Illustrative artwork · unverified🇺🇸 United States
George C. Marshall
Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army1939 – 1945
A Global Military Encyclopedia
Explore the Leaders Who Shaped Military History
Biographies, careers and legacies of army chiefs from every nation — documented with care, context and historical depth.
Featured
Featured Army Chiefs
Illustrative artwork · unverified
Illustrative artwork · unverified🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Bernard Montgomery
Chief of the Imperial General Staff1946 – 1948
Illustrative artwork · unverified🇮🇳 India
Sam Manekshaw
Chief of the Army Staff1969 – 1973
Portraits are illustrative artwork, not likenesses. Licensed photographs will replace them.
Through the Ages
Military History by Era
3000 BC – 500 AD
Ancient Era
Legions, phalanxes and the first standing armies.
500 – 1500
Medieval Era
Knights, castles and feudal levies.
1500 – 1789
Early Modern Era
Gunpowder, pike-and-shot and professional armies.
1789 – 1815
Napoleonic Era
Mass conscription and the corps system.
1914 – 1918
World War I
Trench warfare and industrial-scale conflict.
1939 – 1945
World War II
Combined arms on a global stage.
1947 – 1991
Cold War
Deterrence, proxy wars and doctrine.
1991 – Present
Modern Era
Coalitions, technology and new domains.
Latest Articles
How the General Staff System Transformed Command
Sample article · 8 min read
Lessons in Logistics from the Second World War
Sample article · 6 min read
The Evolution of the Army Chief's Office
Sample article · 10 min read
Featured Biography
Bernard Montgomery
Chief of the Imperial General Staff, 1946 – 1948. Development biography with illustrative artwork, not a likeness.
Historical Timeline
1806
Prussian defeat at Jena prompts staff reforms
1903
U.S. Army creates the Chief of Staff post
1904
British Army establishes the General Staff
1947
New national armies form across South Asia
1991
End of the Cold War reshapes force structures