America’s 15 Most Notorious Enemies
There’s never been a moment in America’s relatively short history when we didn’t have at least one major enemy. Often, we’ve had far more than that.
Though we may love our country, the rest of the world doesn’t always love us back. Our policies and ideologies have inspired foes that range from giant world powers, like Germany and Japan, to smaller but still potent forces, like Mexico and North Korea.
Luckily, time has a way of changing things, and in many cases, our once enemies are now our dearest friends. We can only hope our current foes follow the trend and become our allies at some future point.
1: China
According to Gallup polls, Americans see China as our biggest current enemy. Though China is also one of our biggest trading partners, there’s no doubt the country uses economic espionage and counterintelligence to threaten the U.S.
As the FBI puts it, “The Chinese government is employing tactics that seek to influence lawmakers and public opinion to achieve policies that are more favorable to China.” They’re also using predatory business practices, the theft of intellectual property, and cyberattacks against the U.S.
2: North Korea
North Korea has pursued a nuclear weapons program, sponsored terrorist attacks, and, at least allegedly, has participated in the illegal drug trade. Altogether, this makes the rogue nation one of America’s biggest current and historical enemies.
North Korea’s hatred of America began after WWII when the USSR and the U.S. each took a portion of Korea to run under a temporary trusteeship. The idea was that the two world superpowers would eventually leave a unified Korea, but that didn’t come to fruition. Instead, the South adopted a Western-style government, and the North adopted communism, laying the foundation for anti-U.S. sentiments that still exist today.
3: Iran
Many point to the 1979 Iranian Revolution as the event that solidified Iran as an enemy of the U.S. Before the revolution, Iran was a key component of America’s Middle Eastern strategy. After the revolution, which foiled America’s plans for the region, Iranians were seen trampling on American flags and proclaiming the U.S. one of its biggest enemies.
Americans don’t care for Iran, either. By 2006, Americans saw Iran as a top U.S. enemy, according to Gallup polling. Though far fewer U.S. citizens see the Middle Eastern country as a major threat today, it’s still typically listed as a significant U.S. enemy.
4: Iraq
In 2003, America launched an invasion of Iraq, declaring the country had weapons of mass destruction and was part of the “axis of evil,” a term that also included Iran and North Korea. The invasion began with a “shock and awe” bombing campaign and went on to become an eight-year conflict.
According to Pew Research, the majority of Americans now feel the war with Iraq was not worth fighting. The country did not have weapons of mass destruction, and its leader, Saddam Hussain, was not closely linked to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as many believed was the case in 2002 and 2003.
5: Russia
In recent history before the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the majority of Americans didn’t see Russia as an enemy. However, by the time Putin called for the Ukraine invasion, 70% of Americans listed Russia as a U.S. enemy.
Seeing Russia as a foe is nothing new for older American people. The Cold War between the Soviet Union and the U.S. began in 1947 and lasted until 1991. During that time, there was no greater perceived foe to America.
6: The Taliban
In the 1990s, the Taliban took over Afghanistan and became a safe haven for al-Qaeda, the terrorist group responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. In 2001, after the attacks, the Taliban and al-Qaeda became America’s number one enemy, and the U.S. military launched a campaign against them.
U.S. troops ousted the Taliban from leadership in Afghanistan, then occupied the country for two decades. In 2021, United States troops left, and the Taliban returned to power. Though the international community continues to view the Taliban in a negative light, they’re no longer one of America’s top enemies.
7: Mexico
Mexico certainly isn’t an enemy of the U.S. today, but there was a time when relations between the neighboring countries were poor. In fact, in 1846, the U.S. and Mexico went to war.
Though history books often make it seem like the U.S. easily won this particular conflict, it wasn’t without cost. Sixteen percent of Americans who fought in the Mexican-American war didn’t return home. That said, according to the National Institute of Health, the vast majority of American casualties came from infectious diseases that swept the military, not from direct conflict.
8: Native Americans
Though Native Americans certainly aren’t an enemy of the United States government today, there was a time when they were considered the greatest foe. At America’s beginning, settlers and the government believed in a nation that stretched from sea to sea. However, much of that land was already occupied.
In America’s quest to own both sides of the continent, they waged war on Native peoples. These conflicts were bloody, destructive, and ultimately detrimental to many tribes.
9: Great Britain
America’s first enemy was Mother England. If it wasn’t for Great Britain, the U.S. wouldn’t be a country at all.
The Revolutionary War began in 1775 and lasted until 1783. It began as a civil war, in many ways, as most people living in what would be the United States were British citizens. However, France joined as an ally to the Patriots, making the war an international conflict in which the English were enemy number one.
10: Japan
Today, Japan is a U.S. ally, but that wasn’t always the case. During World War II, the island nation was one of America’s most bitter enemies.
Japan was responsible for bombing Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, resulting in a response of epic proportions from the U.S. Nearly four years after beginning the war in Japan, the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on the country, killing as many as a quarter million people.
11: Germany
YouGov polling shows the vast majority of Americans see Germany as a friendly country today. But historically, Germany was one of our fiercest enemies. In World War I and World War II, the U.S. and Germany were on opposite sides.
Even after the end of the war, relations between the two countries remained unsteady, at least in part. While West Germany joined NATO and tied itself closely to the U.S., France, and the U.K., Eastern Germany tied itself to the Soviet Union. It wasn’t until the Berlin Wall fell and Germany reunified, that America saw the entire country as its ally.
12: Venezuela
According to the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. and Venezuela are friends, sort of. In truth, our relationship with Venezuela isn’t all that amiable, and the U.S. has imposed strict sanctions on the Maduro regime.
So, while America officially says it’s collaborating “closely to achieve the goal of a peaceful restoration of democracy” with portions of the Venezuelan government, much of Venezuelan leadership is seen as the enemy. And, while the U.S. has provided nearly $2.8 billion in humanitarian aid, the money comes with restrictions.
13: Cuba
The relationship between Cuba and the U.S. is complex, to say the least. For a long time, America saw Cuba as an ally and trading partner. However, the Cuban Revolution in 1959 allowed socialists to take over the country and nationalize American businesses in Cuba.
After that, the U.S. no longer saw Cuba as a friend. Even now that the Cold War is long since over, the clash between America’s capitalist ideologies and Cuba’s socialist leanings makes relations between the two countries uneasy.
14: Syria
Syria and the U.S. have had an on and off again friendship since the 1940s. Currently, we’re in an off-stage.
In 1944, the U.S. established diplomatic relations with Syria, but in the wake of the Arab-Israeli War in 1967, those friendly interactions ceased. In 1974, the two countries returned to a friendly state, but in 1979, the U.S. put Syria on its list of terrorist sponsors.
From 1991 to 2001, the U.S. and Syria cooperated on many things, and it seemed like the relationship was improving. However, between 2001 and 2003 things began to fall apart. The U.S. imposed harsh economic sanctions that continue today.
15: Algeria
After Great Britain, Algeria was one of America’s first foreign adversaries. The U.S. fought the African country during James Madison’s presidency in what became known as the Barbary Wars.
At the time, Americans were fighting against piracy which was sponsored by many North African states. While the piracy had been going on for a long time, Americans no longer had the British Navy to protect them and were suddenly vulnerable. So, the new U.S. Government levied taxes and built the first U.S. Naval ships to fight back against the Algerian pirates.
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