"Most lopsided war in history? " Topic

What war in history had the most unfavorable odds in the size and capability of the two sides?

For example, one possibility would be the invasion of Poland by Germany & USSR in 1939, but I'm sure many of you have better choices. What is your pick?

I don't know about better choices but two other choices come to mind.

Seven Weeks War 1866. The sides look even but one side has a tactical doctrine custom designed to fail badly against breach-loading riflemen.

War of the Triple Alliance 1864-1870. The small nation of Paraguay called out Brazil, Argentina and tiny Uruguay. It took years to beat them down but did they ever have a chance of winning, aside from the Allies getting bored and leaving them alone?

Pretty much anybody against Ghengis Khan.

The Anglo-Zanzibar war in 1896? Lasted only 40 minutes.

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First Gulf war.

I opened this to vote for the Anglo-Zanzibarian War.

My first thought was also the 1st Gulf War.

The 3rd Punic war? It was really just an excuse to sack a city.

Does the Invasion of Grenada count?

The 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War. China invaded Viet Nam and ended up pulling out without completing their mission. Both sides claimed victory.

I can't think of a more lopsided war in history.

Pretty much any of the American campaigns against Native Americans….

Operation Just Cause (not a war but a combat action/test bed for new weapons like AH64 and LAVs).

"Pretty much any of the American campaigns against Native Americans"

I think the Seminoles, Apache, and Ohio tribes in the late 18th Century would disagree.

I would suggest that the various wars between the big empires of the middle east, (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon), and the small countries of the Levant, (Israel, Canaan, etc).

3rd Punic and Six Day War quickly come to mind.

At the risk of being booed off the board, I would say the war in the Pacific between the US and Japan.

True, the Japanese managed to pull a fast one at Pearl Harbour which give them a clear run to grab a lot of territory very quickly.

However, the fact the US would recover from that blow was inevitable, and only a Japanese officer who believed their own propaganda would have known it couldn't have a happy ending.

The Dutchy of Grand Fenwick vs. the USA.
imdb.com/title/tt0053084

But the Dutchy of Grand Fenwick win that one Qurchi Bashi! :O)

Let us see

Greek-Ottoman War of 1897

2nd Schleswig-Holstein War 1864

Polish-Lithuanian War 1919

But for most lopsided victory ever, 1st Sino-Japanese War 1895. The Chinese failed to get even one victory. Even the Greek won the battle of Velestino in 1897.

1967 Arab-Israeli War.

The British Reconquest of the Sudan in the 1890's is another one. A good dusting indeed.

Grenada

I agree with Pictors that the most lop-sided was the Anglo-Zanzibrian War – but there are many others as well

For long-running wars there is the War of the Triple Alliance – while Paraguay had a big advantage at the start in men under arms, they were pretty bold in taking on Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay – and their determination just made sure they really got clobbered

The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
Spanish American war.

Not really sure if a 40 minute skirmish should actually be called a war.

I was thinking the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, after all, the Israelis took on the entire Arab League. Then I checked the actual number of combatants and the Israelis actually put more boots on the ground (over 117,000) as opposed to only about 60,000 for the Arab states plus volunteers.

> Not really sure if a 40 minute skirmish should actually be called a war.

Lopsided wars are often like that though.

Indian invasion/liberation of Goa
Achaean League versus Roman Republic 146 BCE
Sparta versus the tiny Phlius 380 BCE