Countries that have "forgotten" they were at war often involve unusual situations like the Dutch Republic (technically at war with the Isles of Scilly for 335 years) or the Spanish town of Huéscar (forgot its war with Denmark for 172 years), where declarations weren't rescinded, though the main conflicts ended; other instances involve ongoing, technically active states of war, like North Korea/South Korea (Korean War Armistice) or Russia/Japan (WWII).
The Swiss and the Swedes each have a long history of neutrality: they have not been in a state of war internationally since 1815 and 1814, respectively. Switzerland continues to pursue, however, an active foreign policy and is frequently involved in peace-building processes around the world.
North Korea and South Korea
Both Koreas signed an armistice, not a peace treaty, meaning they're still technically at war. The Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) remains one of the most fortified borders on Earth, symbolizing an uneasy pause, not peace.
Remembering the Forgotten War: Korea, 1950-1953.
Topping the list of countries that have never been to war is San Marino, one of the oldest Republics in the world.
Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world in 2021, a position it has held since 2008.
September 10, 1939: Canada declares war on Germany - the first and only time Canada has declared war on another country on its own. September 14, 1939: The Prime Minister, William Lyon MacKenzie King, declares that Canada should be the arsenal of the Allies and pledges not to institute conscription.
Korea is known as the “forgotten war.” Some historians have noted, that much like the soldiers in Afghanistan, the 1.8 million Americans who fought in Korea rotated in and out of the war zone without attracting much attention.
Denmark, Monaco, and Sweden were also perfectly neutral European countries. In Central and South America, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, and Paraguay were perfectly neutral. In Africa, it was Ethiopia that wouldn't take sides.
The Korean War has been called the “forgotten war,” as it was sandwiched in between World War II and the Vietnam War. The nearly two million Americans (including 6,000 Nevadans) who served in Korea are now old. Many are remembered only by family members, friends and their fellow vets. They are quietly passing away.
Conflicts to Watch in 2025
In this article, we will look at some countries that have avoided war throughout their history.
The Swiss Armed Forces defends our country and people against a military attack. It supports the civilian authorities in dealing with natural disasters and in countering serious threats to internal security. And it assists within the context of international peace support and humanitarian aid.
Most people know that Switzerland is a neutral country, but may not realize that the Swiss are not alone in their neutrality. There are a total of eight neutral countries: Austria, Costa Rica, Finland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkmenistan.
On September 28, 1918, in an incident that would go down in the lore of World War I history—although the details of the event are still unclear—Private Henry Tandey, a British soldier serving near the French village of Marcoing, reportedly encounters a wounded German soldier and declines to shoot him, sparing the life ...
Iceland. Ranked number one since 2008, Iceland remains the world's most peaceful nation, leading across all three domains: safety and security, ongoing conflict and militarisation. It even recorded a 2% improvement this year, widening the gap from the second-place country on the list.
Origins of the War in Asia
World War II began on July 7, 1937—not in Poland or at Pearl Harbor, but in China. On that date, outside of Beijing, Japanese and Chinese troops clashed, and within a few days, the local conflict had escalated to a full, though undeclared, war between China and Japan.
The Anglo-Zanzibar War is famously known as the shortest war in history, lasting only 38 minutes. It's fascinating how a conflict could resolve so quickly. What were the key events leading up to this war? Why did Britain act so decisively, and how did Zanzibar respond?
World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history marked by 50 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China.
In antiquity, no one stands taller than Alexander the Great - the young military genius who never once lost a battle and established a vast empire that heralded a new historical era.
Canada, of its own free will, entered the war in September 1939 because it then realized that Nazi Germany threatened the very existence of Western civilization. Almost from the beginning Canadians were in the thick of the fighting—in the air.
🇨🇦 Canada ranked #1 most loved country in the world 🌍✨ Out of 48,000+ global respondents, Canada topped the international reputation list with a score of 78.1.