= United States Department of War = The '''United States Department of War''' was an [[UnitedStates/Departments|executive department]] of the United States government. It was responsible for all or part of the [[UnitedStates/ArmedForces|Armed Forces]]. <> ---- == Composition == The department was led by a '''secretary'''. ---- == History == The department was created for civilian command over the Revolutionary Army, with the [[UnitedStates/Presidents|president]] as '''commander-in-chief''' being first in command and the department's secretary being second. [[UnitedStates/JohnAdams|Adams]] created the separate [[UnitedStates/DepartmentOfTheNavy|Department of the Navy]] in 1798. [[UnitedStates/JamesMadison|Madison]] expanded the department with subdepartments, which by 1818 had formed into modern bureaus. In 1849, the [[UnitedStates/BureauOfIndianAffairs|BIA]] transferred to the [[UnitedStates/DepartmentOfTheInterior|DOI]]. [[UnitedStates/AbrahamLincoln|Lincoln]] again expanded the department. Under [[UnitedStates/FranklinDelanoRoosevelt|Roosevelt]], [[UnitedStates/GeorgeMarshall|Marshall]] as chief of staff of the Army led the complete reorganization of command, in which the department became ineffectual. The Air Force became effectively independent. In 1947, [[UnitedStates/HarrySTruman|Truman]] split the department into [[UnitedStates/DepartmentOfTheArmy|Army]] and [[UnitedStates/DepartmentOfTheAirForce|Air Force]]. The '''National Military Establishment''' ('''NME'''), led by a '''secretary of defense''', encompassed both of these departments and the [[UnitedStates/DepartmentOfTheNavy|Navy]]. This was renamed to the [[UnitedStates/DepartmentOfDefense|DOD]] in 1949. However, it was [[UnitedStates/DwightDEisenhower|Eisenhower]] who reorganized it into the modern DOD, in 1958. ---- CategoryRicottone