IMO the American revolutionary war, 1812, and the civil war counted as "equal footing" wars. But that leaves almost 200 years since the last experience. Ever since then, the US has never really experienced the proper taste of war- mainly, they've just experienced inflicting it on others. Even in the world wars they were largely untouched.
In both world wars the USA enjoyed much larger industrial capacity (which was never under any serious thread) and fleet power (multiple times that of the entire axis) against its enemies. Not to forget the excellent continental island position the US is in. The Empire of Japan was ground to dust, with much of its army not able to face the US because of the invasion of China. In Europe the US faced depleted armies, the USSR received most military attention of the european axis powers.
In WW1 the US only joined when the central powers were already depleted.
Can we call wars where the US mainland was completely untouched and its foes had no means of doing so "equal footing?" Not to mention the US arrived late to both wars, facing off a Germany that more than had its hands full (and was facing severe resource shortages) both times, and a Japan that was suffering severe resource shortages and had most of its military focused on China...
IMO the American revolutionary war, 1812, and the civil war counted as "equal footing" wars. But that leaves almost 200 years since the last experience. Ever since then, the US has never really experienced the proper taste of war- mainly, they've just experienced inflicting it on others. Even in the world wars they were largely untouched.
1812 was on equal footing but i doubt they got much experience beyond a deep understanding of how to get their asses kicked.
Why wouldn't you count the world wars?
In both world wars the USA enjoyed much larger industrial capacity (which was never under any serious thread) and fleet power (multiple times that of the entire axis) against its enemies. Not to forget the excellent continental island position the US is in. The Empire of Japan was ground to dust, with much of its army not able to face the US because of the invasion of China. In Europe the US faced depleted armies, the USSR received most military attention of the european axis powers.
In WW1 the US only joined when the central powers were already depleted.
Can we call wars where the US mainland was completely untouched and its foes had no means of doing so "equal footing?" Not to mention the US arrived late to both wars, facing off a Germany that more than had its hands full (and was facing severe resource shortages) both times, and a Japan that was suffering severe resource shortages and had most of its military focused on China...