commander-in-chief

(noun)

A commander-in-chief is the person exercising supreme command authority over a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces.

Related Terms

Examples of commander-in-chief in the following topics:

  • Commander-in-Chief

    • A commander-in-chief is the person exercising supreme command authority of a nation's military forces; in the US, this person is the president.
    • A commander-in-chief is the person exercising supreme command authority of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces.
    • According to Article II, Section 2, Clause I of the Constitution, the President of the United States is commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.
    • The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. chief of defense equivalent, may assist the President and Secretary of Defense in the exercise of their command functions, but the Chairman himself does not independently exercise command over any combatant forces.
    • President Abraham Lincoln, as commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces, with Allan Pinkerton and Major General John A.

  • Nimitz in the Central Pacific

    • Chester Nimitz, fleet admiral of the United States Navy, played a major role in the naval history of World War II as Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet (CinCPac), for U.S. naval forces and Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CinCPOA), for U.S. and Allied air, land, and sea forces.
    • Nimitz was selected Commander in Chief of the U.S.
    • The JCS designated Nimitz as "Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas," with operational control over all Allied units (air, land, and sea) in that area.
    • Nimitz, after consultation with Admiral Ernest King, Commander in Chief of the United States Fleet, decided to contest the Japanese operation by sending all four of the Pacific fleet's available aircraft carriers to the Coral Sea.
    • He held the dual command of Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet (CinCPac), for U.S. naval forces and Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CinCPOA), for United States and Allied air, land, and sea forces during World War II.

  • The American Military Forces

    • The Second Continental Congress established the Continental Army in June 1775 and elected George Washington as Commander-in-Chief.
    • On June 15, 1775, George Washington was elected as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.
    • Washington was never financially compensated for his service as Army Commander.
    • Congress’ hesitance to establish a standing army resulted in short, one-year enlistment periods in the beginning of the war.
    • George Washington served as commander-in-chief for the duration of the Revolutionary War without compensation.

  • The President

    • They are the commanders in chief of the armed forces; they decide how and when to wage war.
    • As America' chief diplomat, the president has the power to make treaties to be approved by the Senate.
    • The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Armed Forces and as such has broad authority over the armed forces.
    • After the 9/11 attacks, President Bush's Office of Legal Counsel argued that as commander in chief President Bush could do what was necessary to protect the American people.
    • After the bombing campaign started, Obama sent Congress a letter contending that as Commander-in-Chief he had constitutional authority for the attacks.

  • Inherent Powers

    • Inherent powers are assumed powers of the president not specifically listed in the Constitution.
    • In other words, Inherent powers are assumed powers of the president not specifically listed in the Constitution.
    • Inherent powers come from the president's role as chief executive.
    • It says all executive power is vested in the president.
    • Supporters of the unitary executive theory argue that this means that the president's power, particularly the inherent power that come with being commander in chief, are open ended and cannot be checked by the other two branches.

  • The Expansion of Presidential Powers

    • The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.
    • Perhaps the most important of all presidential powers is command of the United States Armed Forces as commander-in-chief.
    • While the power to declare war is constitutionally vested in Congress, the president commands and directs the military and is responsible for planning military strategy.
    • George Washington first claimed executive privilege when Congress requested to see Chief Justice John Jay's notes from an unpopular treaty negotiation with Great Britain.
    • In other words, they did not expect a strong executive.

  • The Cabinet

    • Also provides credentials in the form of passports and visas.
    • The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense, which is an Executive Department of the Government of the United States of America .
    • The Secretary of Defense is in the chain of command and exercises command and control, subject only to the orders of the President, over all Department of Defense forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps) for both operational and administrative purposes.
    • Because the Office of Secretary of Defense is vested with legal powers which exceeds those of any commissioned officer, and is second only to the Office of President in the military hierarchy, it has sometimes unofficially been referred to as a de facto "deputy commander-in-chief. " The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the principal military adviser to the Secretary of Defense and the President.
    • While the Chairman may assist the Secretary and President in their command functions, the Chairman is not in the chain of command.

  • Sicily and Italy

    • Joint Allied Forces Headquarters (AFHQ) was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theater, and it planned and commanded the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, followed shortly thereafter in September by the invasion of the Italian mainland and the campaign on Italian soil until the surrender of the German Armed Forces in Italy in May 1945.
    • The overall commander was the American General Dwight D.
    • Eisenhower, as Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces North Africa.
    • The British General Sir Harold Alexander acted as his second in command and as the Land Forces/Army Group commander.
    • The American Major General Walter Bedell Smith was appointed as Chief of Staff.

  • Line Structure

    • The line structure model of organization is a direct linear relationship of command and deference between superiors and their subordinates.
    • Such relations might include managers to sub-workers, directors to managing directors, the chief executive officer to various departments, and so forth.
    • In some cases, an organigraph may be more appropriate, particularly if one wants to show non-linear, non-hierarchical relationships in an organization.
    • An example of a "line relationship" (or chain of command in military relationships) in would be between the manager and the two supervisors.
    • An example of a "line relationship" (or chain of command in military relationships) in this chart would be between the manager and the two supervisors.

  • MacArthur's Leapfrogging

    • Allied forces from the Pacific Ocean Areas command—under Admiral Chester W.
    • King, the Chief of Naval Operations, proposed a plan with similar elements but under Navy command.
    • Army Chief of Staff George C.
    • (then in command of the South Pacific Area) against the central Solomons.
    • The Joint Chiefs responded with a directive that approved the plan using forces already in the theater or en route to it, and delaying its implementation by 60 days.