Seventy years ago, on 10 August 1949, President Harry S. Truman signed into law an act that created the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The fact that this occurred two years after Congress had established the Joint Chiefs of Staff reflects the need at that time for an independent presiding officer to referee interservice deliberations and to communicate sometime conflicting advice to the Secretary of Defense and the President.
This revised sixth edition of The Chairmanship of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the story of the twenty Chairmen and how they addressed these and other challenges during their tenures, and provides an updated perspective on the historical development of the institution. While focusing on the roles of the Chairman and Vice Chairman in formulating and implementing national policy, it also examines civil-military relations at the highest levels from World War II through the second decade of the twenty-first century. It reminds us that our commitment to support and defend the Constitution is ongoing and ever challenging.
Foreword vii
Preface ix
The Role of the Chairman
World War II: Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief 3
Postwar Reorganization and a Temporary Appointment 5
Creation of the Position of Chairman 6
The First Chairman 7
The Eisenhower Chairmen: Advocates and Exemplars 10
The 1960s: Civilian Encroachment 14
The 1970s: Dealing with the Impact of Vietnam 21
The Road to JCS Reform 25
The Goldwater-Nichols Act 29
The Chairman as Principal Military Adviser and the Vice Chairman’s Expanding Role 30
Into the Twenty-First Century 36
The Long War 37
Global Integration and Beyond 46
Conclusion 55
The JCS Conference Room: “The Tank” 315
The Flag of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 317
The Flag of the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 319
The Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge 321
Quarters Six: The Chairman’s Residence 323
Students of military history and national security affairs will find this publication a useful tool and convenient reference point for further research and study of U.S. military leadership.
Product Details
- Chairmanship
- Joint Chiefs of Staff
