A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. Commander is a Military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military competencies that reside in a nation-state's executive, head of state or government. Often, a given country's commander-in-chief need not be or have been a commissioned officer or even a veteran, and it is by this legal statute that civilian control of the military is realized in states where it is constitutionally required. Civilian control of the military is a doctrine in military and Political science that places ultimate responsibility for a country's

The term "commander-in-chief" derives from the Latin imperator. Imperatores (commanders-in-chief) of the Roman Republic and Roman Empire possessed imperium (command) powers. In its modern usage, the term was first used by King Charles I of England in 1639. Charles I, (19 November 1600 &ndash 30 January 1649 was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution. A nation's head of state usually holds the position of national commander-in-chief, even if effective executive power is held by a separate head of government. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State Colonial governors are also often appointed commander-in-chief of the military forces in their colonies. in-Chief Allied Forces North, Commander-in-Chief East Atlantic, etc.

Commanders-in-Chief is sometimes refered to as Supreme Commander, which is sometimes used as a specific term. The term is also used for military officers who hold such power and authority, not always through dictatorship, and as a subordinate (usually) to a head of state. The term is also used for officers that hold authority over individual branches or within a theatre of operations. ^[1]

Contents 1 Commonwealth realms 1.1 Australia 1.2 Canada 1.3 New Zealand 1.4 United Kingdom 1.4.1 Royal Navy 1.4.2 British Army 1.4.3 Royal Air Force 2 Croatia 3 Egypt 4 Finland 5 France 6 Germany 6.1 Pre-1945 6.2 West Germany (later united Germany) 6.3 East Germany 7 India 8 Iran 9 Ireland 10 Italy 11 Pakistan 12 People's Republic of China 12.1 Hong Kong 13 Russia 14 Slovenia 15 Spain 16 Sweden 17 Switzerland 18 Turkey 19 United States 19.1 Authority as Commander-in-Chief on the battlefield 19.2 War on Terrorism 20 See also 21 References

Commonwealth realms

In the Commonwealth realms the role of Commander-in-Chief varies from country to country; in some instances the monarch is constitutionally vested with command-in-chief, though the title may be held by an agent of the crown, such as a Governor-General or Governor. A Commonwealth realm is any one of 16 sovereign states within the Commonwealth of Nations that each have Elizabeth II as their respective Monarch

Australia

The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia provides that: "The command in chief of the naval and military forces of the Commonwealth is vested in the Governor-General as the Queen's representative," and the original letters patent constituting the Office of Governor-General refer to the occupant as Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Our Commonwealth of Australia. The Constitution of Australia is the law under which the Australian Commonwealth Government operates The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia of the monarch of Australia (currently Elizabeth II Queen of Australia) Letters patent are a type of Legal instrument in the form of an Open letter issued by a Monarch or Government, granting an office right In practice, de facto control of the military is exercised by the Cabinet, as in other Commonwealth realms. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. ^[2]

Until the early 20th century, the person commanding the Australia Station component of the Royal Navy's British Eastern Fleet was known as Commander-in-Chief, Australia. The Australia Station was the British and later Australian naval command responsible for the waters around the Australian continent and British and Australian colonial-possessions The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The British Eastern Fleet (also known as the East Indies Fleet and the Far East Fleet) was a fleet of the Royal Navy during World War II

Canada

The situation in Canada as to the identity of the national Commander-in-Chief is slightly complex. In Canada Commander-in-Chief can refer to both the position of supreme commander of the Canadian Forces, and to the title granted to the Viceroy. The British North America Act, 1867 (now the Constitution Act, 1867), provides that: "The Command-in-Chief of the Land and Naval Militia, and of all Naval and Military Forces, of and in Canada, is hereby declared to continue to be vested in the Queen. The British North America Acts 1867&ndash1975 are the original names of a series of Acts at the core of the Constitution of Canada. " This provision is still in effect.

The Militia Act of 1904 provided that: "The Command-in-Chief of the Militia is declared to continue and be vested in the King, and shall be administered by His Majesty or by the Governor General as his representative. The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative " Since that time Governors General have been allowed by the Canadian sovereign to carry the title of Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada. TalkCommonewalth realm.-->The monarchy of With the creation of the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force in 1910 and 1924 respectively, the monarch, and by extension the Governor General, gained command-in-chief over those forces as well. For the history of Canada's naval forces after 1968 see Canadian Forces Maritime Command The Royal Canadian Navy ( RCN) was the Letters patent issued in 1947 permitted the Governor General to exercise most of the duties of the sovereign in Canada, and the new Commission of Appointment referred to the Office of Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada. Letters patent are a type of Legal instrument in the form of an Open letter issued by a Monarch or Government, granting an office right By constitutional convention, the Cabinet has de facto command and control powers over the Canadian Forces; however all declarations of war must be signed by the Governor General or monarch. The Cabinet of Canada (Cabinet du Canada plays an important role in the Government of Canada, in accordance with the Westminster System. The Canadian Forces (CF ( French: Forces canadiennes) are the unified Armed forces of Canada, governed by the National Defence

New Zealand

The Governor-General is designated in letters patent issued in 1983 and the Defence Act 1990 as Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief. The term governor general or governor-general refers to a vice-regal representative of a Monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription Although the Defence Act refers to the powers of the office none are described and this is left to common law, royal prerogative and administrational and operational practice. Common law refers to law and the corresponding legal system developed through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive The Royal Prerogative is a body of customary authority privilege and immunity recognised in Common law and sometimes in Civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy

United Kingdom

The title Commander-in-Chief is rarely used by the reigning monarch, but usually refers to local or service commanders-in-chief. TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy The sovereign is the Commander-in-Chief, although they serve in a symbolic role as, by constitutional convention, the UK Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, has de facto command over the British Armed Forces. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. The Armed forces of the United Kingdom, commonly known as the British Armed Forces or Her Majesty's Armed Forces, and sometimes legally the Armed Forces

Royal Navy

In the Royal Navy, the overall head of the Navy is known as the Lord High Admiral, and the title has been variously held by the monarch or an individual admiral, or put into commission and exercised by a board of commissioners. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) Since 1964, the title has been held by the Queen. There have in addition long been many Commanders-in-Chief in charge of Royal Navy ships at home as well as foreign stations. During the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, the term was extended to cover the senior Admiral in a theatre of the war, such as the Mediterranean or North Sea. The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts from 1792 until 1802 fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions The North Sea is a marginal, Epeiric sea of the Atlantic Ocean on the European Continental shelf.

In the 1930s the Royal Navy had nine commanders-in-chief; today there are two - the Commander-in-Chief Fleet and the Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command. Commander-in-Chief Fleet ( CINCFLEET) is the Admiral responsible for the operation resourcing and training of the ships submarines and aircraft and personnel of The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command ( 2SL/CNH) commonly just known as the Second Sea Lord ( 2SL) is one of the most senior

Further information: List of fleets and major commands of the Royal Navy

British Army

In the British Army, the office of General-in-Chief Command, later renamed Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, was instituted after the Restoration in 1660. The professional head of the Royal Navy is known as the First Sea Lord (1SL who is also as the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. The Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, or just the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C, was the professional head of the British Army from 1660 until 1904 when the office Between 1672 and 1904, the title Commander-in-Chief was officially used for the general in charge of the Army, after which the title Chief of the General Staff was adopted. Chief of the General Staff ( CGS) has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. There existed also in times of war, and in places such as India, regional commanders-in-chief. In addition, colonial governors are and were usually appointed Commander-in-Chief in and over their colonies.

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force uses the term Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (sometimes shortened to Commander-in-Chief) to describe those officers in charge of a command. An Air Officer is a British Royal Air Force officer of rank Air Commodore or higher A command in military use has several meanings In referring to Military organization it is a collection of units or a group of personnel under the An early example of air force usage occurred on January 1, 1925, when Air Vice-Marshal Sir John Salmond was appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Air Defence of Great Britain. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Air Vice-Marshal ( AVM) is an Air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Maitland Salmond GCB CMG CVO DSO and Bar RAF ( 17 July, 1881 The Air Defence of Great Britain ( ADGB) refers to two different components of the RAF depending on the time period in question Although historically the RAF has had several air officer commanders-in-chief serving at any one time, currently there is only one such appointment, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Air Command. Air Command is the only command currently active in the Royal Air Force.

Croatia

According to the Croatian constitution, the President of Croatia is the Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia. Current Constitution of the Republic of Croatia was adopted by the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia on December 22, 1990. The President of Croatia is the Head of state. Croatia is a Parliamentary democracy where the President's main role is leading the armed forces Croatian military is officially called Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oružane snage Republike Hrvatske and it consists of these branches In peace, the Commander-in-Chief exercises his command through the Minister of Defense. In war and in cases where the Minister of Defense is not fulfilling orders, the Commander-in-Chief exercises his command directly through the chief of General Staff. General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Glavni stožer Oružanih snaga Republike Hrvatske is a joint

Egypt

In Egypt the President of the Republic holds the ceremonial title of Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces while a member of the Government holds the position Commander-in-Chief. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. A ceremony is an activity infused with Ritual significance performed on a special occasion A title is a prefix or suffix added to a person's name to signify either veneration an official position or a professional or academic qualification For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. This person tends to be the Minister for Defence. A defence minister (or defense minister) is a Cabinet position which regulates the Armed forces in some sovereign nations The President still remains the only individual capable of declaring war. President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. So far all Egyptian presidents have been former military officers, and during the Yom Kippur War the President played a major role at all levels of the planning of the war, and was in a literal sense Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces giving direct orders to the commanders from the headquarters during the war as field marshal of the army, colonel general of the air force and air defence forces and admiral of the navy. The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War (מלחמת יום הכיפורים transliterated: Milkhemet Yom HaKipurim or מלחמת יום For other meanings see Field Marshal (disambiguation Field marshal is a military officer rank The Egyptian Army is the largest service branch within the Egyptian military establishment. The Egyptian Air Force, or EAF (القوات الجوية المصرية) is the aviation branch of the Egyptian armed forces. The Egyptian Navy is the smallest branch of the Egyptian military. Anwar el-Sadat often wore his military uniform, while Hosni Mubarak has abandoned this tradition. However Hosni Mubarak holds the same ranks during war time.

Finland

According to the Finnish constitution, the President of Finland is the Commander-in-Chief of all Finnish military forces. The President of Finland is the Head of State of Finland. Under the Constitution of Finland, executive power is vested in the President and the In practice, the everyday command and control is in the hands of Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Defence Forces and the Commander of the Finnish Border Guard. The Finnish Defence Forces is responsible for defence of Finland. The Border Guard ( Finnish: Rajavartiolaitos, Swedish: Gränsbevakningsväsendet) of Finland is the Finnish security authority The economic administration of the Defence Force is the responsibility of Ministry of Defence. Since the constitutional reform of 2000, the minister of defence has the right to be present while the president uses her command powers, unless the matter is of immediate concern. In questions of strategic importance, the prime minister has the same right.

The President commissions officers and decides on the mobilisation of the Defence Forces. If Parliament is not in session when a decision to mobilise is taken, it must be immediately convened. A declaration of war is made by a presidential decree, which must be afterwards accepted by the parliament.

France

In France, the President of the Republic holds the title of "Chef des Armées" ("Chief of the Armies"). This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The President of the French Republic (Président de la République française colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France 's elected He is the supreme authority for military affairs, and is the only competent authority for the use of nuclear weapons.

Since the reign of Louis XIV France has been strongly centralized. Early years Birth and ancestry Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 5 1638 and bore the Heir apparent After crushing local nobles engaged in warlordism, the Kings of France retained all authority with the help of able yet discreet Prime ministers (Mazarin, Richelieu). Jules Mazarin, born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino ( July 14 1602 &ndash March 9 1661) was an accomplished French statesman This article is about a cardinal For information on the Russian also called The Red Eminence, see Mikhail Andreyevich Suslov.

The 1789 Revolution transferred the supreme authority to the King (in the context of the short-lived constitutional Monarchy), then to the multi-member Comité de Salut Public during the Convention, and later to the Directoire, before being regained in the hands of Consul Napoléon Bonaparte, later Emperor Napoléon I, alone. The Committee of Public Safety (Comité de salut public le Haut Comité de la santé publique which is an entirely unrelated present-day institution--> set up by the During the French Revolution, the National Convention or Convention, in France, comprised the Constitutional and legislative assembly The Executive Directory ( Directoire exécutif) was a body of 5 single-male Directors that held executive power in France following The Consulate was the government of France between the fall of the Directory in the coup of 18 Brumaire in 1799 until the start of the Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The Empire of the French (1804-1814 also known as the Empire of France, Greater French Empire, First French Empire, French Empire, or

The Restauration restored authority of the King, in an absolute, then constitutional way before being overthrown by the Second Empire. Following the ousting of Napoleon I of France in 1814 the Allies restored the Bourbon Dynasty to the French throne The following Third Republic was a parliamentary system, where the military authority was held by the President of the Council (Prime Minister). The French Third Republic (in French, La Troisième République, sometimes written as La IIIe

During World War II, Maréchal Philippe Pétain assumed power and held the supreme authority in Vichy France, while Général Charles De Gaulle, acting on behalf of the previous regime, founded the Free French Forces, upon which he held supreme authority all through the war. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Marshal of France (Maréchal de France and pl Maréchaux de France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a Military rank. Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain (24 April 1856 – 23 July 1951 generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain ( Maréchal Pétain) Vichy France, or the Vichy regime are the common terms used to describe the government of France from July 1940 to August 1944 Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle ( ( 22 November 1890 – 9 November 1970) was a French General and statesman who led the Free French The Free French Forces (Forces Françaises Libres FFL) were French fighters in World War II who decided to continue fighting against Axis forces

The following and short-lived Fourth Republic was a parliamentary system, which was replaced by the present Fifth Republic, a semi-presidential system. The founding of the Fourth Republic (1944-47 See also Three Parties, Third Force (France European Unity The creation of the See also Government of France The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, which was introduced on The semi-presidential system is a System of government in which a prime minister and a President are both active participants in the day-to-day administration

Germany

Pre-1945

During the Weimar Republic and the Nazi era, whoever was head of state--the Reichspräsident to 1934 and Adolf Hitler from 1934--was Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. The term Weimar Republic ( ˈvaɪmarɐ repuˈbliːk is used by historians to signify the democratic and Republican period of Germany from 1919 to 1933 Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers The Reichspräsident was the German Head of state during the period of the 1919-1934 Weimar Republic and the title was later briefly revived Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately Each branch had its own commander-in-chief, holding the highest rank--in the case of the Reichsheer, a Generaloberst; in the Reichsmarine, an Admiral. The German Army ( Deutsches Heer) was the name given the combined armed forces of the German Empire, also known as the Imperial Army ( Reichsheer) or Colonel General is a senior Military rank which is used in some of the world’s militaries The Reichsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Weimar Republic and first two years of Nazi Germany. Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers

When Adolf Hitler assumed power, he granted his war minister, Werner von Blomberg, the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately Werner Eduard Fritz von Blomberg (2 September 1878 - 14 March 1946 was a leading member of the German Army until January 1938 However, in 1938, Hitler took the title of Commander-in-Chief himself and assumed personal command of the Armed Forces. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

West Germany (later united Germany)

Upon the remilitarization of West Germany in 1955, when it joined NATO, the Grundgesetz was amended to include constitutional provisions for command of the armed forces. West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( The North Atlantic Treaty The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland is the Constitution of Germany. In peacetime, the Federal Minister of Defence (Bundesminister der Verteidigung) is the commander-in-chief of the Bundeswehr. The Federal Ministry of Defence ( Bundesministerium der Verteidigung) is a ministry in the German Cabinet. The Bundeswehr ( German for "Federal Defence Force") is the name of the unified Armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany If the Bundestag (parliament) declares a "state of defence" (Verteidigungsfall), the Federal Chancellor (Bundeskanzler) assumes command of the German armed forces. The Bundestag ("Federal Diet " or "Lower House of German Parliament" is the Parliament of Germany. The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (Kanzler

East Germany

Main article: National Defense Council of the GDR

The parliament of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), the Volkskammer, enacted on 13 February 1960 the "Law on the Formation of the National Defense Council of the GDR", which established a council consisting of a chairman and at least 12 members. The National Defense Council of the German Democratic Republic (GDR - East Germany) (German Nationale Verteidigungsrat der DDR - NVR) was created in 1960 The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state The Volkskammer ("People's Chamber" was the unicameral Legislature of the German Democratic Republic ( East Germany) This was later incorporated into the GDR Constitution in April 1968. East Germany (German Democratic Republic was founded in 1949 and was absorbed into the Federal Republic of Germany on 3 October 1990 The National Defense Council held the supreme command of the GDR's armed forces (including the internal security forces), and the Council's chairman (usually the General Secretary of the ruling Socialist Unity Party) was considered the GDR's commander-in-chief. The Socialist Unity Party of Germany ( German: Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, SED) was the governing party of the German Democratic The GDR joined with the Federal Republic of Germany on 3 October 1990, upon which the GDR's constitution and armed forces were abolished. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

India

The Supreme Command of the Armed Forces vests in the President. Though effective executive power and responsibility for national defence resides with the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister. This is discharged through the Ministry of Defence headed by Defence Minister, which provides the policy framework and resources to the Armed Forces to discharge their responsibilities in the context of the defence of the country.

On August 15, 1947, each Service was placed under its own Chief Commander. In 1955, the three Service Chiefs were redesignated as the Chief of the Army Staff (General), the Chief of the Naval Staff (Admiral) and the Chief of the Air Staff (Air Chief Marshall) with President of India as supreme commander. The President of India or Rashtrapati ( Hindi: राष्ट्रपति a Sanskrit Neologism, lit

Iran

Before 1979, the Shah was the commander-in-chief in Iran. Shah is an Iranian term for a Monarch (leader that has been adopted in many other languages After the inception of the Islamic Republic, the Supreme Leader of Iran has taken on the role. The post of Supreme Leader ( Persian: رهبر انقلاب Rahbare Enqelab, lit

Ireland

In Ireland, the commander-in-chief of the army is the President. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. The President of Ireland (Uachtarán na hÉireann n̪ˠə ˈheːɾʲən̪ˠ is the Head of state of Ireland.

Italy

The Constitution of Italy, article 87, states that the President of the Republic is the commander of the armed forces and chairman of the supreme defense council constituted by law; he declares war according to the decision of the parliament; however, since the president has no direct executive power, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence have the actual control of the armed forces, while the president retains a supervision role. The Constitution of the Italian Republic (Costituzione della Repubblica Italiana was enacted by the Constituent Assembly on 22 December 1947 with 453 votes in favour and 62 The President of the Italian Republic (Presidente della Repubblica Italiana is the Head of State of Italy, and as such is intended to represent national unity In Italy, the Prime Minister of Italy (officially the President of the Council of Ministers, Italian Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri) is the country's

Pakistan

In the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President is the official Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, however that is only a ceremonial position and the real power rests with the elected Prime Minister who is the Chief Executive of the state. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and

People's Republic of China

Article 93 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China places the authority to direct the armed forces of the PRC in the Central Military Commission. The Constitution of the People's Republic of China ( is the highest law within the People's Republic of China. A Central Military Commission or National Defense Commission is an organisation typical of Communist One-party states responsible for supervising the nation's However, Article 80 gives the President of the People's Republic of China the power to proclaim martial law, proclaim a state of war, and issue mobilization orders. The President of the People's Republic of China ( literally Chairman of the Chinese People's Republic or abbreviated Guójiā Zhǔxí 国家主席 literally State Chairman Since the mid-1990's, it has been standard practice to have the President, the CMC Chairman, and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China be the same person although the differences in the start of terms means that there is some overlap between an occupant and his predecessor. The General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee ( is the highest ranking official within the Communist Party of China and heads the Secretariat

Hong Kong

When Hong Kong was a British colony the Governor was the Commander-in-Chief of Hong Kong, although there was also a Commander of the British Forces in Hong Kong. The Governor of Hong Kong ( abbreviated 港督 was the head of the Hong Kong Government, ex-officio Commander-in-Chief and Vice-Admiral British Forces Overseas Hong Kong consisted of the elements of the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. (After the transfer of sovereignty the commander of the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison are PLA personnel from the mainland. The transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, often referred to as the Handover The People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison is a garrison of the People's Liberation Army (PLA of the People's Republic of China (PRC responsible for defence Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction )

Russia

According to the Constitution of Russia, the President of Russia is the supreme commander in chief of the Armed Forces. For the constitution of the Imperial Russia see Russian Constitution of 1906 The current Constitution of the Russian Federation The President of Russia (Президент России or the President of the Russian Federation, Президент Российской He approves the military doctrine and appoints the defense minister and the chief of the general staff. Military doctrine is the concise expression of how military forces contribute to campaigns major operations Battles and engagements It is a guide

Slovenia

In Slovenia, the commander-in-chief is formally the President of Slovenia, although he or she doesn't exercise this position in peacetime. The function of President of the Republic of Slovenia (Predsednik Republike Slovenije was established on 23 December 1991, when the National Assembly of Slovenia Instead, this role is usually assumed by the Minister of Defence.

Spain

The King of Spain (as of present Juan Carlos I of Spain) is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Spanish Armed Forces. Early life Juan Carlos was born in Rome, where his grandfather Alfonso XIII of Spain lived in exile after the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic The Armed forces of Spain are known as the Spanish Armed Forces ( Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas Españolas)

Sweden

In Sweden the Monarch was according to the Instrument of Government (1809) the Supreme Commander of all Swedish Armed Forces up and till the new constitution of 1975. The monarch is the Head of state of the Kingdom of Sweden. Sweden being a Constitutional monarchy with a Representative democracy based on a The Instrument of Government, or Regeringsformen, adopted on June 6, 1809 by the Riksdag of the Estates was the constitution of The Swedish Constitution consists of four fundamental laws ( Swedish: grundlagar, singular grundlag) After the new constitution came into effect, the office of Supreme Commander (Överbefälhavare, ÖB) reports directly to the Minister for Defence and the Cabinet, which in turn is led by the Prime Minister of Sweden. The Supreme Commander (Överbefälhavaren ÖB) the highest military officer in Sweden and the Commander-in-Chief of the Swedish Armed Forces List of Swedish Ministers for Defence Between 1840 and 1920 the ministry for defence was divided in to two different ministries one for land and one for sea warfare This is a list of Cabinets of Sweden. Erik Gustaf Boström (I ( 1891 &ndash 1900 The Prime Minister (statsminister literally "Minister of the State" is the Head of government in Sweden.

However, in order to uphold tradition, the Monarch of Sweden (as of present King Carl XVI Gustaf), is still a four star General and Admiral of all branches of the Swedish Armed Forces. The Supreme Commander (ÖB) is nowadays the only four star General or Admiral of the Swedish Armed Forces in active service.

Switzerland

In peacetime, the Armed Forces are led by the Chief of the Armed Forces who has the rank of "Corps commander" (Korpskommandant or Commandant de corps, ranking OF-8 in NATO equivalence). The military of Switzerland, officially known as the Swiss Armed Forces, is a unique institution somewhere between a Militia and a regular army. Rank comparison chart of all armies of NATO member states Officers (OF 1-10 Warrant officers (WO5 - 1 Warrant officers rank below officers and above The North Atlantic Treaty In a time of declared war or national emergency however, the Federal Assembly appoints a General (OF-9 by NATO) as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The Federal Assembly (in German, Bundesversammlung; in French, Assemblée fédérale; in Italian, Assemblea federale Rank comparison chart of all armies of NATO member states Officers (OF 1-10 Warrant officers (WO5 - 1 Warrant officers rank below officers and above The General acts as the highest military authority, but is subordinate to the Federal Council, which holds the supreme authority. The Swiss Federal Council (Schweizerischer Bundesrat Conseil fédéral suisse Consiglio federale svizzero Cussegl federal

Four generals were appointed in Swiss history, General Henri Dufour during the Swiss Civil War, General Hans Herzog during the Franco-Prussian War, General Ulrich Wille during the First World War, and General Henri Guisan during the Second World War ("la Mob", "the Mobilisation"). Guillaume-Henri Dufour ( 15 September 1787, Konstanz - 14 July 1875, Geneva) was a Swiss General The Sonderbund Swiss civil war of November 1847 ensued after the Sonderbund (meaning "separate alliance" in German) was created in 1845 Hans Herzog (1819 - 1894 was the Swiss general during the Franco-Prussian War. The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War ( 19 July, 1870 — 10 May, 1871 Conrad Ulrich Sigmund Wille ( April 5, 1848 – January 31, 1925) was a Swiss military leader during World War I World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Henri Guisan ( 21 October, 1874 - 7 April, 1960) was Commander in Chief of the Swiss World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including This article describes military mobilization For other meanings see Mobilization (disambiguation. Although Switzerland remained neutral during the latter three conflicts, the threat of having its territory used as a battlefield by the much bigger war parties of Germany and France required mobilization of the army.

Turkey

President of the Republic of Turkey has the constitutional right to represent the Supreme Military Command of the Turkish Armed Forces on behalf of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, and to decide on the mobilization of the Turkish Armed Forces, to appoint the Chief of the General Staff, to call the National Security Council to meet, to preside over the National Security Council, to proclaim martial law or state of emergency, and to issue decrees having the force of law, upon a decision of the Council of Ministers meeting under his/her chairmanship. The President of Turkey ( Cumhurbaşkanı) is the Head of state of the Republic of Turkey. The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF (Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri or TSK consist of the Army, the Navy (including naval aviation and naval infantry and the Air Force The Grand National Assembly of Turkey (Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi - TBMM, usually referred to simply as Meclis - "the Parliament" is the Unicameral A National Security Council (NSC is usually an Executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief With all these issues above written in the Constitution of Turkey, the executive rights are given to the President of the Republic of Turkey to be represented as the Commander-in-Chief of the nation. The current Constitution of Turkey, ratified in 1982 establishes the organization of the government of the Republic of Turkey and sets out the principles and rules of the

United States

The Constitution of the United States gives the title to the President of the United States, who "shall be Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States" (See the 1941 Declarations of War[1] against Japan and Germany for how this call is made). The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary Citizens to provide defense emergency law enforcement or Paramilitary service For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The title commander-in-chief has been used from time to time to refer to powerful regional U. S. military leaders (such as CENTCOM), but the United States abolished all local commands-in-chief in 2002. The United States Central Command ( USCENTCOM) is a theater -level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U The United States of America —commonly referred to as the In 1947, the National Security Act made the President, as a consequence of the creation of the United States Air Force, also the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force of the United States, by extension.

The governors of the states were also commanders-in-chief of their states' respective National Guard and other military forces, except when those forces are called into active federal service. A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government For the National Guard of a State and other countries' National Guard see National Guard. The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. This ended with the John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007, a federal law making the governor of a state no longer the sole commander in chief of the National Guard during emergencies within the state. The President of the United States will now be able to take control of a state's National Guard units without the governor's consent. ^[3] In a letter to Congress all 50 governors opposed the increase in power of the president over the National Guard. ^[4]

Although the United States presidency was modeled upon the monarch of Great Britain, and the title of Commander-in-Chief was unlikely to have been understood to confer upon the President any powers additional to those inherently held by a Sovereign, the title has increasingly come to be perceived as being a peculiarly military position. TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. This has led to a blurring of the distinction between the President's civil and military responsibilities. It was, for instance, the basis for the trial by military commission of Dr. A military tribunal is a kind of Military Court designed to try members of enemy forces during Wartime operating outside the scope of conventional Samuel Mudd. Samuel Alexander Mudd I ( December 20, 1833 &ndash January 10, 1883) was a Maryland physician implicated and imprisoned for The American presidency thus departs from the civilian basis of virtually all other republics. In 1867 Congress attempted to limit the President's powers as Commander in Chief by passing the Army Appropriations Act. The Act included the “command of the army” provisions, which required that the president issue all commands to the army through the General of the Army. This act was condemned by President Andrew Johnson, but he nevertheless signed it into law.

In the United States, the Goldwater-Nichols Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 added a new level of commanders-in-chief (CINCs). The Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 reworked the command structure of the United States military. Under Goldwater-Nichols, regional CINCs were created to bring a local supreme commander to a conflict, the most well-known of which was CINC CENTCOM, who was Norman Schwarzkopf during Operation Desert Storm. The United States Central Command ( USCENTCOM) is a theater -level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U General H Norman Schwarzkopf (also known as '''"Stormin' Norman"''' and '''"The Bear"''') (b

On October 24, 2002, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld announced that the title of "Commander-in-Chief" would thereafter be reserved for the President, consistent with the terms of Article II of the United States Constitution. Events 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus the commander of the Danube armies loyal to Vespasian, defeat See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Donald Henry Rumsfeld (born July 9 1932 is a United States Businessman, Politician, the 13th Secretary of Defense under President The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. Armed forces CINCs in specified regions would thereafter be known as "combatant commanders," heading the Unified Combatant Commands. A Unified Combatant Command ( UCC) is a United States joint military command composed of forces from two or more services has a broad and continuing mission

In 2008, there are ten Unified Combatant Commands. Six have regional responsibilities, and four have functional responsibilities. The chain of command runs from the President to the Secretary of Defense to the combatant commanders of the Unified Combatant Commands. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by The United States Secretary of Defense ( SECDEF) is the head of the U Combatant commander (CCDR is the title of a major military leader of United States armed forces either of a large geographical region or of a particular military function The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may transmit communications to the Commanders of the Unified Combatant Commands from the President and Secretary of Defense, but does not exercise military command over any combatant forces. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( CJCS) is by law the highest ranking military officer overall in the United States Armed

Authority as Commander-in-Chief on the battlefield

As Commander-in-Chief, the U. S. President outranks any military officer and so has the inherent right to assume command on the battlefield. However, because presidents are rarely present in war zones, and often have less military experience than the military commanders, only two presidents, George Washington and James Madison, have so far done so. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the James Madison Jr (March 16 1751 – June 28 1836 was an American Politician, the fourth President of the United States (1809–1817 and one of the Founding Washington personally led a federalised militia force of approximately 15,000 troops to quell the Whiskey Rebellion during his second term, although he was not present during any of the skirmishing in the relatively bloodless conflict. The Whiskey Rebellion, less commonly known as the Whiskey Insurrection, was a popular uprising that had its beginnings in 1791 and culminated in an insurrection in 1794 in the

During the War of 1812, President Madison was under enemy fire on August 24, 1814, when American forces were routed by British troops in Bladensburg, Maryland. The War of 1812 was fought between the United States of America and the British Empire, particularly Great Britain and her North American colonies The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 Bladensburg is a town in Prince George's County Maryland, United States. Madison, incensed by the American commanding general's incompetence, was on the scene and personally assumed command of the only remaining American force, a naval battery commanded by Commodore Joshua Barney. Please see " Commodore " for other uses of this rank Commodore is a rank of the United States Navy with a somewhat Joshua Barney ( 6 July 1759 - 1 December 1818) was a commodore in the United States Navy, born in Baltimore Maryland He did so to stall the British invasion of the American capital, but his efforts were unsuccessful, and the British burned Washington over the next two days. The Burning of Washington took place in 1814 during the Anglo-American War of 1812.

During the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln considered personally assuming battlefield command of the Union Army, and studied military texts when he became frustrated by the incompetence and lethargy of his generals. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal The Union Army was the army that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. He actually came under enemy fire in 1864 during the Confederate attack on Fort Stevens in the District of Columbia, but did not exercise battlefield authority as commander-in-chief at any time. Fort Stevens was part of the extensive fortifications built around Washington D Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D

War on Terrorism

Main articles: Unitary executive theory and Signing statement

In the War on Terrorism President George W. Bush has used these war powers to justify several controversial acts, such as the NSA electronic surveillance program and enhanced interrogation techniques. In American political and legal discourse the unitary executive theory is a theory or doctrine of Constitutional interpretation that holds it A signing statement is a written pronouncement issued by the President of the United States upon the signing of a bill into Law. The War on Terrorism (also known as the War on Terror) is the common term for the military political and legal, and ideological conflict and specifically for U George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. Article I Section 8 Clause 11 of the United States Constitution, sometimes referred to as the War Powers Clause, vests in the Congress the exclusive power An electronic surveillance program was implemented by the National Security Agency (NSA of the United States in the wake of the September 11 2001 attacks as part Enhanced interrogation techniques, rough interrogation, the Central Intelligence Agency’s interrogation methods, and alternative set of procedures are The administration, on several occasions, has promoted a legal theory known as the unitary executive theory, to explain that in his duty as Commander-in-Chief the President, with his inherent powers, cannot be bound by any law or Congress. In American political and legal discourse the unitary executive theory is a theory or doctrine of Constitutional interpretation that holds it Advocates of this theory opine that since the primary task of the President, during a time of war, is protecting US citizens, anything hindering him in that capacity can be considered unconstitutional. The War on Terrorism (also known as the War on Terror) is the common term for the military political and legal, and ideological conflict and specifically for U The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. ^[5] In the NSA warrantless surveillance controversy this was used to suggest he was not required to abide by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The NSA warrantless surveillance controversy concerns Surveillance of persons within the United States incident to the collection of Foreign intelligence by the The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (" FISA ",) is an Act of Congress which prescribes procedures for the physical and electronic Surveillance ^[6] The same rationale was used to deny detainees in the War on Terror protection by the Geneva Conventions resulting in a global controversy surrounding apparent mistreatment. The Geneva Conventions consist of four Treaties formulated in Geneva, Switzerland, that set the standards for International law for humanitarian Also it is thought that the McCain Detainee Amendment, which was adopted to address prisoner abuse, might be ignored after President Bush added a signing statement, invoking his rights as Commander-in-Chief, to that bill. A signing statement is a written pronouncement issued by the President of the United States upon the signing of a bill into Law. ^[7]

See also

• PAF s' Chief of the Air Staffs
• Command responsibility
• International law
• Jus ad bellum
• Jus in bello
• Military law
• The Imperial Presidency

References

The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D

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