Naval History and Heritage Command

10^th Chief of Naval Operations; 15 December 1945 – 15 December 1947

The end of World War II and the advent of the atomic bomb brought a period of re-evaluation and restructuring to the military services, which many Navy leaders feared would result in the dismemberment of the Navy.  Nimitz, a highly respected leader in the war, staunchly upheld the Navy’s role in the newly created Department of Defense.