Countries the UK Declared War On

The United Kingdom / Great Britain has declared war 22 times on 14 unique countries. What are the countries?
Source. Some countries no longer exist.
When you guess the country, the war will also appear.
Quiz by Quizzer6794
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Last updated: November 13, 2016
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First submittedSeptember 5, 2016
Times taken98,707
Average score71.4%
Rating4.71
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Year
War
Country
1718
War of the Quadruple Alliance
Spain
1739
War of Jenkins' Ear
Spain
1744
War of the Austrian Succession
France
1756
Seven Years' War
France
1762
Seven Years' War
Spain
1778
American Revolutionary War
France
1779
American Revolutionary War
Spain
1780
Fourth Anglo-Dutch War
Dutch Republic
1803
Napoleonic Wars
France
1854
Crimean War
Russia
1914
WWI
Austria-Hungary
1914
WWI
Germany
1914
WWI
Ottoman Empire
1915
WWI
Bulgaria
1939
WWII
Germany
1940
WWII
Italy
1941
WWII
Finland
1941
WWII
Hungary
1941
WWII
Japan
1941
WWII
Romania
1941
WWII
Bulgaria
1942
WWII
Thailand
+4
Level 70
Nov 27, 2016
Yes, UK was the most aggressive nation in history. Anyway, we should accept that the number of declaration of wars does not correlate with the number of aggressive wars. E.g. since WW1 Germany did exactly once declared war (on US) while half the world declared war on Germany.
+3
Level 65
Nov 27, 2016
Yes, this is a very good point to be made
+2
Level 70
Jan 24, 2018
I think France, Spain and Turkey, to name but three, must be up there as well
+2
Level 50
Jul 20, 2018
It must be said that France, USA, Spain, Portugal, Germany, etc. have also been very aggressive in the past. As I have said before I don't think any nation is blameless.
+3
Level 74
Apr 21, 2020
Given the above, it's an interesting point that England (later UK) and Portugal have had an alliance since the late 14th century and have never opposed each other in a war since
+4
Level 59
Sep 14, 2020
I mean I think that San Marino is pretty blameless in terms of war, or maybe Antigua and Barbuda
+2
Level 39
Apr 27, 2021
not strictly true, Chip. Portuguese ships were a significant part of the Spanish Armada. It was during the time they 'shared' a monarch with Spain but they were still technically separate.
+2
Level 67
Dec 30, 2016
Good quiz. I would ask but I'm not sure if other countries have declared war enough to make others.
+1
Level 73
Dec 30, 2016
Struggled with countries in both world wars.
+1
Level 58
Dec 30, 2016
I guess they didn't formally declare war during the American Revolution?
+10
Level 84
Dec 30, 2016
There was no country to declare war on as far as they were concerned. Just a territory with some upset people.
+3
Level 55
Dec 30, 2016
The American Revolution was my first thought, but when I went to type in a country's name, I realized there really wasn't one to put...it wasn't the United States yet, and "The 13 Colonies" or "The Colonies" doesn't count as an actual country. I guess technically being England's colonies, they were declaring war against themselves...ish, but that isn't correct either.
+2
Level 59
Apr 21, 2020
The U.S. was a sovereign state at that point because it had its own self-controlled government and had control of its borders. The U.K. didn't declare war on the sovereign state of the U.S. because they didn't think it existed and declaring war on it would be admitting it did.
+3
Level 66
Dec 30, 2016
Lol, so this is where the US got its whole "don't bother with formally declaring war" ideas from. Is this even 10% of the armed conflicts UK has been in?
+3
Level 65
Dec 30, 2016
Not even 10%
+5
Level 75
Dec 30, 2016
There is a difference between "total war" and limited military operations or "police actions". Most of the wars since WWII have been limited operations.
+1
Level 66
Apr 21, 2020
I think isn't the term used now by the military strategists in the US one of "continuous war"?
+1
Level 82
Dec 30, 2016
Picked up Hungary with 4 seconds to spare.
+5
Level 52
Dec 30, 2016
UK has had many more wars without declaring war. On the other hand they never actually fought against Finland, but they declared war on us 1941. That was very nice thing to do at the time when Soviet Union tried to occupy Finland... We did not get much help from anyone. Thank God Germany helped. Sometimes what happens is that only man who helps you is the most evil man on the planet. Mostly Finns had to fight alone against mighty USSR. And the result: there was only three capitals in Europe (countries involved in war) that nobody was able to occupy: Moscow, London and Helsinki.
+2
Level 79
Aug 3, 2017
Britain supplied Finland during the Winter War, and had got to the final stages of preparing an expeditionary force when Finland sued for peace. Probably a good job for the rest of the world that it didn't happen.
+1
Level 59
Sep 14, 2020
how come?
+1
Level 59
Sep 14, 2020
Oh wait I'm an idiot, because the Soviet Union would have fallen likely and Germany would have won.
+2
Level 82
Mar 19, 2022
Declarations of war have been obsolete since the end of World War 2 and creation of the United Nations. It simply doesn't happen anymore. Armed conflicts happen; but wars are not declared as there's not really any legal benefit for doing so anymore. The USA isn't some weird outlier. Since 1945 there have been fewer than 20 declared wars by one sovereign state against another by all countries in the entire world.
+5
Level 23
Dec 30, 2016
Add siam as a valid answer together with Thailand as it was called Siam back then.
+2
Level 60
Dec 30, 2016
Nope, according to the Thailand wiki page Siam had been changed to Thailand in 1939.
+1
Level 56
Apr 19, 2022
Ooh, even for Jetpunk that's nit-picking of a high order, as the official name was changed back to Siam in 1946, and in the interim virtually everyone in English-speaking countries continued to call it "Siam".

May we have "Siam" as a type-in please?

+3
Level 74
Aug 19, 2020
I was very unhappy to see that because I typed Siam multiple times and it was the only one that I missed.

:(

+1
Level 71
Dec 30, 2016
It seems to me that many countries have been involved in wars during the last few hundred years. E.G....... google 'Wars involving USA'....... and read the long long list.
+3
Level 76
Dec 31, 2016
I didn't even know Thailand was involved in WW2
+3
Level 86
Jul 12, 2018
Me neither.

Wiki: "Thailand in World War II officially adopted a position of neutrality until it was invaded by Japan in December 1941. At the start of the Pacific War, the Japanese Empire pressured the Thai government to allow the passage of Japanese troops to invade British-held Malaya and Burma. The Thai government under Plaek Phibunsongkhram (known simply as Phibun) considered it preferable to co-operate with the Japanese rather than fight them. Axis-aligned Thailand declared war on the United States and Britain and annexed territories in neighbouring countries, expanding to the north, south, and east, gaining a border with China near Kengtung."

+1
Level 62
Feb 1, 2020
Japan twisted their arm: “Let us run troops through your country...or be invaded”. So they declared war on the US, prompting the UK to declare war on Thailand.
+3
Level 56
Jan 2, 2017
What about the Anglo-Boer war? Great Britain did declare war on the two boer republics (Orange Free State and the South African Republic) in South Africa.
+1
Level 60
Jan 27, 2024
I can't find any source that says war was declared.
+2
Level 57
Jan 16, 2017
the war on Denmark in 1807 ?
+2
Level 21
Apr 3, 2017
What about the war of Spanish Succession?
+1
Level 63
Jul 3, 2017
According to the Wikipedia page for the Bhutan War it states the Britain declared war on Bhutan
+2
Level 77
Jul 4, 2017
What about the war agaisnt Argentina to keep control of the Falklands? Doesn't it count?
+2
Level 39
Jul 27, 2017
War against Ireland doesn't count?
+5
Level 79
Aug 3, 2017
If there had been one, it would.
+1
Level 63
Jul 27, 2017
The sun never sets on the British Empire!
+5
Level 79
Mar 9, 2019
Yes, technically it still does not. British territories today are scattered on all continents all around the world, so that the Sun is always shining on at least one of these territories. Look it up!
+2
Level 12
Nov 1, 2017
UK declared or USSR at Winter War and they supported Finland.
+1
Level 71
Jun 22, 2018
Your source says that the list is incomplete.
+4
Level 66
Oct 22, 2018
Siam for Thailand?
+5
Level 79
Mar 9, 2019
YES, I typed 'Siam' and it wasn't accepted! Could you please accept Siam, although it changed its name to Thailand in 1939?
+2
Level 30
Mar 9, 2019
Argentina 1982
+2
Level 70
Jun 8, 2019
War not declared
+7
Level 84
Apr 21, 2020
Actually...

Argentina 1978

Italy 1982

Argentina 1986 ("Hand of God" goal by Maradona)

+1
Level 63
Mar 9, 2019
Got them all with 2:01 remaining at 10:50:37 AM on March 9, 2019, raising my point total back up to 997. Hungary was the last one I guessed.
+1
Level 72
Jun 8, 2019
I'm sure there's a reason why it doesn't count, but what about china haven't the British fought them a few times times? like when they took control of hong kong for 99 years
+1
Level 69
Jun 10, 2019
The British did declare war against the United States in 1812, it was in all the papers at the time, first war that the US didn't win.
+1
Level 24
Aug 24, 2019
Why did they declare war on finland?
+2
Level 49
Aug 31, 2019
Because Finland were fighting with the Germans against the USSR which the UK was allied too.
+3
Level 84
Apr 22, 2020
You don't really think nations (any nations) actually "need" a reason to go to war, do you??
+1
Level 58
Apr 18, 2022
actually in most cases they do since most countries that do declear wars have some form of government which needs to give permission, so even if it is a bald face lie they usually give one.

The ukraine invasion for example is acording to putin a policng action to put down a facist government that is abusing its own people, its bull but that is the reason for it.

+1
Level 72
Aug 31, 2019
I'd have to say that the 1% who didn't guess Germany are not the most notable history buffs.
+1
Level 51
Mar 26, 2020
For Thailand in 1942, why wouldn't Siam be the answer?

I put that and didn't complete the quiz.

+1
Level 52
Apr 21, 2020
Name changed in 1932.
+4
Level 57
Apr 10, 2020
Shouldn't Argentina count? What with the Falklands and all?
+1
Level 60
Jan 27, 2024
I don't they declared war.
+1
Level 84
Apr 21, 2020
I declared war once, and won with a 6.
+2
Level 56
Apr 21, 2020
Iran in WW2? Not sure if mentioned already
+3
Level 75
Apr 21, 2020
Can you please accept Siam for Thailand? The name change occurred in 1940, just two years before the declaration of war
+1
Level 51
Apr 21, 2020
Please accept Nazi Germany for Germany.
+2
Level 77
Apr 13, 2022
Why? The country was called Germany.
+1
Level 49
Apr 21, 2020
What about the war against the "Kingdom of Kandy"?
+1
Level 79
Sep 15, 2022
mmm...Kingdom of Kandy, right next door to the Domain of Donuts..
+1
Level 60
Jan 27, 2024
I'm not sure war was ever declared.
+1
Level 71
Apr 21, 2020
The United Kingdom didn't exist until 1801. From 1707 to 1801 it was the Kingdom of Great Britain following the ratification of the "Acts of Union" in 1707 which united the English and Scottish kingdoms. Only in 1801, following the ratification of the "Acts of Union 1800" did it become the United Kindom which united the English, Scottish and Irish kingdoms.

It would be more correct to change the title to "Kingdom of Great Britain and later The United Kingdom..."

+1
Level 37
Apr 21, 2020
Why does Turkey not count as the Ottoman Empire? They are the same country in almost everything but the name and you even say you don't count countries that no longer exist at the top but the Ottoman Empire by the logic of not counting Turkey should not exist anymore.
+1
Level 77
Apr 21, 2020
Some research shows that Britain declared war on Bhutan on November 12, 1864. The "Duar War" broke out because of border skirmishes stemming from Bhutanese discontent with losing a region called Koch Bihar a hundred years earlier. This was verified on Wikipedia and a scholarly article by Dorji Wangchuk called "Foundations of Bhutan History". The Wikipedia article used for this quiz states that the article is incomplete and you can help by expanding the list of countries that Britain declared war on. If anyone sees my post, feel free to update the Wikipedia article cited at the top of this quiz. As for this quiz, Bhutan does indeed belong on here. The amount of research I did to verify this is definitely not expected of you, though, Quizmaster. :D
+1
Level 66
Apr 21, 2020
I see the Falklands, Suez and the Mau Mau rebellion mentioned above. But I don't understand why the Boer War is not mentioned here. It is even referred to as the Anglo-Boer War and according to Wikipedia was fought between the British Empire and two Boer states, the South African Republic ( or Republic of Transvaal) and the Orange Free State.
+2
Level 77
Apr 21, 2020
Did Britain actually declare war, though? I know that the Boers declared war, but did the British reciprocate? The quiz differentiates between fighting a war and DECLARING a war.
+2
Level 59
Apr 21, 2020
As the source states the UK declared war on the Zulu Tribe, this should either be mentioned as a caveat or be an answer.
+1
Level 67
Aug 31, 2020
Can Siam work? I did Siam and thought that it was wrong so I moved on.
+1
Level 67
Jun 27, 2023
Three years later, I still believe this should be accepted.
+1
Level 78
Sep 7, 2020
This is an interesting quiz, and one from which I have learned something. I did not know that the UK declared war on Thailand, but now I do. Thanks Quizzer6794. I also note that there is no mention of the USA in the quiz, and yet (some might say therefore) it has to dominate the comments section.
+2
Level 46
Nov 30, 2020
Shouldn't Siam also be a valid answer to Thailand?
+1
Level 67
Aug 23, 2021
I suppose so
+1
Level 67
Aug 23, 2021
Somehow got Thailand
+2
Level 22
Feb 21, 2022
This is because Thailand was under Japanese influence in WW2.
+1
Level 67
Apr 18, 2022
Interesting
+1
Level 53
Feb 15, 2022
How about the Opium Wars ????
+1
Level 22
Feb 21, 2022
I was thinking that.
+1
Level 43
Apr 13, 2022
Iraq in WW2??
+1
Level 60
Apr 13, 2022
I think this quiz is missing Rhodesia, Orange Free State, and SAR / Transvaal.
+2
Level 37
Apr 18, 2022
Where is Opium Wars with China?
+2
Level 79
Apr 18, 2022
East Asia, south of Mongolia and north of Vietnam.
+1
Level 42
Nov 19, 2022
I agree!!!!!
+1
Level 29
Apr 18, 2022
Check out my world war 2 quiz at https://www.jetpunk.com/user-quizzes/1522807/ww2
+1
Level 34
Apr 19, 2022
I would maybe accept Turkey for the Ottoman Empire
+1
Level 23
Sep 28, 2022
What about the Zulu kingdom? Or was that an invasion.
+1
Level 42
Nov 19, 2022
I agree
+1
Level 74
Oct 10, 2022
Siam. Yes, I know Thailand is there, just should accept Siam too.
+2
Level 42
Nov 19, 2022
What about Argentina in the Falkland war?
+1
Level 62
Jun 30, 2023
Siam should definitely be a type-in, even if it wasn't technically called that at the time.
+1
Level 54
Nov 23, 2023
Falklands not count?
+1
Level 49
Nov 23, 2023
Will you accept Turkey/Turkiye for Ottoman Empire?
+1
Level 60
Jan 27, 2024
By the source linked in this quiz, the United Kingdom declared war against Zulu and Zanzibar.
+1
Level 51
Feb 4, 2024
Argentina in 1982 with the Falkland War.
+1
Level 61
Mar 21, 2024
UK Declared war on Bhutan in the 1800s