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While well-known Commanders-in-Chief often have been senior generals, many countries have the rule that the Head of State is Commander-in-Chief in times of peace. Historically, the term "commander-in-chief" was first used by Charles I of England in 1639. Colonial governors in the future United States used the title. 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).
In democratic monarchies, the King or Queen is the symbolic Commander-in-Chief, though the active authority is exercised by the Prime Minister and the subordinate defense ministers. In a few Commonwealth Realms, Commander-in-Chief is the Governor General (though they perform this role in the Queen's name), while in colonies the Commander-in-Chief is the leader of the colonial power. In France, the President of the Republic has a title of Chef des Armées ("Commander of the Armies"), which is a legacy of the monarchy.
Before 1948 the Commander-in-Chief in India reported to the civilian Governor-General of IndiaThe Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William. The officer had direct control only over Fort William, but supervised since independence the duties of the two posts were merged into a single office, the President of IndiaThe President of India is the ceremonial head of state of India and the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces. The current President of the Republic of India is Dr. Abdul Kalam. History India became formally independent of the United Kingdom in Aug, who in turn reports to the government of the Republic of India. This model has been emulated by most other CommonwealthAlternative meaning: the Commonwealth of Nations The English noun Commonwealth dates originally from the fifteenth century and in different contexts indicates one of: # a nation, state or political unit # a state founded on law by agreement of the people republics.
During times of war, national governments often establish reigionally-based CINCs to deal with a paticular theater of war. Though subsidary to the national CINC, such local-level CINCs usually have full decision-making authority in order to improve efficency during war.
In the United States, the Goldwater-Nichols Defense Reorganization act of 1986 added a new level of CINC. Under Goldwater-Nichols regional CINCs were created to bring a local supreme commander to a conflict. The most well known of which is CINC CENTCOM, who was Norman Schwarzkopf during Operation Desert Storm.
On October 24, 2002, the U.S. Secretary of Defense announced that the title of Commander-in-Chief would be reserved for the President, and that armed forces CINCs would shorten their title to " commanderCommander is a military rank used in many navies but not generally in armies or air forces. It is below Captain and above Lieutenant-Commander. Formerly the rank was Master and Commander . A Commander in the U. Navy commands a Frigate, Destroyer, Submarin." Since then, the title has taken a proeminent importance in the political debate in the United States in the context of the "War against Terrorism" [2].