[Austin Willard Wright]

Impact on history? By that standard, would you rank Hitler as the "greatest" leader of Germany since he had the greatest "impact?"

[AntiGuv]

Hmmmm... That's a tough question. I recall the debate at the recent turn of the century regarding who was the "Man of the Century" (by Time Magazine standards). I remember thinking at the time that Hitler without question had the most dramatic impact on the course of history - indeed, one of the most dramatic for the entire millennium. The problem with the term "great" is that it not only connotes magnitude but also connotes excellence. As such, one must balance the magnitude of the individual with the excellence of his endeavors. Hitler fails on the latter score, not the former..