ABSTRACT
Civilian control of the military is a prerequisite for a democracy and is critical to the protection and maintenance of civil liberties in the United States. In many other nations, sometimes even where civilians are officially vested with power, military officials have toppled regimes in coups and have ignored human rights. The tradition of civilian control of the military in the United States dates back to George Washington's willingness, as commander-in-chief of the Continental forces that opposed the British, to accept orders from Congress. Although civilian authorities remained in control during World War I, World War II, and the Cold War, these conflicts often tested America's commitment to civil liberties. The Korean War served as an example of a major confrontation between civilian and military authorities when General Douglas MacArthur attempted to pursue a more aggressive military policy on the Korean Peninsula than President Harry S Truman believed was appropriate for the political objectives being sought.
