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To: Cyropaedia

The Greatest American General was Robert E. Lee.

Even West Point teaches that!

US Grant was not that great of a General. He threw thousands of men into positions to win by sheer numbers. Not the making of a tactician.


59 posted on 11/14/2004 5:34:33 PM PST by TexConfederate1861 (Sic Semper Tyrannis!)
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To: TexConfederate1861
I too am shocked that anyone would think Grant was anything more than an average general.

Getting defeated several times by an opponent with only a fraction of your strength does not indicate a great general. Finally grinding him down shows determination but losing more men killed than Lee's army ever numbered should be telling.

93 posted on 11/14/2004 5:40:06 PM PST by yarddog
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To: TexConfederate1861

I would agree with that. Lee was better. Grant deserves commendation for his recognition that a bloody war of attrition was the only way to win an early modern industrial age war. The Civil War presaged WW1 by showing how a war between 2 big industrial powers would be waged.


277 posted on 11/14/2004 6:45:52 PM PST by nuke rocketeer
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To: TexConfederate1861

Kinda sorta disagree. Grant's campaigns in the west showed that he had a good grasp of both tactics and strategy. His campaigns in the east simply took advantage of the vastly greater resources he had to wear down the enemy in the quickest possible way. That, in itself, isn't bad strategy or tactics.


739 posted on 12/27/2005 4:39:20 PM PST by Hootowl
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