"Who was the best US President as a Commander-in-Chief" Topic

Could be someone who started out in the military or a civilian. Who was the best wartime/military leader?

James Madison. Well, he was the best for Canada.

Normally I would say Roosevelt. But today I would say Lincoln. He kept this nation together.

I am a great admirer of Lincoln, but Roosevelt found great commanders at a time when the whole war was at war. He rallied the whole country.

I'd also vote for Roosevelt. Both Nimitz and Eisenhower were not obvious choices and they both were outstanding in their jobs. Also making the choice to keep Marshall by his side, rather than letting him have the field command he wanted, was a tough but correct decision.

FDR, Truman, Lincoln.

FDR and Lincoln

I've always thought Washington for many reasons, but isn't the Commander-in-Chief concept fairly new in our history?

Lincoln, FDR, Polk, Washington (in that order).

If I'm only considering Washington WHILE he was president.

And before someone else says it: Bill Pullman (tongue firmly planted in cheek).

Normally I would say Roosevelt.

Which Roosevelt?

FDR

Editor Bill: Yes

FDR and Lincoln. Different wars, great leaders.

For me Lincoln first, then FDR

FDR did a great job but had the advantage of fighting a war mostly on someone else's landscape

FDR is my vote – allowed his commanders in the field to command! A better and more interesting question would be the worst 45 men have served as president and probably at most 5 have been good commander-in-chief. who was the worst…………..

FDR and Lincoln. As to the earlier post about commander in chief being fairly new, the answer is no. That is a role given to the President in Article II of the Constitution. Washington actively led troops in the field in the role to put down the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania. From that time forward no President has led troops in the field but has relied on generals and been the civilian control of the military.

Define best.

P.

Almost a new topic – what are the qualities of a high functioning CinC?

Good judge of abilities in others and able to delegate effectively
Strategic assessment abilities
Understands production and logistics
Good at PR and morale
Can withstand continuous stress over time

I am sure there are others.

Lincoln and then F. Roosevelt in shooting wars.
Reagan in the Cold War, non-shooting.

I might have said FDR too, but having just finished a book about he ACW -- Lincoln then FDR.

Truman for the Cold War.

FDR, hands down

I would have to agree with FDR.

Washington; I consider him as counting simply by having won the nation's freedom in the first place.

Lincoln, for recognizing competence when it finally appeared. (Took a while, though.)
Reagan (I very much count the Cold War as a war.)
FDR (though in all other respects he was not as good as his rep.)

Agree about the Cold War as a war. Reagan's military judgement I am not so sure about. Dealing weapons to Iran, and the Marine deployment to Beirut, which was a leadership disaster, and a boon to terrorism, cost him points. While the Soviets perhaps hastened their own downfall with their long war in Afghanistan. But Reagan kept the pressure up and did not waver, qualities of a good commander.

Even the greatest commanders make mistakes. The difference is how a commander responds to those mistakes. Does he correct the error and alter his policy? Or does he keep doing the same stupid thing while expecting different results?
It's also hard for a civilian commander to know exactly what the conditions of his forces are or the quality of their military leadership until the shooting starts. You might have a McClellan, who looks good and makes his troops look good, but when battle comes is ineffective or even inept. As others have observed, the path to general is often based on politics, not military ability. (Or as I put it, there are two kinds of officers— butt-kickers and butt-kissers. Butt-kickers win wars; butt-kissers get promoted.) And it's not always that easy to know which you've got in place until all Hell breaks loose.

Any President who does not take you to war.
regards
Allan

FDR and Lincoln. Note that neither one gets a 100% score. Lincoln spent a lot of time in 1861 learning things he might have studied before he applied for the job, and FDR spent eight years in office not doing much to prepare for an increasingly likely conflict. But they learned, picked and supported good people and did much to unite the nation.

Mister Tibbles, read the US Constitution. Of all the hats these guys wear in a year, CinC in one of the very few they're actually supposed to, and always were.