War has always been devastating and never done good to the human race, still people do not realize this and waste their time and resources fighting each other. The world history has seen some long and gory wars and battles which have taken their toll on countries and its citizens. The popular belief is that the world wars have been the longest but in reality, there have been much longer and tougher wars.
Here is a list of top 10 longest wars in the history of the world
10. Vietnam War
The Vietnam War which was fought between North Vietnam and its communist supporters on one side and South Vietnam and its anti communist allies, was one of the longest in the world. It lasted for a period of 19 years, from 1955 to 1975 and USA played a key role in it. The war ended when Saigon, the South Vietnam’s capital was taken over by the North.
9. Great Northern War
The next name on the list of top 10 longest wars in the history of the world is that of the Great Northern War, which involved Sweden against Russia, Norway, Denmark and Saxony. Fought over the Baltic Islands, it lasted as long as 21 years, with Russia taking them over in the end.
8. First Punic War
Spanning over a period of 23 years from 264 BC to 241 BC, the First Punic War was another long one in the world history. It was fought between the Roman Republic and the Ancient Carthage of Northern Africa. The battle was carried out with the aim to establish supremacy over the Mediterranean seas and the Romans emerged victorious in it.
7. Peloponnesian War
Next on this list, lasting for a period of 27 years is the Peloponnesian War between the Sparta led alliance called the Peloponnesian League and Athens. The war began in 431 BC and ended in 404 BC, with the victory of the Peloponnesian League.
6. War of the Roses
The War of the Roses was a civil war, which was battled between the House of Lancaster and the House of York in England. Starting in 1455, it got its name because these two houses bore a red rose and white rose on their flags respectively. It lasted a period of 30 years and continued over generations, ending in 1485, ending with a marriage between the two houses.
5. Thirty Years War
As the name suggests, this war between the Catholics and Protestants of the Roman Empire lasted for a period of 30 years, from 1618 to 1648. Though the war started in the Roman Empire, it soon encompassed almost the entire of Europe and had a dire influence over the economy of the continent.
4. Guatemalan Civil War
The Guatemalan Civil War was a civil war fought for a period of 36 years between 1960 and 1996. The war was fought between the autocratic government and the leftist groups formed by the local people. It ended with the signing of a human rights treaty by the government.
3. Greco-Persian Wars
Featuring next on the list of longest wars in the history of the world are the Greco-Persian Wars, which refer to a number of wars fought between the Persian Empire and various states of ancient Greece along with its allies. The wars began in 499 BC and ended half a century later, in 449 BC as the Peace of Callias Treaty was signed.
2. Hundred Years War
Though it is known as the Hundred Years War, it lasted for a period of 116 years with three separate wars between France and England from 1337 to 1453. It began with the efforts of France to confiscate the English territories located in the southwestern regions of France, which resulted in the Edwardian War.
1. Arauco War
The longest war in the history of the world was the Arauco War, which went on for 290 years. It was a result of a struggle carried out by the natives of Chile and Argentina against the Spaniards invading their country. The war started in 1536 and came to an end in 1825.
All these wars created a lot of turmoil and destruction and did no good to the world at all.
Santosh Kumar is a Professional SEO and Blogger, With the help of this blog he is trying to share top 10 lists, facts, entertainment news from India and all around the world.