Throughout the 19th century, the share of military personnel employed by the United States government was below 0.2 percent of the total population in most years. There were noticeable spikes in enlistments and conscriptions during the American Civil War (1861-65), the First World War (1917-18*), and Second World War (1941-45*), as well as smaller increases during the Mexican-American War (1946-48) and the Spanish-American War (1898), but figures were generally much lower than the post-WWII era.
Following the Second World War, the United States abandoned many of its isolationist positions as it sought to become the world's leading superpower. This involved stationing millions of troops in overseas bases during the Cold War, in strategically important locations such as West Germany, Japan, and Taiwan. Additionally, involvement in conflicts such as the Korean War (1950-1953) and Vietnam War (1964-1973*) kept military employment high, usually between 1-2 percent until the 1970s. Figures remained just below the one percent mark until the 1990s, when the end of the Cold War and the growing influence of technology in conventional warfare saw a decrease in demand for many traditional combat roles. Despite U.S. involvement in a number of overseas conflicts in the 21st century, military personnel represented less than 0.5 percent of the total population in most years between 2000 and 2016.
Annual number of military personnel employed in the United States Armed Forces and their share of the total population from 1816 to 2016
Characteristic
Military personnel
Military personnel as a share of the total population
Release date is the date of most recent access, as none was given by the source.
Although not stated by the source, the figures for military personnel during the Civil War (1861-1865) appears to refer to the Union Army only, while military personnel relative to the total population appears to include both the population of the Union and Confederate States. Therefore, if the Confederate Army was included the relative figure would be much higher.
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OWID. (May 16, 2023). Annual number of military personnel employed in the United States Armed Forces and their share of the total population from 1816 to 2016 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1066986/us-armed-forces-military-personnel-capita-historical/
OWID. "Annual number of military personnel employed in the United States Armed Forces and their share of the total population from 1816 to 2016." Chart. May 16, 2023. Statista. Accessed November 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1066986/us-armed-forces-military-personnel-capita-historical/
OWID. (2023). Annual number of military personnel employed in the United States Armed Forces and their share of the total population from 1816 to 2016. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: November 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1066986/us-armed-forces-military-personnel-capita-historical/
OWID. "Annual Number of Military Personnel Employed in The United States Armed Forces and Their Share of The Total Population from 1816 to 2016." Statista, Statista Inc., 16 May 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1066986/us-armed-forces-military-personnel-capita-historical/
OWID, Annual number of military personnel employed in the United States Armed Forces and their share of the total population from 1816 to 2016 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1066986/us-armed-forces-military-personnel-capita-historical/ (last visited November 22, 2024)
Annual number of military personnel employed in the United States Armed Forces and their share of the total population from 1816 to 2016 [Graph], OWID, May 16, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1066986/us-armed-forces-military-personnel-capita-historical/