The United States, till today, is known due to its military might in the international arena. With one of the largest budgets in the world, the US Armed Forces represent a battle-hardened military, equipped with advanced weaponry. From Iraq and Syria to Afghanistan and Venezuela, the US military has constantly been engaged in warfare throughout the course of history.
But why does the world only know about the mighty power of the US military? Is there any dark side buried by the US Justice Department? Let’s delve into some of the major war crimes in American history that were not only masked from the general public but have also resulted in dire consequences that the world is still bearing.
War Crimes Act
Enacted in 1996, the US War Crimes Act is a federal ruling that governs the cases of severe violations of humanitarian laws codified in international humanitarian rule books. The law declares that any humanitarian crime committed by or against the US nationals and army personnel would be dealt with strict jurisdiction. It incorporates all types of breaches, including torture, intentional civil killings, and inhuman treatment of the protected persons.
The violations could result in penalties, imprisonment, or even death penalties, depending on the severity of the crime. As of 2006, an amendment was made to the law under the Military Commissions Act, whereby only several breaches were declared unlawful. For instance, harsh interrogation methods were exempted from the war crimes jurisdiction. Despite all this, the war crimes committed by the US soldiers have been dealt with by the military courts, to bury the facts and figures.
Major American War Crimes
- Biscari Massacre
The massacre was conducted in July 1943 by the Allied forces during World War 2 at Biscari airfield. The Allies successfully invaded Sicily, and the American soldiers captured nearly eighty Italian and German soldiers. American soldiers have clear orders to force prisoners to move fast towards detention camps, and if not, kill them.
Following the order of the high command, approximately seventy-three prisoners were viciously killed by the US military personnel. Resultantly, the US military court held two soldiers responsible for the killings and violating international humanitarian laws, but all in vain. One was convicted and later released, and the other was pardoned on the basis of merely following high command orders.
- Dachau Liberation Reprisals
At the end of World War 2, American soldiers detained dozens of German prisoners. On 29 April 1945, the US Army liberated its soldiers held by German forces at the Dachau concentration camp. The prisoners were kept in vulnerable conditions with no food or water provided. Viewing their buddies in such a situation, the American soldiers were extremely traumatized.
To take revenge, they killed German PoWs on the grounds of doing justice for their batchmates. No doubt, a large massacre was not conducted, but PoWs are protected under international laws of armed conflict. Astonishingly, no American soldier was held accountable by either military or civilian courts, and the matter was then suppressed by the military personnel.
- No Gun Ri Massacre
The No Gun Ri Massacre represents one of the gravest war crimes of the US military. It occurred during the Korean War in July 1950. Viewing the deteriorating situation, the South Korean civilians attempted to leave the combat zones and take refuge somewhere else. As the civilians numbered in the hundreds, the American forces feared that the North Koreans might exploit the opportunity.
Just to stop North Koreans from doing so, the American soldiers opened fire and used artillery on civilians, who were mainly comprised of women and children. This resulted in the killings of hundreds of civilians on the spot. However, no trials were conducted, and it was declared a ‘battlefield confusion’ and mishandling by the US justice departments. The US government symbolically provided about $1.5 million to the South Koreans who survived and had lost their near and dear ones.
- My Lai Massacre
During the Vietnam War in March 1968, the US soldiers from Charlie Company invaded My Lai village in South Vietnam. They killed approximately 400-500 innocent civilians. Open firings, mass assault, and sexual harassment were conducted by the American soldiers during the massacre. The intense warfare situation, revenge against Viet Cong atrocities, and a constant culture of aggression compelled the American military to kill the villagers without any discrimination.
To investigate the case, the US Army established a Peers Commission, which was tasked with preparing reports and finding the culprits. Nearly 14 US soldiers were held accountable, but only the platoon leader was imprisoned for twenty years. However, he was released after just 3-4 years of house arrest.
- Abu Ghraib Torture
The Abu Ghraib torture occurred during the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003-2004. The US armed forces have held hundreds of Iraqi soldiers in their custody as prisoners. Following their brutal history, American soldiers abused the PoWs, ranging from physical violence to psychological and sexual abuse. Just to extract intelligence from the detainees, the US soldiers treated them inhumanely and unlawfully.
Nearly 100-150 prisoners were tortured, resulting in the deaths of many. In addition, these American soldiers, while torturing the prisoners, made photographs and videos of the scenario. This showed the dire mental conditions of American army personnel. Approximately 30-40 photos and videos became publicized. Resultantly, 11 American soldiers were sentenced to up to ten years in jail. But most of them were released in a very short period of time, and the case was closed forever.
- Haditha Massacre
In November 2005, one of the US Marines was killed in the Iraqi region of Haditha by the Iraqi militants’ bombing. To seek revenge, the US Marines stormed into the town and randomly shot the innocent civilians, claiming that militants were concealed there.
Approximately 24 civilians were viciously killed, including 11 children and 7 women. Eight US Marines were found guilty and charged with murder. But, as usual, in 2012, all charges were either reduced or eliminated, and none of the Marines was then held accountable.
- Kandahar Massacre
Another major war crime of the US, which history yells about till today, was the Kandahar Massacre in Afghanistan in March 2012. Robert Bales, a staff sergeant of the US military, was on duty at the base at night. Acting independently, he left the base and entered the towns of southern Kandahar and opened fire on the Afghan civilians. This led to the death of almost 16 innocent civilians.
At this point, it is possible to consider what made the American soldier execute such a strange and weird action. The reports of the investigations revealed that he was drunk at the moment and was emotionally unstable, and thus he made his own decision to kill the Afghan civilians. He was eventually convicted in the year 2013 and condemned to life imprisonment.
- Kunduz Hospital Airstrike
The US-led operations in Afghanistan clearly tell us how far American forces could go against humanity. The Kunduz Massacre is its best manifestation. The US Air Force targeted a hospital in Kunduz in October 2015, killing approximately forty-two civilians and leaving thirty-seven injured.
The hospital authorities have already informed us of the location of the site. Still, they were viciously targeted. The US Department of Defense declared the strike an accident and saved its soldiers from trials. International organizations condemned the attack and declared a blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions, but all in vain.
Venezuela (2026): Continuation of the US War Crimes
Since September 2025, the US Armed Forces have been attacking maritime vessels of Venezuela on the grounds of narco-terrorism. Till now, more than 40 strikes have been conducted, killing 140-150 people. As of January 2026, the US elite forces attacked Venezuela and captured its president, going against the international laws and code of conduct.
According to official reports, American soldiers used a special type of equipment named ‘Discombobulator,’ which resulted in a complete surrender of Venezuelan forces and the president’s personal guards as their ears and noses started bleeding and their heads were busted. This shows that the US, which once strove to bury its soldiers’ acts of aggression, is now openly declaring them as its successful methods of warfare.
Conclusion
The state that considers itself the champion of human rights and the flag bearer of the so-called rules-based order is actually the biggest violator of international laws and regulations. Since the very beginning, the US has been committing war crimes but has remained untouched due to its superpower status. The history is evident that whenever such tragic events occurred, the US government had tried its best to portray them as accidents or permanently close the cases. As of now, the situation has changed. The deterioration of the rules-based system and revival of the might-makes-right order have allowed the US to openly commit such crimes without any fear of oversight and jurisdiction.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article/paper are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Paradigm Shift.
He is pursuing a BS in International Relations programme from International Islamic University, Islamabad and has a keen interest in research works, policy analysis, defence and strategic studies and conflict resolution.
