FReep this Poll: Greatest Military General in History

Internet Poll/Right Handed Pitcher ^ | 9/8/10

[therightliveswithus]

Vote in our poll: the Greatest General in History

[tcrlaf]

It’s hard to pick a “Greatest General” given the disparity of technologies and eras.

I’d rather pick a list of 5.

Genghis Khan
Hannibal
Khaled bin Al-Waleed
Von Manstein
Ariel Sharon

[Truthsearcher]

Charles “The Hammer” Martel

I’m surprised he doesn’t get more mention. If it weren’t for him we’d all be Muslim now.

[RedwM]

Grant fought with sheer weight and he knew the cost. I would have got drunk too.

[GreenLanternCorps]

“Gen Douglas McAuthur has my vote”

I don’t think you read the title of the thread correctly, this is about the BEST generals in history, not the WORST.

MacArthur:

Lost half his Air Force on the first day of the war.
Failed to follow a well thought out pre-war plan
Failed to move critical supplies to Bataan and Corregidor

Consequently his army held out about half the time it was capable of had it been properly supplied.

Later in the war he had horrible relations with his fellow theater commander, Chester Nimitz, and pretty much the whole Navy which harmed his efforts against the Japanese.

Ten years later he was at it again, getting caught napping by the North Koreans. He nearly got thrown out of Korea, staged a comeback but then wasted it by getting caught napping AGAIN, this time by the Red Chinese. Then nearly lost a whole corps to the Reds by letting it get over extended before a Marine General saved them.

To top it off he got himself fired by the President for insubordination.

[SunkenCiv]

Wholeheartedly agree — after Chancellorsville, which was Jackson’s masterpiece, Lee one only one major battle, Cold Harbor, and that was a boneheaded blunder by Grant.

[SunkenCiv]

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[SunkenCiv]

Well said!

[mad_as_he$$]

Leonidas (pronounced /liːˈɒnɨdəs/,[1] Greek: Λεωνίδας, Leōnidas, literally "lion's son") was a king of Sparta, the 17th of the Agiad line, one of the sons of King Anaxandridas II of Sparta, who was believed in mythology to be a descendant of Heracles, possessing much of the latter's strength and bravery. While it has been established that King Leonidas of Sparta died at the Battle of Thermopylae in August, 480 BC, very little is known about the year of his birth, or for that matter, his formative years. Paul Cartledge has narrowed the date of the birth of King Leonidas to around 540 BC.

Leonidas was one of three brothers: he had an older brother Dorieus and a younger brother Cleombrotus, who ruled as regent for a while on Leonidas' death before the regency was taken over by Pausanias, who was Cleombrotus' son. Leonidas succeeded his half-brother Cleomenes I, probably in 489 or 488 BC, and was married to Cleomenes' daughter, Gorgo. His name was raised to heroic status as a result of the events in the Battle of Thermopylae.

With my shield or on it.

[wendy1946]

Either Genghis Khan himself or his general Subudai who led the invasion of Eastern Europe, one of the two.

[Kevmo]

Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and myself founded empires; but what foundation did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded an empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.
~Napoleon Bonaparte

[SunkenCiv]

Mighty good choices! In particular, Von Manstein is a great choice which also points to the fact that WWII had the, uh, I guess, benefit of having some mighty great generals all over; on the German side, I’d pick Guderian, Rommel, and Von Manstein. VM’s memoirs are on my eventually-I-will-finish-it list of books I’m reading. The sharp focus of his mind comes through in his text.

I’d add Sepp Dietrich to the German list, not for strategic thinking (he had none) but for sheer ass-kicking fighting-man abilities — but the guy kinda creeps me out. He was no doubt about it a straight talker, which may be why he was the only man Hitler trusted. Nominally he reported to Himmler, but Dietrich reported in fact directly to Hitler.

Patton was the greatest of the US generals in WWII, although the snarky Omar Bradley neither gave him credit for knowing what he was doing the whole time nor for his accomplishments (meanwhile, Bradley showed flashes of minimum competence). It’s probably cheating (and will probably tinkle off some people here), but the greatest of the Pacific Fleet command belongs on the list of nominees, IMHO. The toughest fighting of the war for US forces at least was in the Pacific, and in Italy (due to the terrain, rather than the Italians).

[decisis]

General Robert E. Lee, CSA.

[Palter]

Scipio Africanus & Sulla

[SunkenCiv]

Stilwell is another good choice, although he didn’t do much commanding in WWII; that Tuchman bio of “Vinegar Joe” is a great choice for anyone interested in 20th c Far East politics as well as WWII. Like Patton, Stilwell talked too much for his own good, and also like Patton, Stilwell was right on the money. Also, both men died right away (1945 and 1946, respectively).

Patton: the Speech
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/708544/posts

One Marine, One Ship
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1008503/posts

[MattinNJ]

Have to go with Alexander. Dude won in all terrains-jungles, deserts, mountains, plains-and in all scenarios-massive showdowns between empires or guerilla warfare.

Napoleon was great and he gets bonus points and added degree of difficulty because he had the French, but at the end of the day, you have to go with Alexander.

My favorites-Leonaides, Patton, and Charles the Hammer. Daniel Morgan has to get an honorable mention for the ass whupping he gave the Brits at Cowpens.

[SunkenCiv]

At least Napoleon polls ahead of Wellington. :’)

[SunkenCiv]

Nice one!

[GreenLanternCorps]

Alexander the Great - defeated only by the size of the World

George Washington - Kept the American army together to outlast the the British and win independence, kept the army out of politics, and gave up power willingly.

1st Baron Clive - Defeated the French and won India for Great Britain

1st Duke of Marlborough - won the War of the Spanish Succession

1st Duke of Wellington - Drove Napoleon from Spain, defeated him at Waterloo

King Frederick II of Prussia (Frederick the Great) - Greatest General of the Seven Years War, created modern Prussia

Ulysses S. Grant - Crushed the Confederacy in the West, effectively won the War at Vicksburg, then destroyed the Eastern Confederate armies too.

Omar Bradley - lead the largest army (12th Army Group) in American history.

Winfield Scott - Captured Mexico City and won the Mexican War. Devised the plan that was the basis of Union victory in the Civil War.

[SunkenCiv]

/highfive

[SunkenCiv]

Speaking of Sun Tsu (Political Junkie Too was, above), “he will triumph who knows when to fight and when not to fight”. The General, George Washington, understood that one very well. Everyone did what they did, the Framers rose to never-equalled genius, but no Washington, no independence.