Understand U.S. policy making in times of military conflict by learning about constitutional, statutory, and customary factors that affect policy. Apply their knowledge of policy making to determine if U.S. involvement in one its 20th century conflicts was warranted. The Constitution and the War Powers Act have clear instructions regarding the authority of the president and the Congress. Yet, U.S. presidents have committed troops to battle more than 100 times without a formal declaration of war from Congress. Engage Start by asking your students to consider the following quotation and discuss the questions below.
Laws are silent in time of war.
Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution states that the president shall be commander in chief of U.S. military forces. The War Powers Act of 1973 limits the president's ability to use military forces by requiring him to report the use of troops to Congress within 48 hours and allowing him to continue their use for only 60 days without congressional authorization. The United States often sends troops into hostile situations as part of UN operations. The views of foreign policy elites and military leaders are very important in shaping policy in times of conflict, as are national security concerns. Ask students to select one of the following conflicts to investigate further.