History of the Academy

West Point’s role in our nationís history dates back to the Revolutionary War, when both sides realized the strategic importance of the commanding plateau on the west bank of the Hudson River. In January 1778, elements of General Samuel Parsonís Connecticut Brigade crossed the river and climbed up to this spot. West Point has remained an active Army post since. It is, in fact, America’s oldest continuously occupied military installation.

General George Washington selected Thaddeus Kosciuszko, one of the heroes of Saratoga, to design the fortifications at West Point in 1778, and Washington transferred his headquarters to West Point in 1779. Continental Soldiers built forts, batteries and redoubts and extended a 100-ton iron chain across the Hudson to control  river traffic. Fortress West Point was never captured by the British, despite Benedict Arnoldís treason.

Several soldiers and legislators-including Washington, Knox, Hamilton and John Adams-desiring to eliminate America’s wartime reliance on foreign engineers, urged the creation of an institution devoted to the arts and sciences of warfare.

President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation establishing the United States Military Academy in 1802. He took action because he recognized that it could have civilian as well as military benefits for the nation.

Colonel Sylvanus Thayer, the father of the Military Academy, served as Superintendent from 1817-1833. He upgraded academic standards, instilled military discipline and emphasized honorable conduct.

Aware of our young nations need for engineers, Thayer made civil engineering the foundation of the curriculum. For the first half century, USMA graduates were largely responsible for the construction of the bulk of the nation's initial railway lines, bridges, harbors and roads.

After gaining experience and national recognition during the Mexican and Indian wars, West Point graduates dominated the highest ranks on both sides during the Civil War. Academy graduates, headed by generals such as Grant and Lee, Sherman and Stonewall Jackson, set high standards of military leadership for both the Union and the Confederacy.

The development of other technical schools in the post-Civil War period allowed West Point to broaden its curriculum beyond a strict civil-engineering focus. Following the creation of Army post-graduate command and staff school the Military Academy came to be viewed as the first step in a continuing Army education.

In World War I, Academy graduates again distinguished  themselves on the battlefield. After the war, Superintendent Douglas MacArthur sought to diversify the academic curriculum.

In recognition of the intense physical demands of modern warfare, MacArthur pushed for major improvements in physical fitness and intramural athletic programs. “Every cadet an athlete” became an important goal. Additionally, the cadet management of the Honor System, long an unofficial tradition, was formalized with the creation of the Cadet Honor Committee.

Eisenhower, MacArthur, Bradley, Arnold, Clark, Patton, Stilwell and Wainwright are among an impressive array of Academy graduates who met the challenges of leadership in the Second World War. The postwar period again saw sweeping revisions to the West Point curriculum resulting from the dramatic developments in science and technology, the increasing need to understand other cultures and the rising level of general education in the Army.

Again in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, Academy graduates met the challenges of command from positions ranging from young lieutenants to senior general officers. In 1964, President Johnson signed legislation increasing the strength of the Corps of Cadets from 2,500 to 4,400 (later reduced to 4,000). To keep up with the growth of the Corps, a major expansion of facilities began shortly thereafter.

In concert with the increasing role of minorities and women in society and the military over the past four decades, greater numbers of minorities and the first women were admitted to the Corps of Cadets. Their presence has enhanced the quality and maintained the traditional representatives of the institution.

In recent decades, the Academy’s curricular structure was markedly changed to permit cadets to major in a wide range of subjects from the sciences to the humanities. With recent demands for increased cultural awareness, foreign language requirements and foreign exchange opportunities have been expanded.

As the Academy enters its third century, the institution continues to ensure that all programs and policies support the needs of the Army and nation now as well as in the foreseeable future. The Academy, with its long and noble history, remains an energetic, vibrant institution that attracts some of Americaís best and brightest young men and women. It offers a challenging and comprehensive array of opportunities while retaining its enduring commitment to Duty, Honor, Country.