Department of War in the United States

Introduction to Department of War

Department of War, former executive department of the U.S. government, created by Congress on August 7, 1789, and incorporated in the National Military Establishment in 1947 under the title of Department of the Army. Its head, a secretary appointed by the president, ranked third among the cabinet members in the line of succession to the presidency of the U.S. During its existence the War Department had charge of all aspects of military affairs, including distribution of stores, surveying and improvement of harbors, the signal service, and administration of insular possessions. See Army, Department of the; Defense, Department of.” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

• Information about Department of War in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia

Guide to Department of War

In this Section

Federal Departments, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense (including Department of Defense Purpose, Department of Defense Organization, Department of Defense Liaison of Command and Department of Defense Supporting Agencies), Department of Education, Department of Energy

(including Department of Energy Purpose, Department of Energy Organization and Department of Energy Research and Development), Department of Health and Human Services (including Department of Health and Human Services History and Department of Health and Human Services Agencies and Services), Department of Homeland Security (including Department of Homeland Security Organization and Functions, Department of Homeland Security Origins and Department of Homeland Security Supporting Agencies), Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Justice (including Department of Justice Functions, Department of Justice Structure and Department of Justice Associated Agencies), Department of Labor, Department of National Defence, Department of State (including Department of State Administration and Department of State Bureaus), Department of the Air Force, Department of the Army, Department of the Interior (including Department of the Interior Functions and Department of the Interior Principal Agencies), Department of the Navy, Department of the Treasury, Department of Transportation, Department of Veterans Affairs (including the Department of Veterans Affairs Service Categories, Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits Available and GI Bill of Rights) and Department of War.