U.S. Global Troop Presence Since 1950

When looking at the data for U.S. troops stationed in Germany from 2000 to 2024, there was a major spike in 2008. What was going on that made the troops jump to six-figure levels for the first time since 1993? The reason for this spike in troops in Germany was that American military bases in Germany were used as a staging ground for U.S. troops before or after being deployed to the Middle East. There were major policy changes going on in the Middle East in the late 2000s and early 2010s. December 2007 began the withdrawal of troops from Iraq after a massive surge that came in January 2007. A consistent military presence was still in Iraq through 2011. American military movements in 2008 were still a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom FY 08, which saw an increase, with over 30 units staged in Germany before being deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. With troops both being deployed from Germany in 2008 and beginning to move out of the Middle East in late 2007, there was much traffic going through the American bases in Germany. 2008 was also a busy time for U.S. troops in Germany as the U.S. closed down a base in Hanau after a 50-year presence. This base closure is in large part responsible for the steep decline in troops in 2009; there was simply less room to have so many. With so much going on in the Middle East, the U.S. used its resources in Germany for troop staging; this, combined with shutting down a base, shows why 2008 was a major jump in troops followed by a major drop-off.

Sources: https://www.cfr.org/timeline/iraq-war

The Cuban Revolution erupted after Fidel Castro and the Cuban People's Party led a raid on the Moncada army barracks in Santiago de Cuba on July 26, 1953. In 1903, after America had won the Spanish-American War, it established the Guantanamo Naval Base in southern Cuba. During the Cuban Revolution that stretched from 1953 to 1959, there was an increased presence of U.S. troops at Guantanamo Bay, despite no longer having diplomatic relations with the new Cuban government.

Source: https://www.history.com/articles/cuban-revolution

The U.S. started to increase its presence in Panama during World War II because of the Panama Canal's strategic importance. This continued in the Cold War, especially during the 1964 Panama riots. There were major anti-American protests over the right to fly the Panamanian flag. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed treaties with Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos to gradually transfer control of the canal and the Canal Zone to Panama. The Canal Zone was abolished in 1979, and control of the canal was turned over by the end of 1999. At this point, troops were removed from the country, which helps explain the dramatic drop in 1999.

Source: https://www.history.com/articles/panama-canal-return-panama-treaties-carter

Another noticeable spike came from 1989 to 1990, when troop levels rose from 2,000 to 33,000 due to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion of Kuwait (The Gulf War) to acquire the nation's largest oil reserves and expand his power in the region.

During the Iraq War, US troop levels followed the arc of America's military engagement in the country. The initial invasion force remained relatively constant through the first few years as the US confronted a growing insurgency and escalating sectarian violence. In January 2007, President George W. Bush announced the controversial "surge" strategy, deploying an additional 20,000 combat troops plus 10,000 support troops to Iraq, with the majority sent to Baghdad (EBSCO, George W. Bush Library). As security conditions improved and the Bush administration transitioned to the Obama presidency, troop levels began a dramatic drawdown. This reduction reflected President Obama's 2008 campaign pledge to end the war in Iraq and withdraw American combat troops (The White House, PolitiFact), as well as the 2008 Status of Forces Agreement between the United States and Iraq, which established that US combat forces would withdraw from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009 and all US forces would completely withdraw from Iraq by December 31, 2011 (US-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement). By 2011, only a small advisory force remained as the US formally ended its combat mission in Iraq.

During the beginning and middle of the Iran-Iraq War, U.S. troop levels stayed relatively steady and increased or decreased incrementally. However, troop levels went from 2,079 in 1987 to 33,017 in 1988. This was primarily due to Operation Earnest Will, which ran from July 24, 1987, to September 26, 1988, and was the largest naval convoy operation since World War II, aimed at protecting Kuwaiti-owned oil tankers from Iranian attacks during the Iran-Iraq War (Bradley Peniston, Naval History). The increase also reflected Operation Prime Chance, which ran from August 1987 to June 1989, a largely secret United States Special Operations Command operation that worked to stop Iranian forces from attacking Persian Gulf shipping using mines and small boats (The National Interest, Defense Media Network).

Troop levels in Sub-Saharan Africa steadily increased starting in 1956, followed by a steady decrease beginning in 1970 until 1975, when troop presence flatlined. This created a gentle rise and fall in troop levels in the data from 1956 to 1975. This subtle increase and subsequent decrease in the data reflects the decolonization and subsequent independence of Sub-Saharan Africa during this time period.

In 1956, Sudan became independent from Britain and Egypt, followed by Ghana in 1957. As countries gained independence, colonial troops withdrew rapidly. 1960 was known as the "Year of Africa," when 17 African countries gained independence. Troop presence started to rise in 1961 as Portugal deployed approximately 70,000 troops each to Angola and Mozambique by the mid-1960s in an effort to fight independence movements. In 1975, the last major colonies, Angola and Mozambique, gained independence from Portugal.