Allied commands of World War II

Allied commands of World War II
Unit name	Allied Commands of World War II
Caption	The shoulder sleeve insignia of SHAEF.
Dates	1941–1945
Allegiance	Allies of World War II
Role	Supreme Military Command
Notable commanders	Dwight D. Eisenhower, George C. Marshall, Winston Churchill, Louis Mountbatten

Allied commands of World War II were the integrated military command structures formed by the Allies of World War II to coordinate strategy and operations across global theaters. These organizations, established through pivotal conferences like the Arcadia Conference and the Casablanca Conference, were essential for unifying the disparate forces of the United States, the British Empire, the Soviet Union, and other allied nations. The most famous of these, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force, directly planned and executed the Normandy landings and the subsequent campaign in Western Europe.

Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF)

Activated in February 1944, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force was the overarching command for all Allied forces in the European Theater of Operations. Headed by Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower, its primary mission was the planning and execution of Operation Overlord, the Normandy invasion. SHAEF coordinated the complex operations of the United States Army, the British Army, the Free French Forces, and other contingents, directing the campaign across France and into Germany until the German Instrument of Surrender in May 1945. Key subordinate commands included Allied Air Forces and the ground forces of the 21st Army Group and the 12th Army Group.

Combined Chiefs of Staff

The Combined Chiefs of Staff was the supreme military strategic body, established in early 1942 following the Arcadia Conference in Washington, D.C.. It comprised the senior military leaders of the United States and the United Kingdom, including the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff led by General of the Army George C. Marshall and the British Chiefs of Staff Committee. This committee, which often met alongside political leaders like Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt at major conferences such as the Quebec Conference and the Yalta Conference, was responsible for allocating resources, setting global strategy, and issuing directives to all Allied theater commanders.

South East Asia Command (SEAC)

Formed in August 1943 at the Quebec Conference, the South East Asia Command was created to reinvigorate the Allied war effort against Japan in the Southeast Asian theater. Its first Supreme Allied Commander was Admiral Louis Mountbatten, who oversaw operations from his headquarters in Kandy, Ceylon. SEAC's area of responsibility included British India, Burma, Ceylon, and parts of China. Its major campaigns were the grueling Burma campaign, including the pivotal Battle of Imphal, and supporting operations in French Indochina and the Dutch East Indies.

Supreme Allied Commander Mediterranean

This command, held successively by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, General Henry Maitland Wilson, and Field Marshal Harold Alexander, controlled Allied operations in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. It directed the final phases of the North African campaign, the Allied invasion of Sicily, the Italian campaign, and the campaign in the Dodecanese Islands. The headquarters worked closely with naval forces of the Mediterranean Fleet and air units of the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, coordinating with local commands like the U.S. Fifth Army and the British Eighth Army.

Pacific Ocean Areas (POA)

Established in April 1942 by order of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pacific Ocean Areas command was a U.S.-led theater under Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. Its vast jurisdiction was divided into sub-areas: North Pacific Area, Central Pacific Area, and South Pacific Area. The POA was the central command for the pivotal Central Pacific campaign, which featured monumental naval battles like the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and brutal amphibious assaults on islands such as Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

China Burma India Theater (CBI)

The China Burma India Theater was an immense and logistically challenging theater of operations, primarily involving American and Chinese forces under the overall command of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, with American Lieutenant General Joseph Stilwell as his Chief of Staff. The theater was defined by the struggle to keep China supplied via the Ledo Road and Burma Road, and by the operations of specialized units like the American Volunteer Group and Merrill's Marauders. Major campaigns included the Burma campaign and the defense of China against the Imperial Japanese Army.

Category:World War II commands and structures Category:Military history of World War II