[dogbyte12]

I might add in Thutmosis III, Pharoah of Egypt and Julian Augustus, Great nephew of Constantine, in the 4th century A.D.

[medved]

One and two would be Chengis Khan and his general Subudai. Whoever's in third place is way, way back in third.

[FreedomCalls]

What about Hernando Cortez's conquest of the Aztecs? Or the incredible conquest of the 35,000-strong Incan army by Francisco Pizzaro with only 102 men?

[ConsistentLibertarian]

A far better choice would be Themistocles, who had to prepare an unwilling democracy for a war they weren't willing to fight, and who then led them to victory against great odds. Plus, he was a regular guy. Home schooled by his momma and such.

[Destro]

Themistocles of Athens who defeated the larger Persian Fleet at Salamis.

Greek King of Epirus Pyrrhus was king of the Hellenistic kingdom of Epirus and cousin to Alexander the Great. Hannibal himself called Pyrrhus second only to Alexander the Great in generalship. Hannibal ranked himself below Pyrrhus. From Pyrrhus we get the term "Pyrrhic victory".

Germany's Erich von Manstein

General Lee is probably the greatest General since Napoleon.

Kubalai Khan is also on my list. Genghis Kahn should be second on the list. Alexander gets top billing because he won more battles and territories with less troops and with less destruction.

[Mr.Clark]

I agree with Alexander as the best ever. Considering the things he accomplished, the destruction of the Persian Empire, the annexation of its territory, and, most impressive, keep his relatively small army on the attack, I think Alexander is a lock for the best military commander ever.

[Fintan]

U. S. Grant.

Misunderstood, misinterpreted and misrepresented. He ended the Civil War. Period.

[FreedomCalls]

Vo Nguyen Giap in Viet-Nam defeated the greatest technological army of the 20th century with barefoot soldiers.

Ahmad Shah Masoud in Afghanistan defeated the second greatest technological army of the 20th century with little more than a bunch of AK-47s (and maybe a Stinger or two).

[ofMagog]

William Tecumseh Sherman

[Steve Van Doorn]

Hannibal? Didn’t he send his troops on a one-year expedition when the Romans crossed over and kicked their ass?

The others I can agree with.. I would put Stonewall Jackson up higher.. and maybe add Robert E Lee?

[MilspecRob]

Germanys general Model (sp) fought defensive battles at odds of 16 to one sucesfully.

[CharlieDarwin]

My top 3 are: Vlad the Impaler; Billy Sherman; and General Giap.

And if you don't think this is objective, consider that I'm a native Atlantan and Billy Sherman is considered thereabouts as a "Yank who was careless with matches".

[ChicagoRepublican]

Scipius Africanus should be on the list. His campaign in Africa brought the main armies of Carthage back to Africa, and then defeated them in the Battle of Zama.

Guderian might deserve to be there more than Rommell.

I would also try to find a way to fit Gustav Adolphus, the Swedish military commadner during the 30 years war.

Actually there are so many military geniuses over the course of history I'm just going to name my list.

1. Belisarius

2. Philip II/Alexander the Great/Parmenio (Their military fortunes are too intertwined and dependent on each other to be seperate.)

3. Genghis Khan

4. Scipius Africanus

5. Sherman, because IMHO his military and nonmilitary actions won the Civil War for the union

6. Themistocles

7. Gustav Adolphus

8. Napoleon

9. Timur-i-Lang

10. Babur

I tried to make a list that varied over a large span of time and distance but it is pretty ridiculous to attempt.

[Hugin]

I think in terms of the numbers of enemies conquered with the fewest men, Cortez and Pizzaro deserve consideration. For sheer chutzpuh if nothing else.

[Steve Van Doorn]

How about the Spartans? I forget some of the general’s names now.

They where out numbered and always won decisive battles.

[Destro]

To add some spice to the discussion:

Greece's General Metaxas not only defeated the much larger Italian armies during WW2 he invaded deep into Italian held Albania causing Hitler to worry about the Balkans and delay the invasion of the USSR to pacify the Balkans and keep the British from establishing a base there.

General Metaxas brilliant defense and offense against the Italians can be argued set the stage for Hitler losing WW2.

Honorable mention to Finnish Field Marshal Baron Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim whose small army held back the armies of the USSR with great elan for a year.

[Living Free in NH]

How about our former Commander in Chief - William Jefferson Clinton? Nah, nevermind.

[Charlesj]

Good list, save for Patton. I might agree he was the best of the Allied Generals on the Western Front but he had huge resources. If you gave Manstein, Guderian, Model, Runstedt, Manteuffel, Bock, or any number of other German generals even vaguely comparable resources, I believe they could have EASILY defeated Patton. Genius in attack, not just "attack", makes a great general. MacArthur made some doozy mistakes, but with island-hopping and Inchon he was a genius. Hannibal's first 3 victories probably rank him a few notches higher. I'd agree that Alexander should probably be first, but he was lucky to be fighting Persians, Indians, etc.

[wardaddy]

George Washington.....I know he never really won anything till Cornwall but he held off the greatest power in the world and won...strategically.

Gustavo Adolphus.....father of modern warfare.

Charlemagne....Europeanized Europe.

Lord Nelson.....an admiral.

Drake....as well.

Pizzaro....

Cyrus.....

William the Conqueror...major implications.

Peter the Great....defeated enemies outside and inside and modernized Russia to a degree from fiefdom.

Cromwell....came from nowhere literally.

Lee....large armies...modern weapons...big battles.

GC Marshall.....commanded the baddest ass army the world has ever known from afar.


This list could go on and on......there is no real top ten but in my mind's eye, Al the Great is number one to a majority of folks who follow this stuff.

I should mention Bolivar. I know he was no great tactician and fraught with personal demons but he moved a rag tag army all over the Andes from Caracas to South Central Peru at altitude and jungle which was no small feat and he whipped Spanish butt at Boyaca between Tunja and Bogota in some pretty rough high country. I have traveled extensively between Venezuela and Pery thru the Andes and it's a lunar landscape battlefield with low oxygen in many places along the way...far worse than anything Hannibal faced in the Alps with no civilization to speak of at the time (not much today either) plus Hannibal lost although he won a pile of battles.

[Napoleon]

what patton is doing in the of the greatest generals?????hes is nothing in front of Napoleon and julius ceasar!!!! Of course am not talking about the greatest of all ALEXANDER