So I thinking about how fucked up Iraq and Afghanistan is today and it made me wonder if the US has ever actually outright won a war. Vietnam was a loss and Korea was a stalemate. Though early colonial wars like 1776, 1812, and the civil war seem like compromises where both sides win some things. But I mean win in the context of WW2 Soviets: The army fought its way to the capital and raised their flag. The only instance I can think of might be against the Japanese, where a forced surrender is pretty much a win. But other than dropping nukes, has the US ever won?
Well I think you sort of answer your own question. Every war ever fought has been a political act. And one of the most straight forward ways of examining later whether goals were met is to determine the political goals at the outset and see if they were met. Clausewitz puts it nicely when he says "War is the continuation of politics by other means"
But two you do gloss over are the Mexican American War of 1846-1848 the US successfully invaded and took Mexico City, and secured vast territories all the way to California, and secured a more favorable border which allowed for the continued expansion westward, along with protecting and securing the place of Texas as a state.
The other might be the Spanish American War of 1898. In the space of about 3 months the US landed in Cuba, joined up with the rebels and took one of the island's major cities, landed and took Puerto Rico, and across the Pacific destroyed the Asiatic fleet there, and with troops sent from the US joined with rebels again to secure the islands, along with Guam.
It was a brief war against an ailing nation and securely landed for the US multiple imperial possessions. And did much to demonstrate the value and importance of a global navy.
The United States occupies a space formerly occupied by hundreds of separate Native American nations. Many of the people in those nations never recognized the legitimacy of U.S. claims or, frankly, the entire project of nation-states in general. The Cherokee, at the other end of the spectrum, organized a constitutional government with all the trappings of sovereignty - except, of course, international recognition. They were removed from their homes regardless.
There is a long list of nations - both within the confines of U.S. territory and outside it - which have been defeated by the United States, occupied by the United States, and whose governments have been removed or replaced by the United States.