what was the department of defense originally called
The NME was renamed the Department of Defense (DoD) in 1949. In the succeeding years of the Cold War, the DoD (commonly referred to as the Pentagon) grew into the largest of all U.S. governmental institutions as American military operations became tantamount in U.S.-Soviet jockeying for international dominance.he DoD is led by the Secretary of Defense, a cabinet-level position appointed by the President and subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate. The Secretary of Defense is assisted by a variety of under secretaries and assistant secretaries who manage specific functions.