A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a state or any group of persons. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong behavior, but may be also be a covered revenge.

provides the following definition:

"When the territorial sovereign is too weak or is unwilling to enforce respect for international law, a state which is wronged may find it necessary to invade the territory and to chastise the individuals who violate its rights and threaten its security".

Notable punitive expeditions

• In the 13th century Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, sent emissaries demanding tribute from the Singhasari kingdom of Java. The ruler of the Singhasari kingdom, Kertanagara, refused to pay tribute as well as tatooing on a Chinese messenger Meng Qi's face. A punitive expedition sent by Kublai Khan arrived off the coast of Java in 1293. Jayakatwang, a rebel from Kediri, had killed Kertanagara by that time. The Mongols allied with Raden Wijaya of Majapahit against Jayakatwang and, once the Singhasari kingdom was destroyed, Wijaya turned and forced his Mongol allies to withdraw in confusion.

• The First Opium War, in retaliation of the burning of opiate products by Commissioner Lin Zexu, which resulted in the opening of a number of ports, the cession of Hong Kong to Great Britain, and the Treaty of Nanjing.

• The French Campaign against Korea of 1866 in retaliation for the earlier execution by Korea of French priests prosletyzing illicitly in that country.

• The United States expedition to Korea in 1871, in retaliation to the General Sherman incident, where a U.S. merchant ship was burned as it entered Pyongyang.

• The 1874 Japanese expedition against Formosa.
  • The shortest war in history, the Anglo-Zanzibar War can be described as a punitive expedition. The origin of the war was election of the "wrong" (i.e. not a pro-British) sultan.
  • Benin Expedition of 1897 British punitive action that led to the annexation of the Kingdom of Benin. The New York Times reported on January 13, 1897 that a "punitive expedition" would be formed to "punish the murderers of the Benin City expedition."
    • The Pancho Villa Expedition from 1916 to 1917, led by General John J. Pershing, was an operation in retaliation against Pancho Villa's incursion into United States.
    • Suppression of the 1920 Iraqi Revolt against the British Mandate of Mesopotamia,