Posted on Apr 11, 2016
CH (MAJ) William Beaver
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In your opinion, what was the toughest military battle ever fought by United States forces? Why? What was it's significance? What was the toughest era to be a combat Soldier in, according to your opinion?
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Responses: 34
SGT Philip Roncari
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I don't know if it was the toughest battle but have read the losses in the 8th Airforce during WWII actually exceeded all Marine casualties in the Pacific,I would have to say the Civil War as the toughest era for the combat Soldier though
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SSG Ed Mikus
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US Civil War would have to be the toughest, followed by the US Revolutionary War.
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MSgt Stephen Council
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Edited >1 y ago
I have decided to retract my response.,
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SGT Ben Keen
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This is a rather difficult question to answer. Grouping some of the iconic battles such as Battle of Gettysburg, D-Day, the Battle of the Buldge, the battle of the Hamburger Hill, the fight of Fallujah and so into one list and asking which one was the toughest really deflates their importance. Each of these battles were the toughest in their own right based on the time and technology at hand. They would each have been easier if certain technology and strategic advancements were made in time for those attacks. But that technology and strategic advancements only came to be in part due to these battles.

So for me, I do not see out weighing the other to become the "toughest battle of all time".
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SSG Carlos Madden
SSG Carlos Madden
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Also, toughest for whom? There are a lot of variables depending on rank and job. General Lee spent a portion of Gettysburg under a tree whittling sticks with Gen. Longstreet.
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CPT Joseph K Murdock
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I would vote for the civil war. The weaponry was more improved than the tactics by far.
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SFC Bridge Crewmember
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Phillipens. WWII
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Capt Seid Waddell
Capt Seid Waddell
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SFC (Join to see), it was certainly one of the longest, with the last Jap soldier being ordered to surrender by his old commander in 1974. Another Jap soldier also surrendered on Morotai Island later that same year.

Continuing the fight for 29 years after the war was over must be some kind of a record.

http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/6-soldiers-who-refused-to-surrender
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SFC Bridge Crewmember
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Capt Seid Waddell - Agreed. Heard about that also.
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Maj Marty Hogan
Maj Marty Hogan
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Capt Seid Waddell - Great reading
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PFC Assistant Gunner
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I acknowledge fully that I've only been in for a hot minute but I'd have to say our battle against the PC culture of today. It's seemingly destroyed the fabric of our military.
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SSG Alvin Amezquita
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Battle of the bulge
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SFC Everett Oliver
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This year I have asked a 93 year old WW2 Marine Veteran to give the Key Note address in the Cemetery for Memorial Day. He is the oldest Veteran in the village. I have had the rare opportunity to sit with him while he talked about Tarawa Atoll. After listening to him describe the screw ups in tactics and the actual course of the battle (he went in on the Balloon boats), there is little to say but to wonder how anyone survived and how we could have won.... Hearing first hand I have to say Tarawa was the toughest fight, certainly not the bloodiest but the toughest.
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CPT Joseph K Murdock
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I am no civil war expert by any means, so I will try to use logic. The Civil War was marked by many 2000-4000 KIA battles which leads me to believe great armies disengaged before annihilation. However, I would guess 4 times the KIA were injured.
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