80 War Essay Topics for Any Class and School

World history is a tapestry of armed conflicts from prehistoric times to modern days. So, it’s no wonder war essay topics remain in demand across a variety of classes beyond history, such as politics, economy, social and gender studies. Even hard sciences and technology majors could write about the conflict through the lens of scientific and technological advances. 

As always, the first step of working on any assignment is choosing an engaging, researchable topic. We’re here to help you deal with this pre-writing task. We’ll share dozens of A-worthy WWI, Vietnam, and Civil War argumentative essay topics and explain how to develop infinite ideas if you don’t like our ready-made titles. Our experts are also here for you if you’re ready to try our “write my paper” services to get a GPA boost and meet the deadlines. 

How to Develop Endless War Essay Topics

If you’ve tried looking for suitable Civil War or Vietnam War essay topics online, you probably know they all look the same. Most suggestions are too vague and generic to be useful, so you’re likely frustrated and ready to go with the easiest option. But before you give in, check out these five tips our writers use to develop an unlimited supply of topics about war that are always fresh and exciting:

• Dramatically narrow the focus. You can choose one battle, one personality, or one type of weapon and examine any armed conflict through its prism. For example, if you’re thinking of Cold War topics for an essay, you can focus on Reagan’s era or only consider the effects of the space race on the tensions between the USSR and the US.

• Find real-time parallels with historical events. Search for similarities and differences that tie the two historical eras together and consider the implications. For instance, when picking WWI research paper topics, consider the growing geopolitical tension of the 2020s and analyze if the Russian invasion of Ukraine can be a precursor of another global conflict.

• Compare and contrast two or more conflicts or wars. Even if, at first glance, they don’t seem to have anything in common, you’ll likely find some similarities if you dig deep enough. The more surprising the comparison, the more attention your paper will get from your class and professors. 

• Consider different angles and cross-discipline research. Historical events do not exist in a vacuum. To make your Civil War argumentative essay topics more exciting, consider related fields like economy, business, literature, gender studies, etc. An intersection between history and any of them would produce lots of intriguing ideas.

• Explore alternative ideas, legends, myths, etc. If your professors don’t mind some creativity in war essay topics, you can work on speculative pieces about how the events would have changed had some events been different. You can also explore conspiracy theories and other less academic aspects of wars, but remember to get your professor’s approval first.

Try one or more of the approaches above, and you’ll never have a shortage of war topics for any assignment, whether you’re working on a five-paragraph essay or a postgraduate thesis. To speed things up, we recommend drafting three or four topics before a consult with your academic advisor. If they do not approve of your first choice, you’ll have several backups at hand. 

Generic War Topics for High School and College Essays

Before we dive into specific war topics dedicated to the most prominent armed conflicts the United States participated in, let’s go over a few ideas about warfare in general. You can adjust most of these war essay topics to work for a specific conflict, but you can also make them generic enough to suit different classes. Many of the ideas our experts developed won’t be amiss in courses on politics, business, economy, social and gender studies.

1. The impact of individual soldiers’ bravery and military commanders’ decision-making on the war outcomes
2. Weigh the positive and negative economic effects of the nation’s participation in an armed conflict
3. Consider the differences between armed conflicts of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries
4. Follow the evolution of the military paradigms with the introduction of aviation and explosives
5. Analyze the impact of weapons of mass destruction on the causes and results of local warfare
6. Explore the differences in war crimes proliferation depending on the conflict’s duration, location, and participants
7. Compare the media coverage of the conflict on opposing sides and assess the impact of military propaganda
8. Explain the long-term demographic effects of large-scale military engagements on US soil and abroad
9. Consider the effect the Internet, mass media, and social media have on modern-day warfare
10. Evaluate the overall impact of military conflict on the mental health of combatants and non-combatants
11. Explore the gradual changes in the perception of armed conflict over the decades after its resolution
12. Compare the real causes and proclaimed goals of local and global conflicts
13. Assess the roles of religion, state ideology, and propaganda in sparking military conflict
14. Consider the long-term economic and political impact of wars on the nations that begin them
15. Evaluate the effectiveness of international laws and regulations in punishing military aggression and preventing future conflicts

Civil War Argumentative Essay Topics

The Civil War is among the most common topics about war when it comes to American history, as it was a pivotal moment that resulted in groundbreaking changes for individual states and the country on a federal level. Unfortunately, most Civil War argumentative essay topics are relatively dull and unimaginative, and it’s hard to come up with an innovative idea to catch the professor’s attention. Still, our experts did their best to develop thought-provoking war topics that can set you apart from the rest of your class:

1. Explain the major source of conflict between the Union and the Confederacy
2. Consider the economic and political implications of the proslavery clauses of the US Constitution
3. Analyze the historical and religious roots of the abolitionist movement prior to the Civil War
4. Explore the relationship between the rapid territorial expansion and the causes of the Civil War
5. Discuss the motivations behind the secession of the Southern states at the beginning of the Civil War
6. Explain the impact of the attack on Fort Sumter on the Union’s and Confederation’s plans in the early days of the Civil War
7. Describe the successes and failures of the mobilization efforts during the Civil War
8. Explore the impact African American soldiers had on the outcomes of the major battles of the Civil War
9. Consider the prisoner-of-war treatment on both sides and the exchange rules operating during the Civil War
10. Analyze the effect of women disguised as men taking part in the Civil War on both sides
11. Discuss technological innovations that came out of naval warfare during the Civil War
12. Explore the impact of the Union blockade on the outcome of the Civil War
13. Consider the effectiveness of diplomacy throughout the years of the Civil War and its resolution
14. Analyze the demographic impact of the Civil War, considering the number of casualties and wounded
15. Explore the effect the Civil War had on the literature, music, and other media of the period 

WWI Research Paper Topics

Although Word War I isn’t among the most popular topics about war, it was the biggest and bloodiest conflict of the time, and its consequences led to an even more violent war mere decades later. Besides, as few students choose to write about the Great War, your paper will doubtlessly stand out in the sea of pieces on the Civil War or WWII. To help spark your inspiration, consider the list of WWI research paper topics our experts developed for your use:

1. Explain how the assassination of Franz Ferdinand drew all the major world powers into a global conflict
2. Discuss the use of chemical weapons and their effects on the battlefields of WWI
3. Analyze the reasons for the US entering the war in 1917 and its effects on the outcome of the conflict
4. Explore the relationship between World War One and the epidemic of the Spanish flu of 1918
5. Discuss the impact WWI had on the Russian Empire and the outcome of the Russian October Revolution
6. Explore the impact of communication and aircraft technology advances on the number of casualties during WWI
7. Describe the diplomacy and propaganda efforts and their evolution during WWI
8. Discuss the treatment of people opposing the war across different nations
9. Explain the economic effects of the Treaty of Versailles on different European states
10. Evaluate the public attitude towards conscription throughout the years of World War I
11. Discuss the repercussions of ethnic genocides performed by the Ottoman Empire throughout WWI
12. Analyze the geopolitical results of the Treaty of Versailles and the stability of the newly formed independent states
13. Discuss the development of national identities in the wake of World War I
14. Consider the connections between the unresolved tensions in the wake of WWI and the beginning of WWII
15. Explore the legacy of WWI and its representation in literature, film, music, and other art forms

Cold War Topics for an Essay

The Cold War is among the most confusing historical periods, considering there were lots of proxy conflicts across the globe, but none where the US and Soviet armed forces battled directly with each other on the soil of one of the superpowers. As a result, it should be easy to develop Cold War topics for an essay, but choosing the best one can be quite a challenge. Our experts hand-picked a few select topics about war that won’t bore you to tears and catch your professor’s attention. Most ideas are fresh and exciting enough to score top marks.

1. Explore the origins of the term “cold war” and its implications for the geopolitical tensions of the second half of the 20th century
2. Consider the effect of the formation of NATO on the early tension between the US and the USSR post-WWII
3. Explain the reasoning behind the construction of the Berlin War and its lasting impact on modern-day Germany
4. Assess the successes and failures of the Western block in the Korean and Vietnam Wars
5. Analyze the primary causes of the Caribbean Missile Crises of 1962 and its consequences
6. Consider the relationship between the Cold War and the Communist Revolution in China
7. Explore the risks faced by the USSR as a result of the Prague Spring and the consequences of the Warsaw Pact countries' invasion of Czechoslovakia
8. Analyze the effects of the fight between the US and the USSR for the influence in Latin America, Africa, and Asia
9. Explain the success of the detente and the resulting de-escalation of tension between the Western and Eastern Blocks
10. Consider the modern-day impact of the US efforts to support communist China as a counterweight to the USSR
11. Explain the effect the Soviet-Afgan war had on the detente and the renewed escalation of tensions between the US and the USSR
12. Analyze the effectiveness of Reagan’s policies in creating economic, political, and military pressure on the USSR
13. Explore the heightened importance of international espionage as a result of the Cold War
14. Consider the effects of the decades-long military tension on popular culture, literature, music, etc.
15. Explain the effects of the dissolution of the Soviet Union on the geopolitical landscape of Eastern Europe

Vietnam War Essay Topics

Our list of ideas for war essay topics would be incomplete without the longest US military engagement on foreign soil that had a significant impact on the country’s economy, politics, and society as a whole. Below, you’ll find a list of well-crafted Vietnam War essay topics you can use for a variety of classes, including History, Environmental Studies, Gender Studies, and more:

1. The impact of the Vietnam War on the overarching rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union
2. The environmental implications of the use of toxic herbicides during the Vietnam War
3. Consider the long-term effects of the Vietnam Syndrom on the foreign policy of the US in the 1980s and 1990s
4. The combined impact of the Vietnam War and the Watergate Scandal on the public confidence in the American government
5. Assess the human cost for the warring nations and the US in the aftermath of the Vietnam War
6. Analyze the effect the outcome of the Vietnam War had on the US-Vietnam relationships in the 21st century
7. Describe the impact American nurses had on the result of the Vietnam War
8. Compare the war crimes committed by the armed forces of all sides of the Vietnam War and their respective punishment
9. Analyze the African American servicemen's participation in the Vietnam War
10. Examine the technological innovations pioneered in the course of the Vietnam War and their impact on combat
11. Compare and contrast the extent of the American bombing of Vietnam with WWII, the Korean War, and other conflicts
12. The lasting effects of the unexploded ordnance experienced by the Vietnamese population
13. Analyze the causes that lead to the failure to achieve the US goals during the Vietnam War
14. Assess the economic impact of the Vietnam War on the US, the UN, and the global economy
15. Examine the long-term effects of the Vietnam War draft on the US military
16. Analyze the impact the Vietnam War had on the entertainment industry through film, music, theater, etc.
17. Analyze the source of the myths surrounding the heavy drug use by American soldiers during the Vietnam War
18. The lasting effects of defoliation agents’ use on congenital disabilities and other health issues in Vietnam
19. Assess the impact of the refugee crisis in South-Eastern Asia caused by the Vietnam War
20. Explore the roots and popularity of the opposition to the US involvement in the Vietnam War 

Final Thoughts

This post is not an attempt to provide a comprehensive list of WWI research paper topics or an exhaustive guide to developing Cold War topics for an essay. Considering the complexity and lasting effects of any military engagement, the number of potential war-related research topics is unlimited. As a result, the biggest challenge you’ll likely face will be choosing among all the excellent Vietnam War essay topics we shared and the ones you can come up with on your own. 

But even if you get caught up in indecision and cannot decide fast enough to complete the paper on time, we’re here to back you up. All you need to do is type “I’m ready to pay to write an essay “ in live chat, and our support agents will guide you through the order process and match you with the best expert to deal with your assignment quickly and affordably.