Ernest J. King

Ernest J. King was a U.S. Navy admiral who served as both Chief of Naval Operations and Commander in Chief of the U.S. Fleet during World War II.

Franklin D. Roosevelt: The 32nd president of the United States, who led the country during most of World War II. Roosevelt selected King as Chief of Naval Operations in 1942.
Chief of Naval Operations: The senior professional post in the U.S. Navy, responsible for advising the president and secretary of the Navy. King held this office while directing the Navy’s wartime expansion and operations.
Battle of the Atlantic: The naval campaign to secure Allied shipping routes across the Atlantic during World War II. King’s handling of submarine attacks and convoy protection drew intense scrutiny.
Unrestricted submarine warfare: Submarine warfare conducted without warning merchant ships or distinguishing combatants from noncombatants before attack. King authorized this policy against Japanese shipping after the United States entered the war.
Europe first: The Allied strategy that prioritized defeating Nazi Germany before concentrating on Japan. King favored stronger Pacific effort than this strategy’s priority allowed.
Chester W. Nimitz: A U.S. Navy fleet admiral who commanded Allied forces in the Pacific during World War II. Nimitz directed Pacific operations under the broader strategic authority King exercised.
Commander in Chief of the U.S. Fleet: A U.S. Navy command established in 1923 to oversee fleet operations and readiness. King held this operational command alongside his post as Chief of Naval Operations.
Battle of Midway: A June 1942 naval battle in which U.S. forces defeated a Japanese carrier strike force in the central Pacific. King backed the intelligence-led operation that helped turn the Pacific war’s momentum.
Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service: The U.S. Navy program that enlisted women as reservists during World War II, commonly called WAVES. King’s wartime administration oversaw the Navy’s expansion of women’s service.
Douglas MacArthur’s Pacific strategy: The Southwest Pacific campaign strategy associated with Douglas MacArthur, advancing through New Guinea toward the Philippines. MacArthur’s route competed with the Central Pacific drive King and Nimitz supported.

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