@georgeob1,
georgeob1 wrote:(Lincoln endured far worse mistreatment from Gen McClellan before acting against him)
This is not quite true, and is a good example of why the oversimplification of history (or any other complex subject) can be so misleading. Winfield Scott was the ranking officer in the United States Army until he was replaced by Henry Halleck. McClellan was the field commander of the largest Federal army in the East, until the debacle of the Seven Days. Given that even to this day, most historians don't understand what a useless slaughter of Confederate forces that "battle" was, it is not surprising that Lincoln misjudged it as well. Scott was responsible for selecting Halleck for the western theater, and his date of rank as Major General put him fourth on the list--Scott, McClellan, Frémont and Halleck. After the disaster of Frémont in Missouri, Halleck was sent west to sort out the mess, which he did admirably well (he was also a lawyer, and one of the army's greatest administrators). As a result of the Seven Days, Halleck was brought back east, and made General in Chief. Since McClellan ranked him, he was automatically relieved. John Pope had also been brought from the West and the Army of the Potomac was slowly being shipped north to Washington and then south to the line of the Rappahannock to form Pope's new Army of Virginia.
The campaign from Cedar Mountain to Chantilly, the centerpiece of which was the second battle of Manassas, put paid to Pope's career. Congress was not going to appoint any Lieutenant Generals, so McClellan had to agree, in writing, to serve under Halleck before again taking command of the army to go after Lee, who was by then in Maryland. Leaving aside the controversy, somebody lost Lee's general order for the movements of his army, a Yankee found it wrapped around some cigars (he was interested in the cigars, but he had the sense to pass the paper on to his NCO), and McClellan had the opportunity of his lifetime--the greatest opportunity any military man could ask for. He blew it. Anyone even vaguely familiar with the South Mountain--Harper's Ferry--Sharpsburg/Anteitam campaign will understand this with no need of further explanation.
So, essentially, Halleck was in, and the only two officers who ranked him--Frémont and McClellan--were out. He briefly returned to the West to take command of the main army assembled after the near disaster of Shiloh. He kept Grant chafing on a short leash, and marched the army to Corinth, Mississippi before finally turning the army over to Grant and returning to Washington. Finally, in the wake of the twin victories of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, the Congress developed the expansive mood necessary to authorize the appointment of a Lieutenant General (only the second time in U.S. history--Washington had been the first to hold that rank). Lincoln made it clear to Halleck that he would not appoint him, and to Halleck's credit, he recommended Grant. Halleck then became the Chief of Staff.
It is has often been said that Lincoln interfered too much with the army command. That is an unjust criticism. Halleck was a Democrat, but Lincoln quickly realized that he could count on him. McClellan was a Democrat, and it was clear that he could not be relied upon--either militarily or politically. Of course, McClellan ran against Lincoln in 1864. The Congress set up a committee on the conduct of the war, which functioned like a star chamber, and did far more damage interfering, along lines of political allegiance, with the officers of the army. The Navy was lucky to have escaped their attention.
The only other war in which political considerations loomed so large was the war with Mexico. Scott was kept kicking his heels in Washington because Polk didn't want to burnish his reputation and enhance his political prospects. When Zachary Taylor became a national hero, Polk suddenly decided it was time for Scott to take the field--but politically speaking, it was too late. Taylor's political career was assured by that point. In all of our other wars, Presidents have usually not interfered. MacArthur **** in his own nest, and grossly underestimated Truman's courage and pugnacity--but otherwise, Truman did not interfere. FDR gave Admiral King and General Marshall what they wanted, and didn't interfere as long as they recognized that he was the political master.
I suspect that there is much going on here about which we know nothing. I'd rather not second guess Mr. Obama--but for whatever may eventually emerge, Mr. Obama is the political master, and the stability of the American government has always been more or less assured because the military has recognized and accepted this.
McChrystal stepped on his own dick. He has no sympathy from me.
