Department of War - Defense - then War Again

·11 min·1 clip

After WWII, American leaders renamed the department to emphasize defense over war, reflecting a new Cold War identity.

This episode traces the evolution of the U.S. military department from its founding as the Department of War in 1789 to its transformation into the Department of Defense after WWII, examining how the name changes reflect shifting American attitudes toward military power. It explores recent political actions to revert to the original name and what this reveals about national identity and language.

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