Defense Primer: The Department of Defense (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised March 13, 2024 |
| Report Number |
IF10543 |
| Report Type |
In Focus |
| Authors |
Kathleen J. McInnis |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
-
Premium Revised Nov. 30, 2022 (2 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Nov. 8, 2021 (3 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Jan. 15, 2021 (137 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Jan. 24, 2020 (139 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Dec. 20, 2018 (3 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Dec. 13, 2016 (2 pages, $24.95)
add
|
Summary:
The Department of Defense (DOD) was established after
World War II through the 1947 National Security Act. At
the time, some, including President Truman, took the view
that the different components of the U.S. military had been
insufficiently integrated to wage World War II effectively.
The intention of the 1947 Act was therefore to create, for
the first time, an integrated institution that combined the
Departments of War and Navy, and to establish a policy
architecture for overseeing the newly reorganized military
apparatus. Over time, DOD has grown into one of the
largest bureaucracies in the world, comprising over 3
million employees stationed across the United States and
around the globe.
