Posted on 09/08/2010 2:09:37 PM PDT by therightliveswithus
Vote in our poll: the Greatest General in History
(Excerpt) Read more at righthandedpitcher.blogspot.com ...
I am a bit surprised that Frederick the Great wasn’t at least on that list. His battlefield acheivements are pretty impressive as the leader of a small state and the legacy of the Prussian/German military machine.
Genghis Khan, of course. ;-)
Yep
You have to go with the guy who consistently won against larger, better equiped forces. That is an Alexander, Hannibal, perhaps even a Lee. People may not want to hear it but it also may be the generals of the Rashidun Caliphate who conquired Syria, Egypt and established Islam in that region.
Overall, I’d probably go with Alexander.
General Chesty Puller! - “They are in front of us, behind us, and we are flanked on both sides by an enemy that outnumbers us 29:1. They can’t get away from us now!”
Paraphrasing just a bit - “We are not retreating! We are fighting in the opposite direction!”
Gen. Puller - “We are surrounded, that simplifies our problem.”
Forrest was the leader with the most sense about battle and leadership. He led his men in battle and suffered their fates with them. He never was allowed to fight as he wished due to his superiors ignoring his recommendations. Forrest never was allowed to reach his full potential due to his superiors and the sheer situation of the Confederacy. The British honored Forrest with the statue in Memphis, recognizing his ability as a fighter and leader.
Damnit...I was only kidding...stop throwing them rocks
Goddam Right!!!! My bet’s on that one!!!!
"Nuts!"
Joe Stillwell. Take a look at all the crap he had to put up with. Oh the best? (I thought my favorite.) Best General of the 20th century? 20th Century goes to.................... “Eric Von Manstein”. IMHO, If Von Manstein was given command of the Western front with as much equipment and personnel as Patton had, Patton would still be in England. Pattons Army may have moved quick, but they were fighting out numbered Volksturm divisions mostly. The toughest divisions were eaten up on the eastern front. Those with high casualty rates were sent back to be refitted, but it wasn’t the same fighting unit even though they carried the Division name and number. They may have been called a Division but for the most part they were about the size of a Brigade.
Someone also mentioned Stonewall Jackson (Patton before there was a Patton, or motorized armor) and I'd have to put him on the list as well. He was brilliant.
I would be interested in where you got your information as to General Sam Grant being drunk and out of his skull??
“Von Manstein”
Very good call.
regards,
One of the most under rated (or under publicized) WWII generals was MG Earnest Harmon who commanded the 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions as well as XXII Corps.
-PJ
Alexander the Great
12%
Genghis Khan
3%
Julius Caesar
5%
Cyrus the Great
0%
Napoleon Bonaparte
3%
Ashoka
0%
Akbar the Great
2%
George S. Patton
43%
Erwin Rommel
3%
David Petraeus
0%
Robert E. Lee
11%
William T. Sherman
3%
Ulysses S. Grant
5%
Andrew Jackson
0%
Duke of Wellington
0%
Tamerlane
0%
Hulagu Khan
0%
Kublai Khan
2%
Babur
0%
Other
9%
but in the end he lost to Scipio, and was unable to get the Italian city states to side with him - or get the Macedonians to join him.
Perhaps he was a greater tactician than strategist,
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