Historical Costs of U.S. Wars

by Christopher Hellman and Travis Sharp
Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
Updated February 1, 2008

World War II

$3.2 trillion

Iraq and Afghanistan To Date

$695.7 billion
Vietnam War

$670 billion
World War I

$364 billion
Korean War

$295 billion
Persian Gulf War

$94 billion
Civil War (both Union and Confederate costs)

$81 billion

Spanish-American War

$7 billion

American Revolution

$4 billion
Mexican War

$2 billion
War of 1812

$1 billion

Source: Congressional Research Service and Office of Management and Budget data.

Source: Center for Arms Control and non-Proliferation, http://www.armscontrolcenter.org/policy/securityspending/articles/historical_war_costs/, Accessed on 2 February 2008