The Department of War: Why Strength and Strategy Must Go Hand in Hand
By Kimberly Lehn
September 11, 2025
America once had a Department of War. From 1789 to 1949, under this name, America won its independence, preserved the Union, and emerged victorious from two world wars that defined the modern international order. Its existence made clear that the nation did not shy away from the hard truth that peace often depends on the credible ability and readiness to wage—and win—war. Reconsidering that legacy, along with the posture and policies it represents, could reinvigorate the U.S. approach to deterrence at a time when great power competition is intensifying.
Recent events underscore the enduring relevance of this mindset. The United States’ strikes on Iran earlier this year demonstrated both capability and will. Far from escalating conflict, such decisive action reinforced deterrence and showed adversaries that aggression carries consequences. History repeatedly shows that credible, immediate responses to provocations are the best ways to keep the peace. Deterrence is not simply about having forces—it is about demonstrating that we will use them if required.
The change of the Department of Defense back to the Department of War if paired with real investments in capability, modernization, and readiness, would signal that America is serious about defending its interests and those of its allies. It would remind allies and adversaries alike that the United States does not confuse restraint with weakness, nor dialogue with deference.
For all our desire to avoid conflict with China, we must remember that peace is not a unilateral choice. Beijing must want it too. Its actions suggest otherwise. The recent meetings among Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, coupled with Beijing’s highly publicized military parade, bellicose training activities, and aim to coordinate economically and technologically against the United States, underscore a shared vision by China and its partners of countering U.S. influence and rewriting international rules. Pretending that Beijing’s ambitions can be dissuaded solely by our rhetoric is a recipe for strategic surprise. Instead, we should implement a whole-of-government approach focused on executing a coherent, winning strategy.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2025/09/11/the_department_of_war_why_strength_and_strategy_must_go_hand_in_hand_1134150.html
