Commander-in-Chief of the United States (Liberty Lives)

Liberty Lives Main Page

The Commander-in-Chief of the United States commands all of the military forces of the U.S. The Executive Council chooses a Commander-in-Chief from among its own members, with the position traditionally going to the member with the most military experience. It is also generally a non-partisan position, with a few exceptions. If no member of the council has any military experience, the position is usually given to the person with the most experience as an executive chief.

The duties of a Commander-in-Chief include commanding all aspects of the U.S. Military, inspecting troops from time to time, and keeping morale high by appearing at important military events (such as West Point graduation). During wartime, the Commander-in-Chief coordinates the war effort with his or her generals. The Commander-in-Chief may choose to join the battlefield personally, though only John C. Frémont has ever taken this bold step. Usually, political affiliation is not taken into account when awarding the title, but a few exceptions exist. The two most notable examples are in 1845 when Martin Van Buren took the position from Henry Clay in order to advance the Democrats' policy of expansion, and in 1861 when John C. Frémont was denied the title by the Democrats on the grounds of being a "radical abolitionist."

List of Commanders-in-Chief
This table lists every Commander-in-Chief of the United States. Listed with them is the highest military position they held before joining the council.