Who is the best military commander in yr mind?
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I believe by placing a period to gauge the commander will be unfair to other period and century of commander.What I believe is that any period and time ,these great leader will have their own obstacle and shortcoming to overcome.Example,Alexander don't have the luxury like Rommel to have Panzer which can reach hundreds of kilometres of enemy lines in a day which doesn't mean alexander situation face is tougher than Rommel.So is the enemy they face which encounter this problem ,right? It is how they make full use of the resources they have at that time to overcome the enemy.Originally posted by |-|05|:This question needs to be narrowed down alot......
Like give us a time period to choose....after all it is hard to judge between the armies of Macdon during Alexender's time....compared to the Roman army during Trajan's time......and then the Mongols...and the Chinese armies....
We also have Napleon's army..the Prussians blah blah blah so how do u wanna compare?
I firmly believe these great commander have one thing in common is the ability to lead their men to greater height and the kind of charisma which different them from other ordinary commander!
Maybe for the commander we support,we can give a brief encounter of their greatest achievement on battlefield to let the reader judge!
For me ,I believe rommel greatest victory is at Tobruk.Here is a brief description of Rommel in action
On November 18th, British started their offensive codenamed "Crusader". British attacked at the Halfaya Pass to relieve the encircled city of Tobruk. After British attacks on November 22nd and 23rd were stopped, Rommel counterattacked and drove into the British rear, relieving Axis forces at the Halfaya Pass. At the same time, British reached the vicinity of Tobruk and on November 29th, broke through to Tobruk. By December 7th, Afrika Korps was forced to withdraw across Cyrenaica and on January 6th reached El Agheila in Libya. From January 2nd to 17th, Axis forces were defeated at Halfaya Pass, Bardia and Sollum. In mid January, Erwin Rommel consolidated his forces and positions and decided to launch a new offensive when his force would be properly supplied and equipped.
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"The Desert Fox in action"
Rommel ordered to attach bundles of wood and bushes on long ropes to all the supplytrucks and some Italian light tanks. The Italian light tanks drove in thefirst line, one after the other, behind them all the supply trucks. The attached bundles of wood and bushes made an immense clouds of dust. For the British, it looked like the real full-scale attack. They not only withdraw, but turned their delaying forces in the wrong direction. At the same time, Rommel attacked from the otherdirection with his German Panzer Division. The British were completely outwitted and defeated -
See the thing is we can compare how good some1 is byt comparing him to others of the same period....that's why the question needs to be narrowed down....Like you said..it is unfair to compare rommel with alexander....or Napolean to the great Changis khan because they faced different enemies and times......Originally posted by zenden9:I believe by placing a period to gauge the commander will be unfair to other period and century of commander.What I believe is that any period and time ,these great leader will have their own obstacle and shortcoming to overcome.Example,Alexander don't have the luxury like Rommel to have Panzer which can reach hundreds of kilometres of enemy lines in a day which doesn't mean alexander situation face is tougher than Rommel.So is the enemy they face which encounter this problem ,right? It is how they make full use of the resources they have at that time to overcome the enemy.
I firmly believe these great commander have one thing in common is the ability to lead their men to greater height and the kind of charisma which different them from other ordinary commander!
Maybe for the commander we support,we can give a brief encounter of their greatest achievement on battlefield to let the reader judge!
For me ,I believe rommel greatest victory is at Tobruk.Here is a brief description of Rommel in action
On November 18th, British started their offensive codenamed "Crusader". British attacked at the Halfaya Pass to relieve the encircled city of Tobruk. After British attacks on November 22nd and 23rd were stopped, Rommel counterattacked and drove into the British rear, relieving Axis forces at the Halfaya Pass. At the same time, British reached the vicinity of Tobruk and on November 29th, broke through to Tobruk. By December 7th, Afrika Korps was forced to withdraw across Cyrenaica and on January 6th reached El Agheila in Libya. From January 2nd to 17th, Axis forces were defeated at Halfaya Pass, Bardia and Sollum. In mid January, Erwin Rommel consolidated his forces and positions and decided to launch a new offensive when his force would be properly supplied and equipped.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The Desert Fox in action"
Rommel ordered to attach bundles of wood and bushes on long ropes to all the supplytrucks and some Italian light tanks. The Italian light tanks drove in thefirst line, one after the other, behind them all the supply trucks. The attached bundles of wood and bushes made an immense clouds of dust. For the British, it looked like the real full-scale attack. They not only withdraw, but turned their delaying forces in the wrong direction. At the same time, Rommel attacked from the otherdirection with his German Panzer Division. The British were completely outwitted and defeated
anyway here is my list
Ancient period(pre Roman)
Philip of Macedon father of Alexender.
While Alexender was good his job was made so easy by the way his father built and train the army.Besides by most accounts the Persians werent really good.....Alexender met strong oppsition only from othe Persian Immortals and the Indians.And maybe Tyre.
Ancient period(Roman times and after)
Well tough time to pick 1....but i will go with a joint Hannibal and Trajan
Why? The 1st Hannibal.....he totally owned the Roman armies...had great tactics that was way ahead of his time....especially at Cannae where he won an army 3 times his size.
Trajan....Took over germany and extended the Roman borders to the river Dunnbe.A great leader and Emperor.Sadly that did not last after his death....
Middle ages(dark ages till the fall of the east roman empire)
wanted to choose Belisarius but then again the great Mongolian Changis Khan wins all hands down.Some would argue Subotai but nah...ill give credit that Changis Khan was the best.Took over half Half of Europe....Russia.....some of China....need i say more>?
Age of Gunpowder(1450 to 1600)
I have no bloody idea
Period 1600-1810
Napoleon for the most parts....took over all of Europe save for Britian and Russia.Was he not the best?Well he might have been best by the Duke but he was unmatched in his time.
period 1810-1900
My gosh tough time to pick so i shall refrain.Maybe the Japan Admiral that kicked the Russian navy's ass.
Period 1900-1930
Ahhh.....a certain Ludendorff....won the Russian front....
Period 1930-1945
Well we are spoilt for bloody choice here....but i guess it would be
the founder of the German panzer truppen......Heinz Guderian.
Made the Panzer force what it was....formed the 1st panzer groups...and was involved in most of the tanks designed during that period.He also lead from the front...infact he lead from a tank some times....it was once said.....there was not tank in the German army that he could not and had not drive so yea
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all english commanders......
no one studies chinese history around... -
actually so far only 1 english commander..mainly all GermansOriginally posted by Parka: all english commanders......
no one studies chinese history around...
chinese history i got study lah abit only though hehe -
very straightfoward... u pick one in your mind who u think best n say loh. this Q no right or wrong one mahOriginally posted by |-|05|:This question needs to be narrowed down alot......
Like give us a time period to choose....after all it is hard to judge between the armies of Macdon during Alexender's time....compared to the Roman army during Trajan's time......and then the Mongols...and the Chinese armies....
We also have Napleon's army..the Prussians blah blah blah so how do u wanna compare? -
Sir John de Hawkwood was english, but he was mainly fighting in Italy, under the Florentine banner, as a mercenary. Won a great many battles, often when outnumbered.
I also feel that the Black Prince who fought at Crecy was a leader, in that he inspired his men and struck fear into the hearts of his enemies... a very good early example of psychological warfare. By the way, Sir John de Hawkwood served under the Black Prince in Crecy, and it was there that he was knighted. -
very sad! In modern times,Chinese hardly won much victory and the ancient times is too long,not much info is available.Originally posted by Parka: all english commanders......
no one studies chinese history around...
The only candidate for chinese in my mind is Lin Biao(1908-1971)
A very aggressive guerilla commander. Mastermind for PLA victory in Chinese Civil War! Althought his personal quality was questionable! -
whos the one who led his men across the bridge( or what was left of it after the planks were removed) under heavy enemy machinegun fire?Originally posted by zenden9:very sad! In modern times,Chinese hardly won much victory and the ancient times is too long,not much info is available.
The only candidate for chinese in my mind is Lin Biao(1908-1971)
A very aggressive guerilla commander. Mastermind for PLA victory in Chinese Civil War! Althought his personal quality was questionable! -
It only show they got guts,how abt planning and strategy?Originally posted by HENG@:whos the one who led his men across the bridge( or what was left of it after the planks were removed) under heavy enemy machinegun fire? -
well, personally quite like Douglas MacArthur, his determination was quite power, and i think inchon was really amazing thou......
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it was...but he abit too gung ho..Originally posted by snk86:well, personally quite like Douglas MacArthur, his determination was quite power, and i think inchon was really amazing thou...... -
agreed, the request of using of atomic weapons was too much for president Truman i guess, lolOriginally posted by |-|05|:it was...but he abit too gung ho.. -
huh? im asking his name only laOriginally posted by zenden9:It only show they got guts,how abt planning and strategy? -
Col David Hackworth
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So many choices! And as a previous poster said, so difficult to establish reliable comparisons, due to different time periods, technology, quality of adversaries, etc.
Still, a few personal favourites stand out:
- The (First) Duke of Wellington
- Oda Nobunaga
- Uesugi Kenshin
- Georgi Zhukov
- Julius Caesar
- Robert E. Lee
- Hannibal Barca
- Belisarius
- Louis Davout
- Ferdinand I (of Spain and the Reconquista)
- Salah Ad-din Yusuf Ibn Ayyub ('Saladin')
- Horatio Nelson
- Genghis Khan
- Charles Martel
- Edward the Black Prince
- Zhuge Liang
- and of course, one of Genghis Khan's greatest generals and trusted advisors, Subudei bahadur
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- Georgi Zhukov
From what i know Zhukov was a Russian war hero becuz the russians needed 1...and there was actually a better general in command of the other front...not sure about his name though...
- Julius Caesar
as for Caesar he was a moderate military commander.....but a bloody good politician!!!infact the only reason he became cousl for life was because of his political movements.So i wont really place him as a military commander....oh well too each his own
cant believe i left out Horatio Nelson though ahha thx for reminding me! -
Horatio Nelson ? Bah, Admiral Yi Soon-shin is much better.Originally posted by |-|05|:cant believe i left out Horatio Nelson though ahha thx for reminding me!
http://papermagic.co.kr/html/english/culture1_lee.htm -
Since u read about chinese history maybe u will know this guy called Han2 Xin4.Originally posted by Parka: all english commanders......
no one studies chinese history around...
If the story is true, he lived during the downfall of the QIn dynasty and was a Great Leader of Army. Without him, Liu Bang would not have defeated Xiang Yu and established the Western Han Dynasty. They story told that he has not failed to conquer any cities he has attacked. Too bad that he had to die in the end cos he lacked the political acumen to survive. In terms of being a military commander, i would consider him to be the best.
Another one that came to my mind was Nian Geng Yao. He was the general that served under Yong Zheng during the QIng Dynasty. His battles if i m not wrong are against Tibet, the far reaches of the Qing Empire at that time. Again i think he was forced to commit suicide at the end.. or murdered..
Other military commanders are perhaps people like Yue Fei and other Chinese generals that have held their ground during the Southern Song Dynasty agains barbarian attackers from Liao, Jin and the Mongolians.. -
Yue Fei, a good commander and a true patriot.
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ahh but his actions didnt destory a vastly better fleet and secured the sea to make his country to world's biggest empire now did it/ all i did was repluse the japs....Originally posted by observe:Horatio Nelson ? Bah, Admiral Yi Soon-shin is much better.
http://papermagic.co.kr/html/english/culture1_lee.htm
and yes i know who he was before you put that up -
His 12 "turtle" ship defeated the Jap fleet of 133 ships, sinking 33 of them without losing any. He saved Korea and also China from the Jap invasion.Originally posted by |-|05|:ahh but his actions didnt destory a vastly better fleet and secured the sea to make his country to world's biggest empire now did it/ all i did was repluse the japs....
and yes i know who he was before you put that up -
any sites on that battle?Originally posted by observe:His 12 "turtle" ship defeated the Jap fleet of 133 ships, sinking 33 of them without losing any. He saved Korea and also China from the Jap invasion. -
julius caesar
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http://210.145.168.243/pk/100th_issue/99062307.htmOriginally posted by HENG@:any sites on that battle?
http://www.jadedragon.com/archives/history/yisunshin.html -
saved korean while China is suspect.Originally posted by observe:His 12 "turtle" ship defeated the Jap fleet of 133 ships, sinking 33 of them without losing any. He saved Korea and also China from the Jap invasion.
well his 12 ships were so much better...granted he came up with the idea but Nelson had ships that were equal to his enemies and yet he won....doesnt that make him better? His 27 ships took on 33 ships....he lost none but captured 20 enemy ships...
anyway too each his own.
Anyway while the Asians did have better ships they hardly took part in sea wars till alot later....they much prefer to fight on land....dunnno why also