National Defense Act of 1920 facts for kids
The National Defense Act of 1920, also known as the Kahn Act, was an important law passed in the United States. It was named after Julius Kahn, a Congressman from California. This act updated an earlier law from 1916. Its main goals were to reorganize the United States Army and change how the Army bought its equipment and supplies. Congress passed this important law on June 4, 1920.
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Reorganizing the U.S. Army
This law was strongly supported by people like John McAuley Palmer, a military leader. It created the Army of the United States with three main parts:
- The Regular Army: These are full-time soldiers.
- The National Guard: These are part-time soldiers who also serve their states.
- The Organized Reserve: This group included the Officers’ Reserve Corps, Enlisted Reserve Corps, and the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC).
The act also allowed the Regular Army to have more soldiers during peacetime. It increased the maximum number of enlisted men from 175,000 to 280,000. The National Guard's allowed strength also grew to 435,800 enlisted men. This helped ensure there were enough officers to lead these larger forces.
Challenges After World War I
After World War I ended in November 1918, many soldiers left the Army. By November 1919, over three million men had been discharged. Congress allowed the Army to keep about 175,000 enlisted men for a short time. They also provided money for an army of 325,000 men for the next year.
However, the Army expected to have about 225,000 soldiers each year. Since most wartime soldiers had to leave, the Army needed to recruit many new people quickly. In 1919, the Army started recruiting again. They offered one or three-year enlistments. They also highlighted training programs for soldiers.
By spring 1920, the number of soldiers began to drop. Many one-year enlistments ended. A new recruiting effort in 1920 didn't work as well as hoped. By June 1920, the Army had about 177,194 men.
Congress approved money for an army of 175,000 men in June 1920. President Woodrow Wilson tried to stop this bill, but Congress passed it anyway. This meant the Army had to reduce its size. Many soldiers under 18 were discharged. Over 1,000 officers also had to leave the Army.
Later, the Army had to reduce its size even more. By October 1922, the Army was slightly below its new goal of 125,000 soldiers. The Regular Army stayed at a much smaller size, usually under 120,000 men, until 1936.
Stronger National Guard and Reserve
The 1920 Act made the National Guard and Organized Reserve stronger in several ways:
- It stated that the leader of the Militia Bureau (now the National Guard Bureau) must be a National Guard officer. This helped the Army and National Guard work better together.
- National Guard officers were allowed to serve on the Army's General Staff. This gave them more training and experience. It also helped regular Army officers learn more about the National Guard.
- The Army Staff had to create special committees. These committees included officers from the Guard, Reserve, and Regular Army. This made sure the Guard and Reserve had a say in plans that would affect them.
The Regular Army Reserve, which directly supported the Regular Army, was ended by this act. However, it was brought back in 1938.
Better Buying and Planning
The National Defense Act of 1920 also required the Army to plan for wartime. Instead of waiting for a war to start, they had to prepare in advance. This new way of thinking led to changes in how the Army bought supplies. It also improved teamwork between military leaders and business leaders.
Because specialists were needed for planning and buying, the Army Industrial College was created in 1924.
Legacy of the Act
The 1920 Act was very important for how the Army was organized. It remained the main guide for the Army through World War II. Many of its ideas stayed in place until a new law, the National Security Act of 1947, was passed.
