Commander in chief Quote by Garry Wills
““...that the Bomb altered our subsequent history down to its deepest constitutional roots. It redefined the presidency, as in all respects America's "Commander in Chief" (a term that took on a new and unconstitutional meaning in this period). It fostered an anxiety of continuing crisis, so that society was pervasively militarized. It redefined the government as a National Security State, with an apparatus of secrecy and executive control. It redefined Congress, as an executor of the executive. And it redefined the Supreme Court, as a follower of the follower of the executive. Only one part of the government had the supreme power, the Bomb, and all else must defer to it, for the good of the nation, for the good of the world, for the custody of the future, in a world of perpetual emergency superseding ordinary constitutional restrictions.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of the Nuclear Arms Race by James G. Hershberg, 1995
The nuclear bomb reshaped U.S. government, concentrating power in the executive and militarizing society, while eroding constitutional checks.
In simple terms: The bomb shifted power to the president and military, weakening checks.
Key Takeaway
Beware of emergency powers that bypass normal democracy.
Themes
politics
nuclear weapons
constitution
executive power
militarization
Mood
critical
concerned
Type
political
historical
When to use this quote
- policy making
- military planning
- civil liberties debates
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
political theory
history
law
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies restore balance after such shifts?
- What safeguards can limit executive dominance?
A Different Perspective
Emergency narratives can justify ongoing overreach.
