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Article: Defense, Department of
- Article from:
- Dictionary of American History
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DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF
(DOD), established by the National Security Act (1947), was initially named the National Military Establishment (NME). Including cabinet departments of the army, navy, and air force, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and several other defense agencies, the NME replaced the War and Navy departments. President Harry S. Truman, understanding the need for interservice coordination and the security threats posed by the Soviet Union, had urged creation of the new national security system, which included the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council.
James V. Forrestal, the first secretary of defense (1947
–
1949), had a ...