Back in August 2012, President Barack Obama warned that any Syrian use of chemical weapons would force a U.S. response in the civil war. By April the next year, U.S. intelligence confirmed that President Bashar al‑Assad had indeed unleashed such weapons against the opposition. The promised “red line” quickly softened, and a year later America found itself bombing ISIS — the very group it had once threatened to fight — from the same skies it had warned the Syrian regime about. This topsy‑turvy track record stretches back over two centuries, and here are ten of the most eyebrow‑raising moments, counted down from ten to one.

10. US Embargo Against Cuba

Since 1960 the United States has kept a hard‑line trade embargo on Cuba — not a single legal cigar has ever crossed the 145‑kilometre (90‑mile) stretch to U.S. shores. The United Nations has condemned the blockade twenty times, calling it a breach of both the UN Charter and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, treaties the U.S. itself helped draft. Yet the embargo persists, despite clear evidence it chokes Cuban access to medicines and basic supplies. No other nation faces an embargo solely for human‑rights abuses or terrorism concerns; for instance, the U.S. enjoys roughly $20 billion in annual trade with communist‑ruled Vietnam.

Adding theatrical flair, the United States keeps an illegal military foothold on Cuban soil, justified by the 1903 Cuban‑American Treaty and a symbolic $4,000‑a‑year “rent” check that Havana refuses to cash. The infamous Guantanamo Bay naval base, perched on Cuban land, also houses an extrajudicial detention camp for so‑called “extraordinarily dangerous prisoners.”

9. The Monroe Doctrine and US Policy in Latin America

“We could not view any interposition for the purpose of oppressing [Latin American countries], or controlling in any other manner their destiny, by any European power … as unfriendly toward the United States.” – The Monroe Doctrine, 1823.

While the doctrine was meant to keep European powers out of the newly independent nations of Latin America, it opened the door for the United States to waltz in as the self‑appointed guardian. The result? Four incursions into Panama to protect the canal, the botched Bay of Pigs invasion to topple Cuba’s government, and covert CIA collaborations with repressive regimes under Operation Condor. Even the 1842 annexation of Texas by President John Tyler, justified under the doctrine, helped spark the Mexican‑American War of 1846.

8. The Aftermath of the Spanish‑American War

Just before the Spanish‑American War kicked off on April 25, 1898, the Senate passed the Teller Amendment, promising that the United States would not retain permanent control over Cuba after the conflict. The promise was short‑lived. In 1901 the Platt Amendment slipped in as a rider to an Army appropriations bill, effectively turning the promise upside‑down. It gave the U.S. a veto over Cuban domestic and foreign policy and paved the way for the Guantanamo Bay naval base.

The Platt provisions lingered for more than three decades, finally being stripped away by the 1934 Treaty of Relations — except for the right to keep the naval base, which remains to this day.

7. US Involvement in the Soviet War in Afghanistan

“You are creating a Frankenstein.” – Pakistan’s Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto warned President George H.W. Bush about the American‑backed Mujahideen. From 1979 to 1989, the CIA’s covert Operation Cyclone funneled money, weapons, and training to Afghan rebels via Pakistan’s ISI. The United States deliberately favored foreign Islamic militants — Egyptians, Syrians, and others — over native Afghans, believing they were the most reliable anti‑communist force.

Among the beneficiaries was a young Osama bin Laden, who joined the fight from Saudi Arabia. Critics argue that this massive support sowed the seeds of the terrorist networks that later plagued the world. Senator Orrin Hatch later defended the operation as “worth it” for Cold War victory, even as the United States now blames other nations for fueling terrorism. After bin Laden’s 2011 death, retaliatory attacks were launched at Pakistan, the very country that had unintentionally hosted the “monster.”

6. US Nuclear Proliferation Policy

In recent decades the United States has been the loudest voice demanding that Iran halt its “illegal” nuclear ambitions, sponsoring UN sanctions after Tehran refused adequate IAEA oversight. Yet the United States turns a blind eye to Israel’s own nuclear arsenal — a stockpile that includes everything from “suitcase nukes” to ICBMs, concealed under a policy of “nuclear ambiguity.” Israel even attempted to sell nuclear technology to apartheid‑era South Africa.

Declassified documents reveal that the United States knew about Israel’s nuclear program as early as the late 1960s but took no action to curb it, highlighting a striking double‑standard in America’s non‑proliferation rhetoric.

5. US Annexation of Hawaii

In 1893 a cadre of sugar and pineapple magnates, backed by American troops, overthrew Queen Liliʻuokalani, imprisoning her and seizing millions of acres. They formed a “Provisional Government” and begged President Benjamin Harrison for annexation. When anti‑imperialist President Grover Cleveland took office, he ordered a probe – the Blount Report – which exposed U.S. Ambassador John L. Stevens as a key conspirator and documented the illegal use of Marines.

Congress brushed the findings aside with the Morgan Report (1894), led by John Tyler Morgan, a former Confederate general and KKK Grand Dragon, which claimed the coup never happened and justified the provisional government as protecting U.S. interests. Despite the controversy, President William McKinley annexed the islands anyway. It wasn’t until 1993 that the United States formally apologized for its role in the overthrow.

4. US Policy in the Philippines

After the Spanish‑American War, the United States found itself the new ruler of the Philippines. President William McKinley’s commission sent a patronizing communiqué to Filipinos, promising “peace, happiness, and rightful freedom.” In reality, the report split the population into “civilized” and “uncivilized” categories, setting the stage for selective rights.

The Moros, a Muslim minority, resisted American occupation. In a brutal episode, U.S. forces drove women and children into the crater of a volcano and then bombarded the makeshift settlement, killing roughly 800 people. Theodore Roosevelt trumpeted the action as a “brilliant feat of arms,” and the Fourth Cavalry still bears a coat of arms commemorating the massacre. Mark Twain condemned the atrocity, noting that the uniformed assassins had dishonored the American flag.

3. The Iran‑Contra Affair

During the 1980s, the Reagan administration faced a dilemma: the Boland Amendment barred direct U.S. aid to the Nicaraguan Contras, yet Reagan adored the rebels, calling them the “moral equivalent of our Founding Fathers.” The solution? A covert arms‑for‑hostages swap. In 1985, the United States sold over 1,500 missiles to Iran (despite an embargo) in exchange for the release of American hostages held in Lebanon. The trade back‑fired – only three hostages were freed, then replaced by three more.

Even more scandalous, roughly 60 % of the money Iran paid vanished into the pockets of the Contras. An Independent Counsel investigation led to 14 officials being charged, though half escaped conviction on technicalities and presidential pardons from George H.W. Bush. Reagan’s popularity survived the storm, leaving him with the highest post‑war approval rating since FDR.

2. US Declarations of War Since 1945

The United States helped draft the United Nations Charter, which bars members from using force except in self‑defense or with Security Council authorization. Yet, aside from the Korean War (1950‑53) and the First Gulf War (1990‑91), every U.S.-led conflict since 1945 has skirted, or outright violated, that rule. Former UN Secretary‑General Kofi Annan called the 2003 Iraq invasion illegal, and the Vietnam War began on dubious pretenses. Other incursions – Panama (1989) and Grenada (1983) – drew near‑universal condemnation.

1. The Coup Against Ngo Dinh Diem

In the early 1950s, the United States propped up Ngo Dinh Diem as South Vietnam’s first president to counter Communism. His authoritarian, Catholic‑leaning regime soon sparked widespread dissent, culminating in Buddhist monks self‑immolating in protest. By the early 1960s, the United States, fearing Diem’s weakness, began backing a coup. President John F. Kennedy gave the green light, and the CIA helped orchestrate the overthrow that ended with Diem and his brother Ngo Dinh Nhu being assassinated on November 2, 1963.

In a 1963 interview, CBS anchor Walter Cronkite asked Kennedy if the United States could win the Vietnam War. Kennedy replied that victory required “changes in policy and perhaps with personnel,” hinting at the imminent removal of Diem. The United States thus helped topple the very leader it had installed less than a decade earlier.

From the Cuban embargo to covert arms swaps, from annexations to illegal wars, the United States’ foreign‑policy playbook reads like a roller‑coaster of contradictions. One thing’s clear: history loves to remind us that America’s most consistent trait is its inconsistency.

When you think of the phrase top 10 forgotten, you probably picture obscure moments that slipped past the mainstream history books. While the United States proudly cites iconic events like 9/11, Pearl Harbor, and the War of 1812, there’s a trove of lesser‑known foreign assaults that actually struck American soil. Below we count down ten of those surprising incursions, each with its own dramatic back‑story, daring participants, and lingering legacy.

10 Battle Of Ambos Nogales

When people think of World War I, they usually assume the fighting never reached the American continent. However, as the war neared its end, fighting between Mexican and US forces erupted along the border. The battle occurred in Ambos Nogales, a city split down the middle by a wide boulevard. Half of the town was in Mexican territory, and the other half was in US territory. (The Spanish word ambos actually means “both.”)

Relations between the two countries were already tense due to the Zimmerman Telegram, an intercepted communique between the German and Mexican governments, which enticed Mexico to attack the US. And in August 1918, American intelligence services reported a buildup of Mexican soldiers and armaments on the Mexican side of Nogales. Naturally, this made American troops incredibly nervous, and things only got worse on August 27.

On this particular day, a Mexican named Gil Lamadrid attempted to cross the border from the US side. He was carrying a large parcel through Nogales when US customs officials ordered him to stop. They wanted to examine the package, but then Mexican officials began telling Gil Lamadrid to cross the border immediately. In the confusion, a US soldier raised his rifle to threaten Gil Lamadrid. And that’s when gunfire erupted. Nobody knows who fired the first shot, but suddenly bullets were flying from both sides.

Mexican citizens grabbed their rifles and started shooting at the American soldiers. Ready to fight, the US 10th Cavalry (made of “Buffalo Soldiers”) charged across the border and began fighting in the streets. The battle soon spread into the American side. The 35th Infantry brought in machine guns to combat Mexican troops, and they soon captured the hills around the city. Felix Penalosa, the mayor of Mexican Nogales, attempted to wave a white flag of surrender, but he was fatally shot by American soldiers.

The death of the mayor served as a wake‑up call for both sides. Mexican and US commanders gradually stopped the fighting, and the Battle of Ambos Nogales eventually came to an end.

9 Black Tom Explosion

Black Tom was an island in the New York Harbor that acted as a munitions depot for the Allies during World War I. In 1916, the United States still hadn’t entered the war, ostensibly keeping a policy of isolationism. However, they were more than willing to offer monetary and material support for the Allied nations, and most of the munitions on Black Tom Island made their way over to Great Britain. This made the small island a key target for German saboteurs.

On the early morning of July 30, 1916, a huge explosion rocked the island, with tons of explosives going up in flames. People 145 kilometers (90 mi) in every direction felt the blast. Some people even felt it as far away as Philadelphia. The explosion rocked the East Coast with the equivalent force of a 5.5‑magnitude earthquake. Plate glass windows in Manhattan buildings shattered. The Statue of Liberty took $100,000 worth of damage. Authorities evacuated immigrants off nearby Ellis Island, and a cloud of smoke and ash filled the sky.

At the time, nobody knew what caused the explosion. Years passed without any conclusive evidence as to whether the explosion was an accident or an act of sabotage. Decades later, investigators revealed the culprit was the German ambassador to the United States, Count Johann von Bernstorff. Before the explosion, he helped German saboteurs attain fake passports. These saboteurs got jobs on Black Tom Island and used incendiary “pencil bombs” to ignite the munitions.

Although the explosion didn’t cause too much damage outside the island, the Statue of Liberty’s torch has remained closed to the public since the attack.

8 Bombardment Of Ellwood

During World War II, the Japanese fought hard against the United States. They conducted several well‑known attacks on the country, including the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Aleutian Island Campaign in Alaska. However, the Japanese were also active on America’s West Coast, and in 1942, they launched a submarine attack near Santa Barbara, California.

Japanese submarines were prowling about in the Pacific right after Pearl Harbor. They made strikes near the California coast, and several small skirmishes broke out between subs and transport ships. Commander Kozo Nishino, the skipper of the I‑17, decided to make a strike against America’s oil fields to disrupt fuel production. So in February 1942, he brought the I‑17 right off the coast and surfaced, cannon ready to fire.

The Japanese gun crew trained their only cannon on the bright coastline lights of the Ellwood oil field. They first aimed for the aviation fuel tank containers, but they barely did any damage. Wild shots fell all over the place, damaging oil derricks, the pier, and even a nearby ranch. Ultimately, there was little destruction, but it was a shocking psychological blow to the Californians.

Even today, no one knows exactly why Nishino decided to attack the oil field. One popular story is that he visited California before the war and walked down the beach near Ellwood. Seeing a prickly pear cactus, Nishino decided to take a cutting, but he slipped and fell on the sharp plant. Dock workers laughed at the injured Japanese captain, and legend states this embarrassment caused a burning hatred against the oil fields.

7 Operation Pastorius

During World War II, the Germans were once again interested in conducting acts of sabotage in the United States. Influenced by the Black Tom explosion, the Germans attempted to recreate their success. To do this, they organized Operation Pastorius, a failed attempt to wreak havoc on the continental US.

German Abwehr intelligence agents had already infiltrated the United States by 1942, but the planners of Operation Pastorius wanted to cull new saboteurs from Germans who’d previously lived in America. Agents found eight Germans who were on board with the plan. Two of them were American citizens. The future saboteurs trained to hit various targets in the US, such as the hydroelectric plants at Niagara Falls and various railroad hubs along the East Coast.

In June 1942, a German submarine sailed up the New York coast and dropped off explosive supplies and four saboteurs. Another submarine dropped off a second team in Florida. However, the mission started falling apart from the very beginning. American authorities learned about the saboteurs after the Coast Guard picked up one of the Germans. This agent, George Dasch (pictured above), had decided to defect once he landed in the US. He then renounced Nazi Germany and turned himself in to the FBI.

Together with Dasch, the authorities arrested the other saboteurs… but they still tried Dasch for espionage. Fortunately for the United States, the Nazi mission was uncovered before the Germans could do any real damage.

6 Attack On Orleans

Throughout World War I, German U‑boats were a constant menace to the US coastline, forcing the country to invest in coastal defenses after submarines sank American ships. And in the summer of 1918, the United States was forced to defend the East Coast against German naval attack.

On July 21, the submarine U‑156 surfaced in the middle of Cape Cod, near the town of Orleans, Massachusetts. Immediately, the crew began shelling the coast, even firing at a nearby tugboat. While the tugboat sank, it’s unclear how much damage was caused on shore. Shells fell on unoccupied parts of the beach, and citizens quickly alerted military and police authorities, who came to the aid of the besieged city. The United States Life‑Saving Service even launched a rowboat to rescue the tugboat sailors, rowing out into the harbor while under heavy fire.

At the same time, Navy airplanes began to drop loads of TNT on the German submarine. Realizing they’d lost the advantage, the crew of the U‑156 dove and sailed north, evading the enemy airplanes. The Americans were unable to sink the marauding U‑boat, and it disappeared into the ocean. Besides the oddity of the attack, this event is unique because it was the first time United States Naval pilots engaged a ship in the western Atlantic.

5 Bombardment Of Fort Stevens

Not content with just shooting up California oil fields, the Japanese also attacked Oregon during World War II. In June 1942, the commander of the Japanese submarine I‑25 prepared to make a strike against the Beaver State. The target was Fort Stevens, a fortification on the Columbia River that dated back to the American Civil War. Amazingly, Fort Stevens never received upgraded artillery and still relied on 19th‑century weaponry.

On June 21, the I‑25 opened fire on the fort, trying to take out its batteries. The commander of Fort Stevens quickly realized what was happening and ordered a complete blackout of the fort. Even though the men were eager to shoot back, the commander refused to let them fire the cannons. With no lights or returning fire, the Japanese gunners were unable to visually acquire the target, and most of their shots missed the fort itself.

Instead, the Japanese damaged a key symbol of the United States, as most of the shells landed in a nearby baseball field. Other shells cut through telephone wires, causing the most damage of the attack.

Training aircraft in the area spotted the I‑25 during the shelling and called in a nearby attack bomber. Realizing they couldn’t win this fight, the I‑25 retreated back into the Pacific. Overall, the mission was extremely ineffective, but it fueled invasion panic along the West Coast, stirring up fears which lasted throughout the war.

4 The Thornton Affair

In the 1840s, the United States annexed Texas into its territory. While the citizens of the US were eager to gain new land for their growing country, Mexico wasn’t thrilled with the decision. Mexico was the other major power in North America, spreading across what is now the western United States. When Texas became part of the US, Mexico still laid claim to territory near the Rio Grande. The only problem was that the US government was also claiming this particular piece of property.

US soldiers were sent to Texas as political tensions with the Mexicans increased. President James K. Polk ordered his troops to camp near the Rio Grande, causing the Mexicans to become leery of a possible attack. Instead of losing the advantage, a Mexican infantry force crossed the river to attack the American soldiers. Future president Zachary Taylor was in command of the US troops, and he realized that a Mexican attack was imminent.

Needing intelligence on what was happening, Taylor sent out a small contingent of scouts on horseback. As they explored the Texas countryside, the scouts ran right into middle of the Mexican forces. The 70 Americans, commanded by Seth Thornton, were completely overwhelmed by a force of about 2,000 Mexicans. In the brief skirmish that followed, 16 scouts died.

After they returned and reported the incident, outrage soon followed. Congress declared war on Mexico, citing the fact that American blood been spilled on American soil. Modern historians debate whether the battle actually took place in US territory, but what matters is that the skirmish sparked the Mexican‑American War, which in turn shaped the history of the western United States.

3 Lookout Air Raids

After blowing up the aforementioned baseball field, the I‑25 Japanese submarine returned to Oregon shores later in 1942. This time, though, it had a different attack plan. During its operations, the I‑25 carried a small E14Y floatplane bomber in its hangar. Instead of using cannons to attack, the crew of the I‑25 would use this little bomber to drop incendiary bombs into the Oregon forest with the hope of creating a massive forest fire.

On the morning of September 9, the I‑25 surfaced off Cape Blanco and launched their E14Y. The plane carried two bombs, and the pilot circled Mt. Emily, looking for a suitable place to drop his payload. During the flight, Howard “Razz” Gardner sat on Mt. Emily in a fire lookout tower. He watched the airplane circle the mountain and drop bombs. When a plume of smoke erupted from the forest, Razz called other firefighters to extinguish the blaze before it got out of hand. The bombs only created a few scattered fires, and an earlier rain storm prevented the flames from spreading. Thankfully, the firemen were able to save the forest.

Oddly enough, Nobuo Fujita (pictured above), the pilot of the E14Y, became something of a local hero in Brookings, Oregon, a town near the bomb site. After the war, Fujita visited Brookings and became an informal ambassador of peace. During multiple visits over the years, he dedicated a walking trail and planted a tree as a symbol of friendship. Right before his death in 1997, the residents of Brookings made Fujita an honorary citizen.

2 Fire Balloon Attacks

World War II saw the first major bombing operations during wartime. The Allies were especially ferocious in their airborne attacks, leveling both Japan and Germany. And near the end of the war, this was becoming a big problem for Japan. American bombers could hit their factories and civilian populations, but the Japanese didn’t have bases close enough to the US to hit them back. Thus, in 1944, they launched a daring operation to cause some serious damage to their enemies.

During the war, the Japanese did many high‑altitude experiments, and they discovered a strong air current that crossed above the Pacific at approximately 9 kilometers (30,000 ft). This airstream ended on the West Coast of the US, so Japanese engineers got busy designing a large balloon that could travel through this current. Named the Fu‑Go, the balloon carried an array of incendiary bombs. After it was released from Japan, the Fu‑Go had a flight time of 30–60 hours, after which the balloon would lose altitude over the continental United States.

The Japanese actually launched thousands of these balloons, and the floating firebombs landed in states ranging from Alaska to Arizona. A few balloons even made it as far as Michigan. American fighter pilots attempted to intercept the balloons, but they missed most of them. And while these weapons were relatively ineffective, one balloon did kill six Americans in Oregon.

On May 5, 1945, Pastor Archie Mitchell was traveling through the hills with his pregnant wife and five children from their Sunday school. When the group reached a picnic spot, Mitchell let the children out and then went to park the car. While he was gone, one of the kids found a crashed fire balloon on the ground. The child touched it, and the bombs exploded, killing all five children and Elsie, the pregnant woman.

Some balloons survived the war, with one being found by forest workers as recently as 2015. Fortunately, their encounter was not fatal.

1 Battle Of Columbus

Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa was active along the United States border throughout the Mexican Revolution and during World War I. Villa constantly infuriated American authorities by conducting raids on trains and causing havoc on the border. However, his boldest move came in 1916 when he attacked the town of Columbus, New Mexico.

A garrison of 600 troops was guarding Columbus, but bad information led Villa to believe that he had the advantage with his 400 soldiers. On March 9, his soldiers cut the border wire, and Villa led them into town. The Mexican attackers stormed through Columbus, looting houses and businesses. Civilians fought off the raiders as the US Army quickly mobilized to repulse Villa’s forces. Commanders organized their men into fire squads, and they even brought in machine guns to fight off the attackers.

It soon became clear that the defenders had the upper hand, and realizing he’d lost the element of surprise, Villa ordered a retreat. The bandit managed to escape with his men… but at great cost. He lost nearly 100 troops during the attack.

As for the US, 18 Americans lay dead, and parts of Columbus had burned down. Outraged, President Woodrow Wilson ordered a 6,000‑man expeditionary force (commanded by General John Pershing) to enter Mexico and capture Pancho Villa. For a year, the Americans had the full cooperation of the Mexican government, but in 1917, Mexican authorities asked the expeditionary force to leave.

While Villa managed to evade Pershing, the massive military response convinced the outlaw to never attack American territory again.

These ten incidents prove that the United States, despite its reputation for geographic invulnerability, has faced a surprising array of foreign aggression. From cross‑border gunfights to covert sabotage, each episode left its own mark on the nation’s collective memory—whether through scarred monuments, lingering diplomatic tension, or simply a footnote in the annals of history.

10 foreign fighters played a pivotal role in the American Revolution, a conflict that was about more than just America. It was a worldwide event, and the United States did not fight alone. Help arrived from every corner of the globe.

10 Foreign Fighters Who Shaped Independence

10 Crispus AttucksThe Slave Who Was The First Casualty Of War

The first man to fight and die in the War of Independence was born in America, but most of his fellow Americans didn’t think of him as a countryman. His name was Crispus Attucks, and he was a runaway African slave.

Attucks was working as a sailor, even though there was a price on his head. His master wanted him back, and he was willing to pay anyone who would drag him back into slavery. Nobody tried it, and if someone had, the American Revolution might never have happened.

Attucks and his fellow seamen were in a pub when a British soldier walked in. Attucks and his friends didn’t take kindly to the British presence, and they started taunting the soldier. Staring down a hulking 6’3″ man, the soldier got nervous. Seven of his friends, other British soldiers, rushed in to help. In short time, things got out of hand, and the British opened fire.

Attucks fought back. He grabbed a soldier’s bayonet and knocked him over, but the British gunned him down before he could do any more. Four other men in that bar would die before the massacre was over.

History has debated whether Attucks was a hero or just a violent drunk, but it can’t deny his impact. He was the first to die in the Boston Massacre, a moment that would spark the American Revolution.

9 Von SteubenThe Prussian Who Trained The American Army

The Americans who fought for Independence weren’t all seasoned veterans. Before Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben came in from Prussia, they were using bayonets to skewer meat more often than they were using them to skewer their enemies.

Von Steuben crossed the ocean to teach the Americans how to fight. He was the Inspector General of the American Army, in charge of drilling the soldiers and organizing their training, and he barely spoke a word of English. Von Steuben would bark at people in Prussian, his secretary would translate it into French, and then another secretary would translate that into English.

It was complicated, but it worked. He taught the American army how to fight and how to use bayonets, and that made a huge difference in the war.

In 1779, General Wayne used Von Steuben’s lessons to take Stony Brook. He and his men took a fort protected by 750 men without firing a single shot. They won the battle entirely with bayonets. Without filling the night with the sound gunfire, they were able to launch a sneak attack the British didn’t expect. Thanks to Von Steuben, Stony Brook was taken.

8 Tadeusz KosciuszkoThe Polish War Hero Who Tried To Free The Slaves

Tadeusz Kosciuszko was one of the chief engineers for the US Army. He planned the defensive strategy in Saratoga, a moment that turned the war in America’s favor. He built the military fort at West Point, which, today, is the site of the US Military Academy.

The real story for Kosciuszko, though, happened after he died. He became close friends with Thomas Jefferson, and when he died, he trusted the president to carry out his final wishes. Every penny he had, he said, should be used to free and educate African slaves.

Thomas Jefferson was almost 75 years old, so he passed the job on to someone else. That man didn’t want the responsibility of trying to get white people to educate black people, though, and he passed it on, too. Eventually, Col. George Bomford was put in charge of it, and he decided to blow the money on himself instead.

By the time Col. Bomford died, only $5,680 of Kosciuszko’s $43,504 was left. His will made it into the hands of the Supreme Court, and they just threw it out. Despite his wishes, not a single penny was put toward freeing slaves.

7 De GalvezThe Spanish Governor Who Secretly Supplied The American Army

Bernardo de Galvez was the governor of Louisiana, which, at the time, was a Spanish colony. He wasn’t exactly invested in the cause of democracy, but he was deeply involved in the cause of messing with England.

And so, when America went to war with England, he started sending them everything he could. He promised them all the weapons and medicine he could get them, warning them, “It must appear that I am ignorant of it all.”

Spain entered the war in earnest in 1779, and De Galvez didn’t have to hide it anymore. He could fight, and he did. Within a year, he’d chased the British out of Mobile, Alabama. The year after that, he chased them out of Florida.

6 Moses HazenThe Man Who Led A Canadian Regiment For America

Canada was a British colony during the Revolutionary War. They were, quite directly, America’s enemies, which makes it surprising that some of them fought alongside America. The Americans sent out political tracts and messengers to try to get Canadians to switch sides, and some of them did. A ragtag group of Canadians, most of them French, joined the American army.

The American army had two Canadian Regiments. The first group of turncoats, appropriately enough, was commanded by Benedict Arnold. They tried and failed to take over Quebec and then spent the rest of the war stationed in New York.

The Second Canadian Regiment, commanded by Moses Hazen, was a bit more successful. Hazen was a Canadian himself, and he led his army through some of the most important battles in the war. That included the Siege of Yorktown, the battle that ended the war.

When the war ended, Moses Hazen and the Canadians who fought with him no longer had the option to return home. They had to give up everything they’d known to fight for American Independence and had to live, from then on, in the United States.

5 Antonio BarceloThe Spaniard Who Fought The Biggest Battle Of The War

We usually think of the American Revolution as a war on American soil, but it was more than that. The Spanish and the French took the fight straight to the English. In fact, the biggest and longest battle of the whole war took place in Europe.

It was on Gibraltar, a tiny, 3-square-mile island that happened to be in an important strategic location. On June 24, 1779, a fleet of French and Spanish ships tried to take it, and they kept trying for more than three years.

Their best attack was the brainchild of Antonio Barcelo. He set up a fleet of small ships loaded with cannons called “floating batteries” and sent them against the British. It didn’t work. The British held them off, but it was the closest they got.

The siege didn’t end until the peace treaty was signed. Antonio Barcelo and his men failed, but even if it was a waste, 3,000 Spanish soldiers gave their life fighting in Gibraltar.

4 GoetschiusThe Dutchman Who Led A Guerrilla Army

In its early years, there were a lot of Dutch settlers in the United States. They had their own community, one that seemed separate from the rest of America, and when the Revolutionary War started, that let them do things the Americans couldn’t.

After the British took New Jersey, John Mauritius Goetschius formed a guerrilla militia of Dutch farmers and struck back. They would attack and raid the British under the cover of night, and then, when morning came, pretended to be nothing more than farmers.

They might have been farmers, but they were capable of a lot more than they seemed. That became clear when, in 1781, Washington sent his army to take Fort Lee from the Loyalists. By the time the American troops had made it to their destination, the Loyalists were gone. Goetschius and his Dutch guerrillas had already taken the fort on their own.

3 TewahangarahkenThe Native Chief Who Fought For The Us

No one could be more American than the Native Americans, but they weren’t treated that way. They played a role in American Revolution, though, and it’s one that’s often overlooked.

Most, if they picked a side, went with the British. That only makes sense: Part of the reason the Americans wanted independence was so that they could move into native land.

The Oneida tribe, though, refused to believe that the Americans had any intention of hurting them. Their main contact with Europeans had been through a missionary named Rev. Samuel Kirkland, and he had been good to them. And so, when they knew that Kirkland’s people needed their help, they raised up their arms and fought alongside them.

The Oneida tribe worked as guides, harassed British sentries, and even joined some of the battles. They were good at it, too. In the Battle of Oriskany, their War Chief Tewahangarahken single-handedly took out nine British soldiers.

Despite that, they still had to struggle to convince America they were on their side. At one point, they sent them six prisoners from another tribe and a rescued American soldier. The Americans had asked for scalps instead, but they sent along a letter that apologetically explained, “We do not take scalps.” They ended it, “We hope you are now convinced of our friendship toward you and your great cause.”

2 RochambeauThe French General Who Made The British Surrender

The decisive battle of the American Revolution came when George Washington led a troop of American soldiers into battle against the British at Yorktown. Washington, though, was not alone. He was joined by an even bigger army of French soldiers and ships, led by Comte de Rochambeau.

The Siege of Yorktown ended in the British surrender. Lord Cornwallis was the leader of the English soldiers there, but he refused to stand in front of his enemy and surrender—instead, he sent his deputy, Brigadier General Charles O’Hara.

O’Hara offered the sword of surrender to Rochambeau, but Rochambeau refused it. This, he believed, was America’s war. He insisted that the English surrender to George Washington instead.

Washington, too, refused the sword. He made O’Hara surrender to his second‑in‑command, Benjamin Lincoln. Lincoln had been overwhelmed by the British in Charleston and was denied the honors of a proper surrender. Washington wanted to see he got to experience one firsthand.

1 Hyder AliThe Indian Sultan Who Fought The British

The last battle of the American Revolution wasn’t on American soil. It was in India. In the 18th century, communication was far from instant, and so the men fighting on the other side of the world had no idea it was over.

India had been a battleground for the American Revolution for the last five years of the war. When France declared war on England, the British East India Company started attacking their colonies there. Hyder Ali, the Sultan of Mysore in India, took the side of the French and led the fighting there.

When Hyder Ali died in 1783, the British started making serious advances on French India. They moved their forces to Cuddalore, a city on the Bay of Bengal, and very nearly took it. The French, however, managed to send a fleet in time to fight them off.

That French fleet kept the battle going. An army of French and Mysorean soldiers fought across India, struggling to hold back the British. Then, on June 29, 1783, word finally came in that the war had been over for eight months. The last fighters of the American Revolution put down their arms and went home, a whole world away from the country they had liberated.

The United States is a melting pot for other cultures. Immigrants from across the world have long traveled to America for a new beginning. Many struck it rich, raised families, and contributed to American society. Along the way, they brought customs and traditions from their old homes. For millions, that meant sharing old recipes and culinary habits in the new land. And Americans have certainly embraced these foods. After all, we love to eat!

But here’s the funny thing: America isn’t just a melting pot for culinary sharing. It actually has its own long, unique food tradition! Sure, when we think of “American” food, most of us think of things like burgers, hot dogs, or chicken wings. But other famous dishes were created here too. Everything from the Cobb Salad to ranch dressing to chocolate chip cookies is American-made. But did you know there are actually a lot of “foreign” foods that have U.S. origins, too?

In this list, you’ll learn ten surprising stories of foods people consider “ethnic” that were actually invented in America. Let’s dig in!

10 Frozen Garlic Bread (Michigan)

You’ll find garlic bread at any Italian restaurant. But while it was inspired by Italian immigrants, it’s absolutely American-made—especially the frozen kind! In fact, the story behind its creation is a fascinating testament to American ingenuity! When Italians came to the U.S. en masse in the early 20th century, they brought their dining habits. Many of them settled in cities like New York and Philadelphia. There, Mediterranean-grown foods were hard to come by. Take olive oil, for example.

Olives were being grown thousands of miles west in sunny California. The Golden State offered farmers a climate similar to Italy. Olives, wine grapes, fruits, and vegetables were thriving out west. But New York didn’t have that climate. And transporting extra-virgin olive oil west (from the old country) or east (from California) was costly. So new immigrants had to get clever. And they had one thing in abundance: butter.

Italians had been eating bruschetta for centuries. But that old classic had olive oil on it. Italian Americans didn’t have that access. So they drizzled their new butter stocks on top. For good measure, they added some garlic for flavor. Suddenly, a tradition was born! Well, sort of. This unnamed “garlic” bread was common for decades in Italian-American families. But the rest of us had no idea.

That all changed in 1973 when a bakery in Muskegon, Michigan, made its move. Cole’s Bakery began mass-producing garlic bread that year. They froze the buttery loaves and shipped them all over the country. Americans immediately loved it. Today, Cole’s is thriving in Muskegon. Garlic bread is all over the US. And it’s very much American—and Italian adjacent!^[1]

9 Spaghetti And Meatballs (New York)

If you were surprised to learn garlic bread isn’t Italian, wait until you read through this one. Spaghetti and meatballs must be even more Italian than the buttery bread, right? Wrong! Just like garlic bread, this “Italian” mainstay was invented in America out of necessity. Traditional Italian dishes certainly incorporate pasta. And there’s even a meat dish back in Italy called “polpette.” But those hand-crafted meat lumps can be made of any animal flesh—be it goat, fish, beef, or chicken. And they are never served alongside pasta. Combining the two doesn’t happen. Until Italians immigrated to America, that is. Once here, the two ingredients came together with the help of a necessary third wheel: marinara sauce.

Back in the old country, World War I and poor economic conditions were brutal on many Italians. Many of them had little access to meat. But when they arrived in America, they found it in abundance! Plus, the lowest-quality meats were dirt cheap. So Italians pounced on this new diet staple. Along the way, they discovered that lesser meats could be minced and filled out with breadcrumbs. The meatballs produced by that combination were delicious.

Tomatoes and canned tomato sauces were plentiful in the new country too. It wasn’t long before Italian-American mothers started slapping the red paste on pasta. And the meatballs quickly followed for a full meal! Thus rounded out the perfect American-made dish: old country ingredients and new world creativity. Mamma mia!^[2]

8 Chimichangas (Arizona)

As the story goes, Monica Flin was working at El Charro Restaurant in Tucson, Arizona, one day in 1922. In the kitchen, she accidentally dropped a burrito into a vat of hot oil. Thinking she had made a mistake, she hurriedly pulled the burrito out of the frying liquid. Frustrated with herself, she started to swear. But for whatever reason, she stopped herself from using the intended Spanish-language curse word “chingada!” Instead, she rolled it into a nonsense sound that didn’t exist in the language: “chimichanga!” Then, as she pulled the burrito out of the fryer, she realized something: it didn’t look so bad!

Interested in what it might taste like, she let the fried dough cool. After a while, she took a bite. The taste matched the look. Suddenly, a new Mexican-American dish was born! Today, El Charro is still thriving in Tucson. And the family-owned establishment proudly continues to boast about Flin’s invention.

But that’s not the whole story. While the chimichanga definitely doesn’t appear to be Mexican-made, there’s a dispute over whether it came out of Tucson! Just up the road in Phoenix, Macayo’s Mexican Restaurant claims they were actually the ones who first came up with the plate. Macayo’s owner Woody Johnson reportedly started deep-frying unsold burritos at the establishment in the 1940s. He supposedly called them “toasted monkeys.” And since “changa” is the Spanish word for “monkey,” Macayo’s loyalists claim that’s how the name came about.

With two mythical backstories like this, it’s probable the real inventor will never be known for certain. It’s possible they both could have come to it independently! But one thing is for sure: The chimichanga was born in Arizona.^[3]

7 Chili Con Carne (Texas)

We started this list with two Italian dishes. So why not double down on Mexican-related fare? South of the border, chili has long been a staple. Americans won’t get away with claiming they invented the warm dish, no matter how much Cincinnati says it’s theirs! But there is one notable chili alteration that is distinctly American: chili con carne. In south Texas in the late 19th century, American families loved chili. But they put a wrinkle in the traditional Mexican version by adding meat to the dish. And they dropped one key ingredient, too: no more beans!

For a while, this new food was unique to the area around San Antonio. Then, tourists from the East Coast caught wind of the delicious dish. Word spread, and so too did the recipe. Quickly, all Americans loved the meaty dish. It was simple to make with ingredients on hand. Cities like Cincinnati developed their own twists to this already-twisted chili concoction. Plus, its warm delivery was perfect for the cold climates of eastern metro areas. The combination made chili con carne a sensation in the early 20th century.

For decades, chili con carne was one of many popular styles of American chili. Cincinnati’s skyline version took off in the mid-20th century. And New Yorkers boasted about their own chili style, which included beans like traditional Mexican versions. But on October 21, 1967, chili con carne took home the crown—literally! On that day, the small town of Terlingua, Texas, hosted the Great Chili Confrontation.

David Witts, the town’s mayor, was a judge tasked with tasting the chilis. He took one bite of the New York-style bowl with beans and spit it out. Sure, Witts may have been biased. But that moment went “viral” decades before the internet. San Antonio-born chili con carne was instantly deemed superior to all other varieties. Texans swear it’s been that way ever since.^[4]

6 Russian Dressing (New Hampshire)

The first time a recipe for Russian salad dressing appeared in print was a 1957 article in The New York Times. At the time, the tip list called for mayonnaise to be blended with either poached coral or a crushed lobster shell to tint it pink. On top, readers were instructed to season with salt and “fresh black caviar.” That last ingredient could have pushed the food toward its “Russian” namesake. After all, in the 1950s, caviar was already one of Russia’s most famous and common exports. But the dressing itself has no history in Russia. It isn’t eaten there today. And there’s simply no indication it ever came from the Eurasian country. So the mystery of its Russo-inspired name has remained for decades!

Recently, historians have looked into this a bit more. Sadly, the story is still cloudy. As far as we know, Russian dressing was invented in New Hampshire. In 1906, a butcher in the New England state named James Coburn published a recipe for the dressing. At the time, he coined the food as “Russian mayonnaise.” Nobody really knows why, and he didn’t explain his reasoning. Again, it could have been the caviar that inspired him to do so.

Other food historians wonder if he intended to use the topper on a Russian-inspired Salad Olivier. Those may both be good guesses. But Colburn had no known ties to Russia or anyone born there. So the naming convention is a head scratcher. Every indication is that the dressing was American made. Right from the start, its “Russian” tie was a misnomer. And it’s one we still use today.^[5]

5 Fortune Cookies (California)

Who doesn’t love a good fortune with their Chinese food? Well, the Chinese! It’s not that they wouldn’t enjoy the messages. It’s just that fortune cookies are absolutely not a Chinese tradition brought to the U.S. Nope! Shrewd American restaurateurs created it themselves. There are multiple backstories to the fortune cookie’s invention. Two notables stake their claim. And they have one thing in common: They worked in California in the early 20th century.

In one story, Japanese immigrant Suyeichi Okamura said he invented the fortune cookie in a San Francisco restaurant in 1906. Okamura argued the cookie came about as a variation of a historic Japanese treat with a prayer slip inside. As Okamura told it, he Americanized that idea and ran with it. In another claim, a Chinese immigrant named David Jung asserted he actually invented the cookie in his Los Angeles noodle store in 1918.

In yet another very American tradition, the courts got involved. In 1983, a judge presiding over San Francisco’s Court of Historical Review was asked to decide how the fortune cookie came about. He ruled in favor of Okamura and San Francisco. It’s not like there was a big business stake on the line or anything. By then, fortune cookies were everywhere. But pride in the judge’s ruling sealed the deal in the minds of San Franciscans. Even though Angelenos may dispute it to this day, the gavel has fallen. But whether you agree with the judge or not, at least one thing is certain: Fortune cookies are NOT authentically Chinese!^[6]

4 Cuban Sandwich (Florida)

The Cuban sandwich is a perfectly Floridian food. Not only is it delicious, but it was made in the Sunshine State. Many locals may believe it came over from Cuba, but that isn’t the case. In fact, an entirely different “Cuban Sandwich” was popular in Havana more than a century ago. That sandwich contained a Spanish-style sausage called salchichón. For those who stayed in Cuba, that was a common dish for ages.

But by the mid-19th century, Cubans were moving to America. Naturally, many settled in Florida. It kept them near home, in familiar weather, and around Cubans and other Spanish speakers. There was just one problem: These immigrants couldn’t find any salchichón. The Spanish-style sausage was nearly impossible to get in Florida.

By the 1880s, Cuban immigrants in Ybor City were doing a brisk business rolling cigars. Local restaurant owners got the idea to replace the specialty sausage in their sandwiches with Genoa salami. The cigar rollers needed to be satiated while working. And they were willing to spend money to do it. Since the Italian salami was far easier to find in southwest Florida, restaurants kept stocking it. Quickly, the local sandwich market boomed.

The new creation took on the name of the men who loved to eat it. Cooks messed around with the ingredients a little more too. In the end, yellow mustard, Swiss cheese, and even pickles popped in. Today, the salami base lives on, though roast pork and ham are also common inclusions. It ain’t Cuban, but it is delicious. And from Tampa to the world, it’s now known by millions. The rest, as they say, is history.^[7]

3 General Tso’s Chicken (New York)

Fortune cookies aren’t the only fake “Chinese” food made in America. In fact, the most common inclusion on Chinese restaurant menus is totally phony! General Tso’s chicken is a mainstay across the U.S. The dark-meat chicken is battered, fried, and covered in a sweet sauce. Then, it’s tossed on top of broccoli and rice. The dish has been around for decades, and it’s always been popular.

At least its title is legit: The chicken is actually named for a famous historical Chinese military general. Zou Zongtant was a statesman and warlord during the Qing dynasty prior to his death in 1885. However, the authentically Chinese inspiration ends there. In fact, the dish’s development was 100% American.

A chef named Peng Chang-kuei worked for China’s nationalist government in the 1940s. At one time, he was even a personal chef for Chiang Kai-shek. But in 1949, he fled to Taiwan amid the Chinese Civil War. Twenty years later, he emigrated to New York City. There, in 1973, he opened a Chinese restaurant. His first act of business was to come up with a new chicken recipe. He named it after Zou Zongtant. And he sweetened it a lot. The sugary-sweet chicken was a sensation in the Big Apple.

Almost immediately, Peng had a hit on his hands. But it didn’t work out in China. Years later, he opened a restaurant near his birthplace in the Hunan province. There, General Tso’s Chicken was a failure. Chinese people said it was too sweet for their palates. Quickly, the Hunan restaurant failed. Don’t feel too bad for Peng, though. His infamous chicken recipe brought him fame, riches, and a reputation for decades before his death in 2016. Now, the dish lives on nationwide.^[8]

2 German Chocolate Cake (Texas)

German chocolate cake isn’t named after the European country, but rather an American baker. Back in 1852, a confectioner named Sam German created a sweetened chocolate baking bar. His bosses at Baker’s Chocolate Company loved the recipe. It worked perfectly in a variety of chocolate baked goods.

They tipped off Kraft and General Foods about their confectioner’s find. For decades, the big business brands used German’s baking bars in their commercial goods. The name stuck too. Baker’s Chocolate Company honored Sam by making the bar his namesake. From there, the legacy stood for decades. But it might have faded into relative anonymity if not for a Texas homemaker.

More than a century later, in 1957, the recipe went national. That year, German’s original ingredient list was printed in the Dallas Morning Star. The recipe had been submitted to the newspaper by a woman in small-town Texas. Readers immediately loved the recipe. Soon, national newspapers picked up the piece. In a matter of months, Americans nationwide started buying up Baker’s chocolate.

The company loved the unexpected sales. So they started promoting the recipe. Sam German had died decades earlier, but suddenly his baking bar received new life. In the decades after, German chocolate cake became an American staple. People who have made it in the decades since may have done so thinking of Germany. But it’s American all the way!^[9]

1 English Muffins (New York)

Like most of the items on this list, the English muffin found inspiration in the country for which it was named. But early immigration to America altered its history. The stateside creation came about out of necessity and ingenuity. This story starts in 1894. That year, a New York resident named Samuel Bath Thomas created a unique style of crumpet. Thomas’s mother was British, and during her life, she made a wonderful tea cake.

As the story goes, the young man missed his momma’s cooking. Searching for a way to make it in America, he happened upon this crumpet-like creation. His goal was to create a more “elegant” version of boring old toast. And it worked—just not quite in the way he intended. Still, Thomas’s leavened bread was so similar to a British crumpet that he originally called it a “toaster crumpet.”

Almost immediately, Thomas’s toaster crumpet was a hit. Hotels and high-end dining hotspots in New York City started stocking the creation. Like the British-born man had hoped, these Big Apple businesses saw it as a higher-end version of twice-cooked bread. Soon, Thomas’s success kicked off the growth of the S.B. Thomas Bread Company.

In just a few short years, it was a leader among American bakeries. The success of the unique English muffin led the way. But interestingly, these muffins took decades to get to England. British people didn’t have domestic access to English muffins until the 1990s when Thomas’s company was bought out by a conglomerate. The international brand brought English muffins to, well, England. With it, a fake “foreign” food truly came full circle!^[10]