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A war of independence is a conflict occurring over a territory that has declared independence. Once the state that previously held the territory sends in military forces to assert its sovereignty or the native population clashes with the former occupier, a separatist rebellion has begun. If a new state is successfully established, the conflict is subsequently known as a war of independence.

Use of the term largely originates from the American War of Independence but prior conflicts sometimes got the name retroactively - such as the Dutch War of Independence, originally known as the "Eighty Years' War" and still often called by that name in the Netherlands themselves. Examples include:

Algerian War of Independence American War of Independence Bangladesh War of Independence Dominican War of Independence Dutch War of Independence Eritrean War of Independence Estonian War of Independence Greek War of Independence Haitian Revolution Hungarian War of Independence Indian War of Independence Indochina Wars French-Indochina War Vietnam War Indonesian National Revolution Irish War of Independence Israeli War of Independence Wars of Italian Independence First Italian War of Independence Second Italian War of Independence Third Italian War of Independence Latvian War of Independence Lithuanian Wars of Independence Maccabean Revolt Mau Mau Uprising Namibian War of Independence

Philippine Revolution (sometimes called the Philippine War of Independence) Philippine–American War Portuguese Colonial War Mozambican War of Independence Guinea-Bissau War of Independence Angolan War of Independence Red Turban Rebellion Romanian War of Independence Wars of Scottish Independence First War of Scottish Independence Second War of Scottish Independence Serbian Revolution Latin American wars of independence Brazilian War of Independence Hispanic American wars of independence Argentine War of Independence Bolivian War of Independence Chilean War of Independence Ecuadorian War of Independence Mexican War of Independence Peruvian War of Independence Venezuelan War of Independence Spanish War of Independence Swedish War of Independence Texas Revolution Turkish War of Independence Ukrainian War of Independence Breakup of Yugoslavia Slovenian War of Independence Croatian War of Independence Bosnian War Kosovo War War of Liberation of the People's Republic of China

[edit] See also

• Breakaway states
• Wars of national liberation