Following World War II America made a bold stand against the ambitions of an aspiring USSR. Taking the lead with the recently formed NATO and UN in resisting Communist incursions, the US found itself entrenched in the Korean War, fighting the North Koreans, Chinese and Russians simultaneously. Soon afterward America once again assumed the role of resisting Communist expansion, becoming involved in the quagmire of Vietnam. With a new century approaching and the ever changing worldwide political situation resulting in the relative collapse of Communism around the world, the US was to find itself embroiled in a newly evolving style of warfare in the never ending conflict of the Middle East. Liberating Kuwait from Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War, the United States soon returned to the region, invading Afghanistan in response to the attacks on the World Trade Center, and attacking Iraq to depose Hussein and thwart his ambitions for a greater Iraq. It is important to understand these wars, as they have transformed the political situation across the globe. From the transition of conventional battlefields to that of the undefined warfare of insurgencies, with the emergence of IED's and the suicide vest as major weapons of terror, to the widespread use of Drones and the rise of ISIS, the very nature of warfare has radically evolved between WWII and today. The factors that led to the US involvement of each of these significant wars is explored, the key historic events of each war are covered in detail, and the long term consequences of each is considered. As well, a unique perspective is presented on the numerous key political, military and geographic factors that influenced the course of each war and ultimately contributed to the step-by-step evolution toward what has become the modern style of warfare.