List of wars involving Nicaragua

This is a list of wars involving the Republic of Nicaragua.

Conflict	Combatant 1	Combatant 2	Results	Head of state
Nicaraguan Independence Movements (1811–1812)	Nicaraguan revolutionaries	Spanish Empire	Defeat Revolts suppressed	José de Salvador y Antoli
Civil war of 1824 (1824)	Fiebres	Timbucos	Fiebres victory José Anacleto Ordóñez is given the position of "Inspector General of Arms of the Federal Republic of Central America"	José Anacleto Ordóñez
Cerda-Argüello War (1827–1828)	Liberal Federalists	Conservative Federalists	Liberal victory Execution of Manuel Antonio de la Cerda	Juan Argüello del Castillo
Flores' Rebellion (1834)	Nicaraguan Government	Anti-Constitutionalist Rebels	Government victory Cándido Flores is defeated in Managua and later flees Granada	José Núñez
Invasion of Guanacaste (1836)	Nicaragua Costa Ricans exiled	Costa Rica	Defeat Withdrawal of Nicaraguan forces	Manuel Quijano
Malespín's War (1844–1845)	Nicaragua Central American Unionists	El Salvador Selva's Nicaragua Honduras	Allied victory^[1]^[2] Peace Treaty signed between Francisco Malespín and José León Sandoval	Emiliano Madriz Blas Antonio Sáenz Silvestre Selva
Recapture of San Juan del Norte (1848)	Nicaragua	United Kingdom Kingdom of Mosquitia	Defeat Nicaragua returned San Juan del Norte to Mosquitia.	José María Guerrero
Granada-León Civil War (1853–1855)	Legitimists	Democrats	Stalemate Francisco Castellón hires William Walker and his mercenaries The war continues as the Filibuster War	Fruto Chamorro Francisco Castellón
Filibuster War (1855–1857)	Allied Central American Army Nicaragua Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Legitimist Party	Filibusters Walker's Nicaragua Democratic Party	Central American alliance victory	Fruto Chamorro William Walker
Barrios' War of Reunification (1885)	El Salvador Mexico Costa Rica Nicaragua	Guatemala Honduras	Anti-Barrios victory Failure to reunify Central America Death of Justo Rufino Barrios	Adán Cárdenas
Nicaragua Crisis of 1895 (1894–1895)	Nicaragua	United Kingdom	Victory Establishment of the Zelaya Department	José Santos Zelaya
Honduran Civil War (1906–1907)	Liberal Rebels Nicaragua	Honduras El Salvador	Victory Dávila becomes President of Honduras
Estrada's Rebellion (1909–1910)	Liberal Government	Conservative Rebels United States	Regime change Estrada recognized as President of Nicaragua
Mena's Rebellion (1912)	Conservative Government United States	Liberal Rebels	Government victory Liberal rebels exiled to Panama	Adolfo Díaz
World War I (1918)	Allied Powers: France United Kingdom and Empire: Australia Canada Ceylon Egypt Newfoundland New Zealand India South Africa Russia (until 1917)^[a] Italy (from 1915) United States (from 1917) Japan Nicaragua and others ...	Central Powers: Germany Austria-Hungary Ottoman Empire Bulgaria (from 1915) and others ...	Allied Powers victory (see Aftermath of World War I)	Emiliano Chamorro Vargas
Constitutionalist War (1926^[3] –1927)	Nicaraguan Government (Conservatives) Supported by: United States	Nicaraguan rebels (Liberals) Supported by: Mexico (provided weapons and supplies)^[4]	Peace of Tipitapa Both sides agree to a presidential election to be supervised by the United States, with Adolfo Díaz remaining in power until then. Both sides agree to disarm. The Nicaraguan National Guard is established.
Sandinistas War (1927–1933)	Conservative Government United States	Sandinistas	Government victory Sandinistas surrender their weapons	Adolfo Díaz
World War II (1941–1945)	Allies United States Soviet Union United Kingdom China France Poland Canada Australia New Zealand India South Africa Yugoslavia Greece Denmark Norway Netherlands Belgium Luxembourg Czechoslovakia Brazil Mexico Panama Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Dominican Republic Cuba	Axis Germany Japan Italy Hungary Romania Bulgaria Croatia Slovakia Finland Thailand Manchukuo Mengjiang	Allied victory	Anastasio Somoza García
Costa Rican Civil War (1948)	Government of Costa Rica Calderon forces People's Vanguard Party Nicaraguan National Guard	National Liberation Army Ulatista Forces Caribbean Legion Supported by: Guatemala United States	Rebel victory Overthrow of authoritarian president Teodoro Picado Michalski Installation of a provisional government led by transitional president José Figueres Ferrer Costa Rican military abolished after nearly half a century of its establishment Constitutional assembly is elected A new Constitution is created and enacted Provisional government transfers power to Otilio Ulate	Víctor Manuel Román
Invasion of Costa Rica (1955)	Calderón forces Supported by: Nicaragua Venezuela Dominican Republic Guatemala (Diplomatic Support)	Costa Rica Supported by: United States Organization of American States	Costa Rican government victory	Anastasio Somoza García
Dominican Civil War (1965)	Loyalist faction United States IAPF Brazil Paraguay Nicaragua Costa Rica El Salvador Honduras^[5]	Constitutionalist faction Dominican Revolutionary Party Social Christian Revolutionary Party June 14th Revolutionary Movement	Loyalist victory Ceasefire declared Formation of the provisional government for new elections Deposition of Juan Bosch of the presidency ratified Organization of presidential elections in 1966 under international supervision Election of Joaquín Balaguer as the new president Establishment of the Fourth Dominican Republic on July 1, 1966	René Schick
Nicaraguan Revolution (1961–1990)	Somoza regime (1961–1979) National Guard Contras (1981–1990) FDN UDN ARDE MILPAS Fifteenth of September Legion KISAN/YATAMA Supported by: United States CIA Honduras (from 1981)^[6]^[7] Other supporters El Salvador^[8] Guatemala (from 1983)^[9] Costa Rica (1982–1986)^[10] Panama (1981–1987 under Manuel Noriega)^[11] Chile (from 1973)^[12] Argentina (1976–1983)^[13] Israel^[14] Saudi Arabia^[15]^[16]^[13] Imperial State of Iran (until 1979) Islamic Republic of Iran (from 1979, indirectly)^[17] People's Republic of China^[18]^[19] Poland^[18] Romania^[19] Taiwan^[20] Colombia Brazil Portugal^[19] Brunei^[21]	Sandinista National Liberation Front MAP-ML (1978–1979) MILPAS Junta of National Reconstruction (from 1979) Panama (1978–1979)^[22]^[23]^[24] Supported by: Cuba Dirección de Inteligencia Soviet Union^[25] Other supporters East Germany (until 1989)^[26] Yugoslavia^[27] Hungary (until 1989) Libya^[28]^[29]^[30] North Korea^[31] Bulgaria^[32] Czechoslovakia (until 1989)^[33] Palestine Liberation Organization^[34] Poland (until 1989)^[18] Algeria^[35] France^[36] Costa Rica (1978–1982)^[10] Mexico^[37] Sweden (medical support)^[38]^[39] Canada (1984–1990, developmental aid)^[40] Venezuela (1978–1979)^[23]^[22] Chile (1970-1973) FPMR	Sandinista victory Anastasio Somoza Debayle resigns and flees to Miami in July 1979, relinquishing control of the government. A five-member provisional government takes its place.^[41] The right-wing Contras begin an armed insurgency against the Sandinistas in 1981 which continues until 1990. The Tela Accord is signed in 1989 and the Sandinista party is defeated in the 1990 election, bringing the armed revolution to an end. Sandinistas led by Daniel Ortega are re-elected in 2006 and remain in power until today.	Anastasio Somoza Debayle Daniel Ortega
Miskito Conflict (1982–1987)	Nicaragua	Miskito Guerrillas	Victory Guerillas defeated	Daniel Ortega
Operation Golden Pheasant (1988)	Nicaragua	United States Honduras	Defeat Withdrawal of Nicaraguan forces from Honduran territory
Iraq War (2003–2004)	Iraq Iraqi Kurdistan MNF–I United States United Kingdom South Korea Italy Poland Australia Georgia Ukraine Netherlands Romania Bulgaria Denmark Thailand Spain El Salvador Honduras Nicaragua Dominican Republic	SCJL Naqshbandi Army ISI al-Qaeda FIA Ansar al-Islam IAI Mahdi Army Special Groups Badr Brigades Kata'ib Hezbollah	Victory Depletion of Iraqi insurgency, improvements in public security Re-establishment of democratic elections U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement	Enrique Bolaños
Isla Calero Conflict (2010)	Nicaragua	Costa Rica	Defeat Withdrawal of Nicaraguan soldiers from Costa Rican territory The International Court of Justice states that Costa Rica has sovereignty over the disputed territory	Daniel Ortega

Footnotes

^ The Russian Empire during 1914–1917, the Russian Republic during 1917. The Bolsheviks signed an armistice followed by a separate peace shortly after their armed seizure of power.

References

^ Carrillo, Agustín Gómez (1927). "Elementos de la historia de Centro-América".
^ "Revista del Archivo y de la Biblioteca Nacional de Honduras". 1905.
^ Musicant 1990, p. 291.
^ Macaulay 1998, p. 26.
^ Lawrence Yates (July 1988). "Power Pack: U.S. Intervention in the Dominican Republic 1965–1966" (PDF). Lawrence Papers. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 11, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
^ "Origin and Development of the Contra Conflict". Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
^ McManus, Doyle (6 March 1987). "Private Contra Funding of $32 Million Disclosed : Leader Shows Secret Bank Data in Effort to Prove Rebels Did Not Get Money From Iran Arms Sales". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
^ Williams, Dan (1986-10-17). "New Light Falls on a Not-So Secret Secret: Salvador's Help for the Contras". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
^ Meislin, Richard (1987-02-28). "Guatemala aided Contras, despite denials, panel says". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2017-11-02. Retrieved 2025-07-25.
^ ^a ^b Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada (1 May 1989). "Participation of Costa Rican government in arms smuggling, for Sandinistas in 1979 and for Contras in mid-1980's". UNHCR. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
^ "The Contras, Cocaine, and Covert Operations". Retrieved 10 April 2015.
^ The Pinochet File: A Declassified Dossier on Atrocity and Accountability. p. 255.
^ ^a ^b "Saudi Arabia and the Reagan Doctrine – Middle East Research and Information Project". December 1988. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
^ Hamilton & Inouye 1995, pp. 165, 271, 481
^ "CIA-Contra-Crack Cocaine Controversy". Retrieved 10 April 2015.
^ "Reagan Says Saudi Talked of Contra Aid". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. 14 May 1987. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
^ "Understanding the Iran-Contra Affairs". www.brown.edu. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Poland and China Reportedly Sent Arms to Contras". The New York Times. 2 May 1987. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
^ ^a ^b ^c Landslide: The Unmaking of the President, 1984–1988. p. 143.
^ "Understanding the Iran-Contra Affairs – the Iran-Contra Affairs".
^ "Iran–Contra Hearings; Brunei Regains $10 Million". The New York Times. 22 July 1987. Retrieved 2021-12-05.
^ ^a ^b Brown, Jonathan C. (2022). "Omar Torrijos and the Sandinista Revolution". The Latin Americanist. 66: 25–45. doi:10.1353/tla.2022.0003. S2CID 247623108.
^ ^a ^b Sánchez Nateras, Gerardo (2018). "The Sandinista Revolution and the Limits of the Cold War in Latin America: The Dilemma of Nonintervention During the Nicaraguan Crisis, 1977–78" (PDF). Cold War History. 18 (2): 111–129. doi:10.1080/14682745.2017.1369046. S2CID 218576606.
^ Dinges 1990, pp. 100–103
^ "The Soviet Union and Revolutionary Warfare: Principles, Practices, and ..." Retrieved 10 April 2015.
^ Hamilton & Inouye 1995, p. 169
^ Hamilton & Inouye 1995, p. 169
^ Hamilton & Inouye 1995, pp. 216, 485
^ "Welcome to the Air Combat Information Group".
^ "The Soviet Union and Revolutionary Warfare: Principles, Practices, and..." Retrieved 10 April 2015.
^ Hamilton & Inouye 1995
^ Hamilton & Inouye 1995, p. 27
^ Hamilton & Inouye 1995, p. 485
^ Hamilton & Inouye 1995
^ Dickey, Christopher (19 July 1981). "Arab States Help Nicaragua Avoid Ties to Superpowers". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
^ Echikson, William (15 July 1982). "France Warms Up to Nicaragua – As US Fumes". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
^ "Mexico's Support of the Sandinista Revolution". Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo.
^ "Our work in Nicaragua". Swedish International Development Corporation Agency (www.sida.se). 2009. Archived from the original on 2013-06-15.
^ "Sandinistas Find Economic Ally In Socialist Sweden". philly-archives. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
^ Bishop, Adam (2 September 2009). With Them and Against Them: Canada's Relations With Nicaragua, 1979–1990 (Master Thesis). University of Waterloo.
^ "Daniel Ortega", Encyclopædia Britannica (15th ed.), 1993

[3] The Russian Empire during 1914–1917, the Russian Republic during 1917. The Bolsheviks signed an armistice followed by a separate peace shortly after their armed seizure of power.

[1] Carrillo, Agustín Gómez (1927). "Elementos de la historia de Centro-América".

[2] "Revista del Archivo y de la Biblioteca Nacional de Honduras". 1905.

[FOOTNOTEMusicant1990291-4] Musicant 1990, p. 291.

[FOOTNOTEMacaulay199826-5] Macaulay 1998, p. 26.

[NukEm-6] Lawrence Yates (July 1988). "Power Pack: U.S. Intervention in the Dominican Republic 1965–1966" (PDF). Lawrence Papers. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 11, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2015.

[7] "Origin and Development of the Contra Conflict". Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 2025-07-18.

[8] McManus, Doyle (6 March 1987). "Private Contra Funding of $32 Million Disclosed : Leader Shows Secret Bank Data in Effort to Prove Rebels Did Not Get Money From Iran Arms Sales". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 19 August 2019.

[9] Williams, Dan (1986-10-17). "New Light Falls on a Not-So Secret Secret: Salvador's Help for the Contras". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-07-18.

[10] Meislin, Richard (1987-02-28). "Guatemala aided Contras, despite denials, panel says". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2017-11-02. Retrieved 2025-07-25.

[UNHCR-11] Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada (1 May 1989). "Participation of Costa Rican government in arms smuggling, for Sandinistas in 1979 and for Contras in mid-1980's". UNHCR. Retrieved 4 December 2020.

[12] "The Contras, Cocaine, and Covert Operations". Retrieved 10 April 2015.

[13] The Pinochet File: A Declassified Dossier on Atrocity and Accountability. p. 255.

[auto2-14] "Saudi Arabia and the Reagan Doctrine – Middle East Research and Information Project". December 1988. Retrieved 10 April 2015.

[15] Hamilton & Inouye 1995, pp. 165, 271, 481

[16] "CIA-Contra-Crack Cocaine Controversy". Retrieved 10 April 2015.

[17] "Reagan Says Saudi Talked of Contra Aid". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. 14 May 1987. Retrieved 10 April 2015.

[brown.edu-18] "Understanding the Iran-Contra Affairs". www.brown.edu. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-09.

[auto5-19] "Poland and China Reportedly Sent Arms to Contras". The New York Times. 2 May 1987. Retrieved 2023-03-31.

[auto6-20] Landslide: The Unmaking of the President, 1984–1988. p. 143.

[21] "Understanding the Iran-Contra Affairs – the Iran-Contra Affairs".

[New_York_Times-22] "Iran–Contra Hearings; Brunei Regains $10 Million". The New York Times. 22 July 1987. Retrieved 2021-12-05.

[:3-23] Brown, Jonathan C. (2022). "Omar Torrijos and the Sandinista Revolution". The Latin Americanist. 66: 25–45. doi:10.1353/tla.2022.0003. S2CID 247623108.

[:4-24] Sánchez Nateras, Gerardo (2018). "The Sandinista Revolution and the Limits of the Cold War in Latin America: The Dilemma of Nonintervention During the Nicaraguan Crisis, 1977–78" (PDF). Cold War History. 18 (2): 111–129. doi:10.1080/14682745.2017.1369046. S2CID 218576606.

[25] Dinges 1990, pp. 100–103

[26] "The Soviet Union and Revolutionary Warfare: Principles, Practices, and ..." Retrieved 10 April 2015.

[27] Hamilton & Inouye 1995, p. 169

[28] Hamilton & Inouye 1995, p. 169

[29] Hamilton & Inouye 1995, pp. 216, 485

[30] "Welcome to the Air Combat Information Group".

[31] "The Soviet Union and Revolutionary Warfare: Principles, Practices, and..." Retrieved 10 April 2015.

[32] Hamilton & Inouye 1995

[33] Hamilton & Inouye 1995, p. 27

[34] Hamilton & Inouye 1995, p. 485

[35] Hamilton & Inouye 1995

[36] Dickey, Christopher (19 July 1981). "Arab States Help Nicaragua Avoid Ties to Superpowers". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2 January 2024.

[37] Echikson, William (15 July 1982). "France Warms Up to Nicaragua – As US Fumes". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 29 July 2022.

[38] "Mexico's Support of the Sandinista Revolution". Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo.

[39] "Our work in Nicaragua". Swedish International Development Corporation Agency (www.sida.se). 2009. Archived from the original on 2013-06-15.

[40] "Sandinistas Find Economic Ally In Socialist Sweden". philly-archives. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2015.

[41] Bishop, Adam (2 September 2009). With Them and Against Them: Canada's Relations With Nicaragua, 1979–1990 (Master Thesis). University of Waterloo.

[42] "Daniel Ortega", Encyclopædia Britannica (15th ed.), 1993

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Lists of wars involving North American countries
Sovereign states	Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago United States
Dependencies and other territories	Anguilla Aruba Bermuda Bonaire British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Curaçao Greenland Guadeloupe Martinique Montserrat Puerto Rico Saint Barthélemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saba Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten Turks and Caicos Islands United States Virgin Islands