How did the Spanish-American War lead to the creation of the U.S. Army War College?

Although the United States emerged victorious in the Spanish-American War, the conflict exposed significant deficiencies in the U.S. military, particularly regarding administrative, organizational, and operational direction. The hasty expansion of the army at the start of the war was chaotic, and the War Department was revealed to be scandalously inefficient.12

In response to these failures, Secretary of War Elihu Root initiated a comprehensive reorganization of the U.S. Army to correct these systemic weaknesses. As part of this effort to revitalize military policy and improve the professional preparation of staff officers, Root established the U.S. Army War College in 1901. This institution was designed to foster higher-level professional education and ensure that the military could better coordinate strategic planning and tactical operations in future conflicts.321