Aliases

Disambiguation

The War Department General Staff was the central command and planning body of the U.S. War Department, distinct from the broader Department of War itself or from individual intelligence agencies like the Counter Intelligence Corps or Air Technical Intelligence Division.

Stats

Organization

Enrichment

• Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs (RG 165)
  U.S. National Archives and Records Administration▎ high· 2026-05-14
  • General Staff formally established August 15, 1903
  • Records span 1860–1952 (bulk 1888–1948)
  • Four main divisions: Personnel (G-1), Military Intelligence (G-2), Organization and Training (G-3), Supply (G-4)
  • Dissolved 1947 by National Security Act
  • Includes 196,000+ photographs, 1,300+ maps, extensive correspondence and intelligence reports
• United States Department of War
  Wikipedia▎ high· 2026-05-14
  • Department of War established August 7, 1789
  • War Department General Staff created as central command structure in 1903
  • Dissolved September 18, 1947 by National Security Act
  • Secretary of War was the civilian head; Chief of Staff headed the military command structure
  • Functions transferred to Department of the Army and Department of the Air Force
• Second Division, War Department General Staff Created Aug. 15, 1903
  U.S. Army Official Website▎ high· 2026-05-14
  • Established effective August 15, 1903 by Congressional Act under Secretary of War Elihu Root
  • Second Division focused on Military Information (intelligence), absorbing the 1885 Military Information Division
  • Second Division maintained library of 6,000 maps and 300,000 items of military value
  • Originally three divisions became reorganized over time, with Second Division later consolidated into War College in 1907