The objective of this study is to investigate effects of prebuckling on the buckling of laminated composite cylindrical shells. axial compression is considered for laminated composite cylindrical shells with length to radius ratios. The shell walls are made of a laminate with several symmetric ply orientations. This study was made using finite difference energy method, utilizing the nonlinear bifurcation branch with nonlinear prebuckling displacements. The results are compared to the buckling loads determined when membrane prebuckling displacements are considered.