U.S. Military Presence Worldwide Since 1950

Overview

Since the end of World War II, the United States has maintained an unprecedented global military presence, with troops stationed across every inhabited continent. At its peak during the Cold War, hundreds of thousands of American service members were stationed abroad, while today that number has stabilized at approximately 160,000 personnel in dozens of countries worldwide. About this project

This pattern reflects major geopolitical shifts over the past seven decades—from Cold War containment strategies and the Korean and Vietnam Wars, to post-9/11 operations in the Middle East, and ongoing commitments to allies in Europe and the Indo-Pacific. The data reveals not just where American troops have been sent, but why: to deter adversaries, support allies, maintain regional stability, and respond to humanitarian crises. By examining troop levels across different regions over time, we can trace the evolving nature of American military engagement and the strategic priorities that have shaped U.S. foreign policy for three generations.

East Asia & Pacific

The data from 2014 to 2024 shows that U.S. troop levels have remained relatively stable over the past decade with only minor fluctuations. From 2014 through 2021, troop numbers consistently hovered around 72,000, indicating a steady moderate level of overseas military presence. Starting in 2022, there was a slight increase to 74,000, increasing to 76,000 in 2019 and peaking at 78,000 in 2024. Therefore, while there has been a small upward trend toward the end of the decade, the data suggests that U.S. overseas troop levels have largely stabilized compared to previous decades, reflecting a more consistent and measured approach to global military engagement.

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Europe & Central Asia

After taking a look at the total U.S. troop levels in Germany from 1950 to the present, focusing on the trends from 1980-2000 reveals significant changes. U.S. Troops in Germany experienced a sharp decline, specifically between 1989 and 1996. An average of around 250,000 troops dropped to just over 60,000. The main reason for this is, of course, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the reunification of East and West Germany. As Soviet-controlled East Germany reunified with independent West Germany, U.S. troops slowly withdrew from Germany. Additionally, in 1991, the Soviet Union fell. Cold War tensions that had been driving U.S. occupation and involvement in West Germany finally eased, leading to a withdrawal to a normal level of troops between allied countries.

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 sizes for the first time since 1993? The reason for this spike in troops in Germany was because the American military bases in Germany are used as a staging ground for US 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 that saw an increase with over 30 units staged in Germany before being deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. With both troops being deployed from Germany in 2008 and troops 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 US Troops in Germany as the US 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 US 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 fall off.

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

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Latin America & Caribbean

Latin America and the Caribbean had the highest troop levels in 1953, with a total of 49,298. Puerto Rico was the territory responsible for most of these troops during that year, with 26,552. This was because the Cuban war had just erupted, and Puerto Rico was one of the closest US territories to Cuba.

The Cuban Revolution erupted after Fidel Castro and the Cuban's People 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, they established the Guantanamo Naval Base in Southern Cuba. During the Cuban Revolution that stretched from 1953-1959, 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 US started to increase its presence in Panama during WWII 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 on 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 shows why there was such a dramatic drop in 1999.

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

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Middle East & North Africa

Troop levels in the Middle East and North Africa peaked in 2007 at 223,300 troops after 189,000 in 2006. In January 2007, President George W. Bush announced the deployment of more than 20,000 additional U.S. combat troops (Troop Surge in Iraq) to Iraq. The number was steady up until 2010, when it dropped to 100,000 troops, where it has stayed until the present day. The biggest spike was from 2002 to 2003, when troop levels shot up from 3,000 to 140,000 due to the Iraq War.

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).

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Sub-Saharan Africa

Troop levels in sub-saharan Africa peaked in 1993 at 6,649 troops, after a sharp increase from 306 troops in 1992. 6,345 of these troops were in Somalia. The number subsequently decreased just as sharply by 1996, dropping back down to 242 and 0 in Somalia. This sudden increase is explained by Operation Restore Hope, an effort to deliver humanitarian aid to Somalia after violence between warlords impeded previous United Nations efforts to address famine, according to an article by the Office of the Historian. A turning point in this operation came in 1993 when a Somali warlord's forces shot down two Black Hawk helicopters, turning public opinion in the United States against the aid efforts. U.S. troops officially withdrew from combat four days later, and most troops had left by 1994.

Troop levels in Sub-Saharan Africa steadily increased starting in 1956, followed by a steady decrease beginning in 1970 until 1975 where troop presence flatlined. This created a gentle rise in troops in the data from 1956-1975. This subtle increase to decrease in the data demonstrates 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 starting 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.

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A group project from Prof. Dan Pacheco's JNL 221 class, Foundations of Data and Digital Journalism.

Student contributors: Caroline Erskine, Hannah Beam, Jamieson Vincent, Jack Elliott, Lucy Fries, Nick Jepson, Sofia Kissel, Ty Letendre, Jonah Lipson, Olivia Menci, Mauricio Palmar, Charlotte Price, Jonathan Regini, Maddie Ritter, Collin Smith

Data source: Troop data from the troopdata package. Data were initially compiled by Tim Kane using information obtained from the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC).