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Subject: Top 10 Military Leaders of all time
whitie    1/3/2004 4:04:19 AM
This is pretty self explanitory but take into the account that by that being a great leader doesnt mean how much land they conquered but for their military prowness, managing victories against all odds or just being well respected by their men
 
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InFuSeR    RE:Top 10 Military Leaders of all time   1/3/2004 8:38:10 AM
I wouldnt put hitler on that list he pay have tooken over most of eupore but he didnt keep it for long.As for the other people i have no idea about them. But i do know one thing Patton should be on that list. The germanys feared him the most of all the Generals in the allied command.
 
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Couac_Attack    RE:Top 10 Military Leaders of all time   1/3/2004 9:30:41 AM
Genghis kan has never been the best, he only has taken some desert territory and the proov is that when he arrived in Europe, he has been kicked by Austrians.For me Napoleon is the best because he has reorganised all the countries he has invaded.
 
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fall out    RE:Top 10 Military Leaders of all time - hitler   1/3/2004 10:02:27 PM
i would leave hitler there because true he wasnt in europe for a long time but he had the majority of the world against, pretty bad odds.
 
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Timurlane    RE:Top 10 Military Leaders of all time   1/4/2004 12:14:12 AM
The original post said something about a commander who defies the odds. Based on that, my top 10, in historical order: 1. Alexander the Great - Defeated 2. Hannibal Barca 3. Julius Caesar 4. Belisarius 5. Heraclius
 
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PuckaMan    RE:Top 10 Military Leaders of all time - Timurlane   1/4/2004 12:33:03 AM
1. Alexander was NOT defeated, although a couple of times he came close. He turned back because his army wouldn't follow him through India. He the had to fight his way down the Indus, and them he managed to choose the worst possible land route back to babylon (most of his men died). 2. It's HAMILCAR Barca, who was an excellent general, who happened to be on the losing side. He lived the rest of his life in exile, than commited suicide as an alternative to captivity (I think). Hannibal was his son, who as we all know, kicked the crap out of Rome for a time. 3. Julius Caesar - maybe, I'll have to read up on him again. 4. Belisarius - I agree, certainly the best of his age, retaking Italy like he did. Anyway, not a bad top 5. However, I do think some clarification is required. Are talking tactical or long term Impact? On a Tactical, certainly Patton, Guderian etc. could be listed, but not for Long Term Results, because tere were others that would have done thier tasks. Long term, A the G, Caesar, etc. and the great conquerors are the top in the list..
 
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Timurlane    RE:Top 10 Military Leaders of all time   1/4/2004 12:37:21 AM
Using the criteria laid out by the original post, my top 10 in order of their historical appearences: 1. Alexander the Great - Never has a general been better served by his soldiers. 2. Hannibal Barca - Tactical brilliance in the face of overwhelming Roman military superiority. Zama only reinforces his legacy through Rome adopting his methods. 3. Julius Caesar - The consumate gambler. Chance waits for no man. 4. Belisarius - No head of state could ask for a better loyal general. Asked to do the impossible with nearly nothing, he almost pulled off the hat trick. 5. Heraclius - Snatched victory from the jaws of near certain defeat. His final campaign against Persia was inspirational brilliance. MacArthur's inspiration for Inchon? 6. Genghis Khan - Must of had something on the ball to so thoroughly unite the steppe nomads. His army displayed excellent tactical flexibility. He had the foresight to end the centuries old weakness of the nomads, their inability to capture walled cities. 7. Hernando Cortes - What ever you might think of the results, any honest man would have to admit that the guy had balls of steel. With a small force he conquered an empire that could muster 100,000 warriors. Guns had little to do with it. It was because he used his brain. 8. Gustavus Adolphus - Solid general, but his organizational skills were unmatched in historical context. So completely reorganized his army that his methods would be copied for the next 200 years. 9. Frederick the Great - Tactical epitome of pre-Napoleonic warfare. 10. Napoleon - Unified startegy and tactics. His standards would be used by all armies for the next 100 years as their basis of measurement.
 
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Timurlane    RE:Top 10 Military Leaders of all time - Timurlane   1/4/2004 12:40:01 AM
Ignore that 1st post, I was in the middle of typing and hit a wrong key and posted by accident.
 
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the British Lion    RE:Top 10 Military Leaders of all time - hitler   1/4/2004 6:49:02 AM
Hitler was no great military leader. he was a leader who happend to have great generals. he liked to think of himself as a great tactition and a master of war, but really, he was nothing but a pain to his Generals... in fact, it could be argued that he did more to loose the war then the allies did!
 
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Divinewind    RE:Top 10 Military Leaders of all time   1/4/2004 11:37:13 AM
I would have to say. 1) Genghis Kahn 2) Heinz Guderian 3) Patton 4) Alexander the Great 5) Henry V 6) Trajen 7) Rommel 8) Napoleon 9) Nelson 10) Wellington These are in no particular order. I have seen hitler mentioned he was not a great military leader. He was e. He ordered barbarossa before britain was conquered. He was indecsive and unstable. He refused to release the panzer divisions in france without his permission and as result his generals had to wait until he woke to react to the d day landings.
 
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Ad    RE:Top 10 Military Leaders of all time - Timurlane   1/4/2004 2:24:39 PM
Totally agree. Who put Hitler there any way? Sound tactical advice, continually ignored, as in the Soviet Union perhaps. Dear me, Hitler? For one Genghis Kahn’s greatest achievement was uniting the clans of Mongolia, Subatoi was the real cog in amongst the Mongol’s, a general who new his business and did it well. Wellington has to be above Napoleon. When they came into battle (and only once) good old Arthur was victorious (and no it wasn’t because of the Prussians, try Pickets division, the defence at Hougemount, the KGL, the House Hold cavalry etc). Wellington was never defeated, he only came close when he was a Colonel of the 33rd. He had the restraints of a Tory Government under Liverpool who didn’t want him fighting the war and so Horse Guards did their level best to restrict funds and men. What Wellington did, that only a handful of other names mentioned was adapt. The French didn’t, Heinz Guderian didn’t etc. He also did what none on the list did and that was win the peace. He was able to win “the hearts and minds” of the Indians, Portuguese, Spanish and Southern French. Something Napoleon or rather Soult failed to do. My list therefore, features on success, both in battle and the overall objective, for instance, Hannibal’s logistical achievement and victory at Canne 216bc go for him, yet he failed to conquer Rome and was defeated at Zama 202bc, which would go against him. 1) Subatoi of the Reindeer people (Main Mongol General) 2) Duke Wellington (Highly talented both on the defensive and offensive) 3) Rommel (remarkable gains for what he actually had to play with) 4) Hannibal Barker (Canne invented the classic pincer movement and was the total battle of annihilation) 5) Marshall Zuckov (turned the Russians into what effectively won the war) 6) Napolean (Inspired tactical awareness, Austerlitz for instance, however Boradino did let him down)
 
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