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Log in through your institution journal article The President as Commander in Chief: Another ViewAmerican Bar Association Journal Vol. 57, No. 4 (APRIL 1971) , pp. 335-339 (5 pages) Published By: American Bar Association https://www.jstor.org/stable/25725449 Read and download Log in through your school or library Alternate access options For independent researchers Read Online Read 100 articles/month free Subscribe to JPASS Unlimited reading + 10 downloads Abstract The Constitution's designation of the President as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy means only that no rival commander in chief may be established and that the Armed Forces should have civilian control. This provision cannot be extended to give the President powers to conduct military operations unfettered by Congressional control. Publisher Information With nearly 400,000 members, the ABA provides law school accreditation, continuing legal education, information about the law, programs to assist lawyers and judges in their work, and initiatives to improve the legal system for the public. Rights & Usage This item is part of a JSTOR Collection.  British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin at the Yalta [Crimea] Conference, February 1945 Courtesy of Library of Congress The framers of the Constitution wanted to preserve civil authority over the military, and designated the president "Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy." During national crises and war, the power of the presidency has increased to include approval of military tactics, control of the economy, and authority to limit the civil rights of Americans at home. This responsibility has grown dramatically from the time George Washington took up his sword during the Whiskey Rebellion to the day Harry S. Truman authorized dropping an atomic bomb on Japan. The burden of such awesome power rests heavily on every president. Washington reviewing the troops Courtesy of Winterthur Museum Pillow cover with World War I imagery President Bill Clinton in the White House situation room, being briefed by members of the National Security Council (NSC) in 1998. Established in 1947, the NSC is the president's principal forum for considering and coordinating security policy. With any military decision, the president must balance strategic and operational issues with diplomatic, economic, and even environmental concerns. The Clinton-era NSC included the vice president, secretary of defense, secretary of state, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, secretary of the treasury, United Nations representative, assistant to the president for national security, assistant to the president for economic policy, and president's chief of staff. Courtesy of the White House Abraham Lincoln and General George McClellan While the commander in chief is expected to set strategic military goals and approve major tactical decisions, military leaders discourage presidents from meddling in day-to-day operations. Several presidents, however, have felt the urge to command. Lyndon B. Johnson and General William Westmoreland Courtesy of Lyndon Baines Johnson Library As commander in chief, presidents have been able to implement social policies not otherwise available to them. A striking example of this was in 1948 when Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981 desegregating the armed forces. The order stated "It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin." George Bush in Saudi Arabia Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August of 1990, President George Bush, through personal diplomacy, brought together a coalition of thirty nations to restore Kuwaiti sovereignty. With the success of Operation Desert Storm, Bush hoped to demonstrate the possibilities for collective security in what he called a "New World Order." Courtesy of George H.W. Bush Presidential Library What is the President's power as Commander in Chief?The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the ...
What is the President's role as Commander in Chief quizlet?As commander in chief, the president is responsible for key military decisions that define military policy and strategy. The president is a civilian, not an active member of the military, although historically many presidents have had military experience and leadership.
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