Greatest Military Commander in History

[Major König]

I think it is odd "Hurrying" Heinz Guderian isn't on the list, nor Erich von Manstein. The German generals of World War Two were all brilliant enough to be on this list.

[sephodwyrm]

I will set up a separate thread about the top Chinese military commanders in the ancient times. I'm good at the pre-Qin era, so I think I'll do just that.

Bai Qi is notorious for not having POWs. I think that's what makes him scary.

[Sidus Preclarum]

Manstein and Slim should definately be on the list.

[Major König]

Manstein and Slim should definately be on the list.

I heard Slim made merits in Burma, but that is where my knowledge ends. Now Manstein, I can talk all day about him, but what really made him stand out was the fabled drive through the Ardennes in the Blitzkrieg against France. He also masterminded the conquest of the Crimea, and bravely led Army Group Don until the end of the war.

[Tacticalwithdrawal]

I heard Slim made merits in Burma, but that is where my knowledge ends. Now Manstein, I can talk all day about him, but what really made him stand out was the fabled drive through the Ardennes in the Blitzkrieg against France. He also masterminded the conquest of the Crimea, and bravely led Army Group Don until the end of the war.

Slim was one of the most impressive and innovative generals of the war, if not the best. You should seriously read up on him, if he had been fighting in a high profile theatre of the war he would have been very, very famous.

Napoleon Bonaparte - What if it had not rained at waterloo

not much difference, it was Napoleon's inability to keep command of his marshals, and his inability to use the right ones in the right roles, that lost Waterloo. Basically Napoleon had lost it by then, and the fact that Wellington was also very, very good.

Monty was a twit, the only reason he won at El-Alamein was that he outnumbered Rommel in men, tanks, planes and supplies

which was a deliberate decision on his parrt. He knew the Africa Korps was far superior to his forces so he knew that he had to have overwhelming force (or 'shock and awe' as the current phrase is). Yes he was deliberate, yes he didn't take risks (except Market Garden which was a very, very, very close run thing and would have been a massive success if it had worked) but he wasn't a twit.

[Marcus Scaurus]

Yes he was deliberate, yes he didn't take risks (except Market Garden which was a very, very, very close run thing and would have been a massive success if it had worked) but he wasn't a twit.

I wonder if we would call Eisenhower a twit if D-Day failed... Most generals had their failures, so did Monty. If the 2nd Panzer division wasn't in Holland, the operation would've had a far bigger chance to succeed.

[Gogoas]

Where are napoleon, Rommel and Ghengis? Omg they're so low at the bottom... Well, at least hannibal and alexander are happy on they're thrones...

[imb39]

I think the development of the manilpular legion was driven, in part, by Rome's experience with Pyrrhus. He should not be misunderestimated!

[PyrrhusIV]

Exactly, Rome learned many things from him. One of the most important, which would later save it during the Second Punic War on many occasions... How to deal with Elephants. Also, it learned about the Alexandrian Phalanx better!

[Shawkhan]

...Von Manstein is w/o a doubt the premier general of WWII. The others are simply also-rans compared to his achievements.

[DeeDee]

Napoleon Bonaparte

What if it had not rained at waterloo

Julius Caesar

What if Pompey didn't have that nervous breakdown

Eisenhower

What if Hitler had not of had parkinsons

And what about good old Montey, everone loves Montey

[King Henry V]

Monty was a twit, the only reason he won at El-Alamein was that he outnumbered Rommel in men, tanks, planes and supplies.
Then look at his debacles in France (Caen) and that fiasco Operation Market Garden.
And he could never pursue a beaten enemy.

[DeeDee]

Why is it that so many of the "Great" generals died such an unglorius and common death

Ceasar stabbed-Alexander a fever- Napoleon poisoned- Atilla the hun a nosebleed- Patton a car crash - Pompey got his head chopped of by a boy king

So what I still love Monty, maybe becuz my step dad when i was young had a part as him and he went around speaking like him 24-7 which was kinda funny, but seriously History is written by the eventual victor so many great generals are not given the huge justice they deserve why is Caesar is a household name yet Pompey,Why was Napoleon seen as the Tyrant seen eating up Europe and wellington the savoir of the world.?Why is it? when Achilles_47 accused the West of Demonizing the average German soldier and there is a huge uproar. It is because history is written by the victor .
So really I say there is no greatest general they all had there Strengths and there Sometimes very hidden but very terminal Flaws.

[imb39]

I'm one of those who think that Monty is overrated. However, I also agree that Slim is vastly, vastly underrated. What is clear is that over all, in WW2, the best of the German generals were much better than the best of the Allied generals. They were handicapped by by Hitler! At least Churchill's meddling was fairly limited (Norway aside)

[Tacticalwithdrawal]

I always felt a bit sorry for 2nd Panzer Division, there they were on a rest-duty and the parachute regiment drops in for tea.

Mind you, they did kill my grandad in the battle (he was commanding the parachute regiment units that actually captured and held the Arnhem bridge), got the VC for it though (only Parachute Regiment VC in the battle (not that I'm proud of him or anything.......)

and yes, if D-Day had failed Eisenhower would have been called a failure, if Market Garden had worked Monty would have been a legend, if Pompei had beaten Caesar (as he should have) then we would probably be remembering him as an ok general who was very good at promoting himself but who grew too big for his boots (likewise Alexander if the Persians had beaten him).

History is a very fickle thing and there isn't a huge amount of difference between success and failure.

[Marcus Scaurus]

Mind you, they did kill my grandad in the battle (he was commanding the parachute regiment units that actually captured and held the Arnhem bridge), got the VC for it though (only Parachute Regiment VC in the battle (not that I'm proud of him or anything.......)

OMG... Was his name John Frost? Here (in Holland) he's a hero.

[Ecclesiastes]

OMG... Was his name John Frost? Here (in Holland) he's a hero.

Really? I don't know him.

@Tactical Withdrawal: Why arent you proud of your grandpa fighting for the freedom you enjoy this very day?

[Marcus Scaurus]

Really? I don't know him.

Everyone in Holland should know him. He's one of the British, Canadian, Polish and American soldiers who fought for our freedom.

Now go and do some research on Wikipedia!

[Ecclesiastes]

Everyone in Holland should know him. He's one of the British, Canadian, Polish and American soldiers who fought for our freedom.

Now go and do some research on Wikipedia!

One of the millions!!( )... of to wiki then...

Edit: "John Frost from cleethorpes, thinks its gash so's he moves to bath init, yeah what. basically yeah i is gonna **** on yas all yawl. i stab you yeah with a blade yeah. pass the bong!!!!!!!!"

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Frost"

LoL?

[Tacticalwithdrawal]

OMG... Was his name John Frost? Here (in Holland) he's a hero.

no, Frost didn't get a VC.

Jack Grayburn (my grandad) commanded the troops at the bridge, got shot 5 times but refused to leave his men (stubbornness runs in the family ) and finaly killed by a tank. They didn't find his body unitl 1948 (although, thankfully for my grandma) they were sure he was dead.

He's buried in Arnhem so one day I'll go and see him.

@Tactical Withdrawal: Why arent you proud of your grandpa fighting for the freedom you enjoy this very day?

British humour, the way it's written means I'm very, very proud