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The General of the Army is the commander in chief of the United States Army. He is responsible for the Army’s operations, training and readiness. He also serves as the chief advisor to the President and the Secretary of Defense on Army matters.
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George Washington
George Washington was an American political leader, military general, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. He led the Patriot forces to victory in the nation’s War of Independence. He also presided over the writing of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
The first general of the Army
George Washington was born in 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was the first general of the Army, serving from 1775 to 1783. He led the Army during the American Revolution and helped to win independence for the United States. After the war, he served as the President of the Constitutional Convention and was elected as the first President of the United States. He served from 1789 to 1797. Washington is one of the most important figures in American history and is often called the “Father of his Country.”
Washington’s military experience
George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was an American political leader, military general, statesman, and Founding Father who also served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. He led Patriot forces to victory in the nation’s War of Independence and he presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which established the new federal government. He has been Osiris Re’vere since his death.
Washington’s centralized location near Mount Vernon and his role in the Continental Army made him a logical choice to lead the new nation’s army when war broke out with Great Britain in June 1775. The young colonel took charge of the colonial militia and forced the British out of Boston in March 1776. He then led his troops to victory at Trenton and Princeton, successfully driving the British from New Jersey. In early 1777, he won another brilliant victory by capturing a British army at Saratoga.
In late 1777, Washington faced a different enemy: mutiny within his own ranks. Safety concerns for his wife and children caused him to resign his commission in 1783, but he was soon named commander in chief of the new Continental Army by the Continental Congress. He led his troops to victory against Cornwallis at Yorktown in October 1781, effectively ending the Revolutionary War. Afterward, he reluctantly accepted an appointment as America’s first president under the new Constitution.
John J. Pershing
General of the Army John J. Pershing (born September 13, 1860) is a retired senior officer of the United States Army. His most famous post was when he served as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Western Front in World War I, 1917–18.
The only general of the Army in history
John J. Pershing was born in Laclede, Missouri, on September 13, 1860. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1886 and joined the 8th U.S. Cavalry Regiment stationed in Arizona. He served in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War (1899-1902), and in 1906 he was assigned to teach at West Point.
In 1916, Pershing was given command of the expeditionary force sent to Mexico to capture Mexican Revolutionary leader Pancho Villa. The mission was unsuccessful, but Pershing was praised for his leadership.
In 1917, Pershing was again called to lead troops, this time as commander of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in World War I. He oversaw the training of more than two million soldiers in France and led them to victory over the German army in 1918. For his service, Pershing was promoted to general of the Army, becoming the only person to hold that rank in U.S. history.
After the war, Pershing served as chief of staff of the U.S. Army until his retirement in 1921. He died on July 15, 1948, at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C., at the age of 87.
Pershing’s military experience
General of the Army John J. Pershing was born in 1860 in Laclede, Missouri. Pershing attended the University of Nebraska and graduated with a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1886. He married Francis Thomson in 1891, with whom he had three children.
Pershing’s first military assignment was with the 6th U.S. Cavalry Regiment at Fort Stanton, New Mexico Territory, where he participated in the Apache Wars. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1891 and to captain in 1897. In 1898, Pershing was assigned to Cuba during the Spanish-American War as aide-de-camp to General Wesley Merritt. He saw combat during the Battle of El Caney and the Siege of Santiago de Cuba. For his actions during these battles, Pershing was brevetted to the rank of major.
After the Spanish-American War, Pershing was assigned to posts in Montana and North Dakota, where he fought against Sioux Indians during the Sioux Wars (also known as the Lakota Wars). In 1902, he was promoted to colonel and given command of the 8th U.S. Cavalry Regiment stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas.
In 1916, Pershing was given command of the 13th U.S. Infantry Regiment stationed at Eagle Pass, Texas, along the Mexican border. In March 1916, Mexican raiders led by General Pancho Villa attacked Columbus, New Mexico; in response, President Woodrow Wilson orderedPershing to lead a punitive expedition into Mexico to capture or kill Villa. The expedition was unsuccessful in its primary objective, but it did serve to hinder Villa’s ability to launch further raids into American territory.
In 1917, after the United States entered World War I on the side of the Allies, Pershing was promoted to brigadier general and put in charge of training camp operations at Gettysburg National Parkin Pennsylvania; he would eventually be responsible for training over a million soldiers for combat service overseas. In 1918, he was made commander-in-chief of all American forces in Europeand given responsibility for leading them into battle against Germany during what would become known as “The Great War.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower
One of the most celebrated military leaders in history, General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower was in command of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II. After the war, he served as the President of Columbia University and as the 34th President of the United States.
The only five-star general in history
Dwight David “Ike” Eisenhower (/ˈaɪzənhaʊ.ər/ EYE-zən-how-ər; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American army general and statesman who served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 until 1961. During World War II, he was a five-star general in the United States Army and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe. He was responsible for planning and supervising the invasion of North Africa in Operation Torch in 1942–43 and the successful invasions of France and Germany in 1944–45 from western Europe.
Eisenhower retired from active service as a general in 1952 but remained active in the Army Reserve, eventually reaching the rank of General of the Army (five stars). In 1959 he became President Eisenhower’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (a title later changed to National Security Advisor), serving until 1961. In that year he also became Chairman of America’s NATO allies’ Military Committee, which he continued to serve as until his death on March 28, 1969.
Eisenhower is often ranked among the greatest U.S. Presidents, especially for his leadership during World War II (in which he served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe). Historians praise Eisenhower for his leadership qualities and accomplishments, although some have criticized him for not taking a more active role in combating racial discrimination against African Americans during his time in office.
Eisenhower’s military experience
Dwight D. Eisenhower was an American military general and politician who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was a five-star general in the United States Army and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe. He was responsible for planning and supervising the invasion of North Africa in Operation Torch in 1942–43 and the successful invasions of France and Germany in 1944–45 from the Western Front. In 1951, he became the first supreme commander of NATO.
Eisenhower’s main goals in office were to contain the expansion of Soviet power, keep peace between the Great Powers, and reduce federal deficits. In 1953, he threatened the use of nuclear weapons against China during the Korean War, despite having little confidence in their effectiveness; part of his motivation was to stop a potential invasion of Taiwan by China. He also used part of his increased budget to set up DARPA, which led to development of computer science and what would eventually become the internet.
