General of the Army Omar Nelson Bradley in the Korean War and the Meaning of the Chairmanship

The Korean War took place over a three year period from 25 June 1950 to 27 July 1953. The first year experienced the major operations of the entire war, and the remaining two years of the war basically resulted in a stalemate along the 38th Parallel until the armistice. The period of the Korean War was a delicate time in United States history, and the war was part of a larger global problem facing the country with regards to the expansion of communism. General of the Army Omar Nelson Bradley served as the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 16 August 1949 to 15 August 1953. During this time in his career, his duty as Chairman overlapped with the Korean War from the initial invasion on 25 June 1950 to the signing of the armistice on July 1953. Bradley’s position as Chairman was part of the modern day Department of Defense unifying the service chiefs of the armed forces. The Chairman position was the senior military advisor to the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense. During Bradley’s four year term in this position, he served under both Presidents Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bradley also served with the Secretaries of Defense Louis Johnson, George Marshall, and Robert Lovett. During the Korean War, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur and General Matthew Ridgway served as the Far East Commanders.