War Department

American  

noun

U.S. History.

1. the department of the federal government that, from 1789 until 1947, was responsible for defense and the military establishment: in 1947 it became the Department of the Army, which became part of the Department of Defense when it was established in 1949.

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Example Sentences

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War Department

President Abraham Lincoln spent many evenings in the War Department telegraph office reading dispatches and issuing orders.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026

The Department of Defense, now called the War Department, is investing directly in companies, demanding greater production and new technology.

From Barron's ● Jan. 14, 2026

As he revealed in his 2013 documentary memoir “Ain’t Misbehavin,” he began his career as an actor, playing, ironically, a member of the Hitler Youth in Frank Capra’s 1942 War Department film “Prelude to War.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2025

He has also reportedly called for the Defence Department to be renamed the War Department and for a 10-year ban on generals working as defence contractors after leaving the military.

From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2024

Lafayette Baker, the notorious detective and War Department agent—and a favorite of Stanton’s—had been in Washington since April 16.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson