912|size=22px}} {{flag|United Kingdom|size=22px}} {{flag|Australia|size=22px}} {{flag|Canada|1868|size=22px}} {{flag|New Zealand|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Union of South Africa|1928|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Republic of China|name=China|size=22px}} {{flag|France|size=22px}} {{flag|Poland|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Yugoslavia|name=Yugoslavia|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Greece|size=22px}} {{flag|Denmark|size=22px}} {{flag|Norway|size=22px}} {{flag|Netherlands|size=22px}} {{flag|Belgium|size=22px}} {{flag|Luxembourg|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Czechoslovakia|size=22px}} {{flagicon|Ethiopian Empire|size=22px}} Ethiopia {{flagcountry|Brazil|1889|size=22px}} {{flag|Mexico|size=22px}} {{flag|Colombia|size=22px}} {{flagdeco|Republic of Cuba|size=22px}} Cuba {{flagdeco|Philippines|1936|size=22px}} Philippines {{flagdeco|Mongolia|1945|size=22px}} Mongolia | {{flagcountry|Nazi Germany|name=Germany|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Empire of Japan|name=Japan|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Italy|name=Italy|(1939-1943)|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Romania|name=Romania|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Hungary|name=Hungary|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Bulgaria|name=Bulgaria|size=22px}} {{flagicon image|Flag of First Slovak Republic 1939-1945.svg|size=22px}} Slovakia {{flagcountry|Independent State of Croatia|size=22px|name=Croatia}} {{flagdeco|Thailand|size=22px}} Thailand {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Iraq|size=22px}} Iran | Victory- Collapse of the German Reich and the Empire of Japan
- Creation of the United Nations
- Emergence of the United States and the Soviet Union as superpowers
- Beginning of the Cold War
| 39,700[5] | 700[6] |
Malayan Emergency (1948–1960) | {{flagcountry|United Kingdom|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Malaya|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Australia|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|New Zealand|size=22px}} | {{flagicon image|Flag of the Malayan National Liberation Army.svg|size=22px}} MNLA | Victory- Communist retreat from Malaya, Chin Peng exiled.
| 51 | None |
Korean War (1950–1953) | {{Flag|South Korea|size=22px}} {{Flag|United States|1912|size=22px}} {{Flag|United Kingdom|size=22px}} {{Flag|Canada|1921|size=22px}} {{Flag|Turkey|size=22px}} {{Flag|Australia|size=22px}} {{Flagicon|Ethiopian Empire|size=22px}} Ethiopia {{Flag|Philippines|size=22px}} {{Flag|New Zealand|size=22px}} {{Flag|Thailand|size=22px}} Greece {{Flag|France|size=22px}} {{Flag|Colombia|size=22px}} {{Flag|Belgium|size=22px}} {{Flag|South Africa|1928|size=22px}} {{Flag|Netherlands|size=22px}} {{Flag|Luxembourg|size=22px}} | {{Flag|North Korea|size=22px}} {{Flag|China|size=22px}} {{Flag|Soviet Union|size=22px}} | Stalemate- Cease-fire armistice
- Korean Demilitarized Zone established, little territorial change at the 38th parallel border
| 382[7] | None |
Borneo Confrontation (1963–1966) | {{flagcountry|Malaysia|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|United Kingdom|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|Australia|size=22px}} {{flagcountry|New Zealand|size=22px}} | {{flagcountry|Indonesia|size=22px}} | Victory- Indonesia accepts the formation of Malaysia.
| 16 | None |
Vietnam War (1965–1973) | South Vietnam United States {{flag|South Korea|size=22px}} {{flag|Thailand|size=22px}} {{flag|Australia|size=22px}} {{flag|New Zealand|size=22px}} {{flag|Philippines|1946|size=22px}} Laos {{flagicon|Cambodia|1970|size=22px}} Khmer Republic | {{flagicon|Vietnam|size=22px}} North Vietnam Viet Cong Khmer Rouge {{flagicon|Laos|size=22px}} Pathet Lao {{flagicon|China|size=22px}} China | Defeat- Withdrawal of American-led forces from Indochina.
- Communist governments take power in South Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
| 521[8] | None |
Gulf War (1990–1991) | {{Flag|Kuwait|size=22px}} {{flagicon image|Flag of the United States (Pantone).svg|size=22px}} United States {{Flag|United Kingdom|size=22px}} {{Flag|Saudi Arabia|size=22px}} {{Flag|France|size=22px}} {{Flag|Canada|size=22px}} {{Flag|Egypt|size=22px}} {{Flag|Syria|size=22px}} {{Flag|Oman|1970|size=22px}} {{Flag|Pakistan|size=22px}} {{Flag|UAE|size=22px}} {{Flag|Qatar|size=22px}} {{Flag|Australia|size=22px}} Others | {{flagicon image|Flag of Iraq (1963-1991); Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg|size=22px}} Iraq | Victory- Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait; Emir Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah restored.
| None | None |
War in Afghanistan (2001–) | {{flagicon|Afghanistan|1992|size=22px}} Northern Alliance (2001) {{flag|Afghanistan|size=22px}} (from 2001) {{flagicon image|Flag of the International Security Assistance Force.svg|size=22px}} ISAF- United States
- {{flag|United Kingdom|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Australia|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Canada|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Germany|size=22px}}
- {{flag|France|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Italy|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Czech Republic|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Netherlands|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Turkey|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Romania|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Georgia|size=22px}}
- {{flag|South Korea|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Poland|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Denmark|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Sweden|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Norway|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Singapore|size=22px}}
- {{flag|New Zealand|size=22px}}
- Others
| {{flagicon|Afghanistan|Taliban|size=22px}} Islamic Emirate (2001) {{flagicon|Afghanistan|Taliban|size=22px}} Taliban (from 2001) {{flagicon image|Flag of al-Qaeda.svg|size=22px}} Al-Qaeda | Ongoing- Fall of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
- Establishment of new Afghan government
- War in North-West Pakistan
| 41[9] | None |
Iraq War (2003–2009) | {{flag|Iraq|size=22px}} (from 2004) {{flagicon image|Flag of Kurdistan.svg|size=22px}} Iraqi Kurdistan {{flagicon image|Flag of Multi-National Force – Iraq.png|size=22px}} MNF–I- {{flagicon image|Flag of the United States (Pantone).svg|size=22px}} United States
- {{flag|United Kingdom|size=22px}}
- {{flag|South Korea|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Italy|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Poland|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Australia|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Georgia|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Ukraine|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Netherlands|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Spain|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Romania|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Bulgaria|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Denmark|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Thailand|size=22px}}
- Others
| {{Flagicon|Iraq|1991|size=22px}} Iraq (2003) {{Flagicon|Iraq|1991|size=22px}} SCJL {{Flagicon|Iraq|1991|size=22px}} Naqshbandi Army {{flagicon image|Flag of al-Qaeda in Iraq design 2.svg|size=22px}} al-Qaeda- {{flagicon image|Flag of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.svg|size=22px}} ISI
{{Flagicon|Iraq|1991|size=22px}} Free Iraqi Army Ansar al-Islam IAI {{flagicon image|Flag of Promised Day Brigades.svg|size=22px}} Mahdi Army {{flagicon image|Shiism arabic blue.svg|size=22px}} Special Groups {{flagicon image|Badr Organisation Military flag.svg|size=22px}} Badr Brigades {{flagicon image|Kata'ib Hezbollah flag.svg|size=22px}} Kata'ib Hezbollah | Stalemate- Overthrow of Ba'ath Party government
- Iraqi insurgency, emergence of al-Qaeda in Iraq, and sectarian violence[10]
- Escalation of sectarian insurgency after U.S. withdrawal leading to the rise of the ISIL[11]
| 3[12] | None |
Operation Astute (2006–2013) | {{flag|Australia|size=22px}} {{flag|New Zealand|size=22px}} {{flag|Malaysia|size=22px}} {{flag|Portugal|size=22px}} {{flag|East Timor|size=22px}} | {{flagicon|East Timor|size=22px}} Military rebels | Victory- Stabilisation of East Timor.
| None | None |
Operation Okra (2014–) | {{Flag|Iraq|size=22px}} {{Flag|Iraqi Kurdistan|size=22px}} {{flagicon image|Flag of Syria 2011, observed.svg|size=22px}} Free Syrian Army Rojava CJTF–OIR- United States
- {{flag|Canada|size=22px}}
- {{flag|United Kingdom|size=22px}}
- {{flag|France|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Germany|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Turkey|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Saudi Arabia|name=Saudi Arabia|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Qatar|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Jordan|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Bahrain|size=22px}}
- {{flag|UAE|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Morocco|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Australia|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Netherlands|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Belgium|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Denmark|size=22px}}
- {{flag|Norway|size=22px}}
| {{Flagicon|Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|size=22px}} Islamic State {{flagicon image|Flag of Jihad.svg}} al-Qaeda- {{Flagicon image|Flag of the Al-Nusra Front.svg}} al-Nusra Front
- {{flagicon image|Flag of the Al-Nusra Front.svg}} Khorasan
| Ongoing- Airstrikes on ISIL and al-Qaeda positions in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Nigeria, and Afghanistan.
| None | None |
1. ^{{cite web|author=Australian War Memorial |year=2008|title=Australia and the Boer War, 1899–1902|url=http://www.awm.gov.au/atwar/boer.asp|publisher=Australian War Memorial|accessdate=10 May 2008}}
2. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.awm.gov.au/atwar/boxer.asp |title=China (Boxer Rebellion), 1900–01 |author= |work=Australian War Memorial |publisher=Australian Government |accessdate=22 January 2013}}
3. ^Statistics of the Military Effort of the British Empire During the Great War 1914–1920, The War Office(1922), P.237 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730173252/http://www.vlib.us/wwi/resources/britishwwi.pdf |date=2012-07-30 }}
4. ^Commonwealth War Graves Commission Annual Report 2013-2014 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151104004037/http://www.cwgc.org/learning-and-resources/publications/annual-report.aspx |date=2015-11-04 }}, page 48. Figures include identified burials and those commemorated by name on memorials.
5. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/war_casualties.asp |title=Deaths as a result of service with Australian units (AWM) web page |publisher=AWM |date= |accessdate=2011-06-15}}
6. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.awm.gov.au/atwar/statistics/ww2.asp |title=Australian Military Statistics World War II - A Global Perspective |publisher=AWM |date= |accessdate=2011-06-15 |deadurl=unfit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527221139/http://www.awm.gov.au/atwar/statistics/ww2.asp |archivedate=May 27, 2010 }}
7. ^Australian War Memorial Korea MIA Retrieved 17 March 2012
8. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/vietnam/statistics.asp |title=Australian casualties in the Vietnam War, 1962–72 | Australian War Memorial |publisher=Awm.gov.au |accessdate=29 June 2013}}
9. ^{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/03/australian-soldier-died-afghanistan-identified|title=Australian soldier dead in Afghanistan named as lance corporal Todd Chidgey|work=the Guardian|accessdate=6 February 2015}}
10. ^{{cite news |title=Sectarian divisions change Baghdad's image|publisher=MSNBC|date=3 July 2006|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13684759/|accessdate=18 February 2007}}
11. ^References*{{cite news |url=https://www.state.gov/p/nea/rls/rm/221274.htm |title=Al-Qaeda's Resurgence in Iraq: A Threat to U.S. Interests|publisher=U.S Department of State|accessdate=26 November 2010|date=5 February 2014}}*{{cite news |url=https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/the-jrtn-movement-and-iraq%E2%80%99s-next-insurgency |title=The JRTN Movement and Iraq's Next Insurgency | Combating Terrorism Center at West Point |publisher=Ctc.usma.edu |accessdate=2014-08-02}}
12. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22078696-601,00.html|publisher=The Australian|title=Timeline: Australians killed in Iraq |date=15 July 2007 |accessdate=2008-12-21}}
{{Oceania topic|List of wars involving|title=Lists of wars involving Oceanian countries}}