Fav Commander?

[theblackalchemist]

So who's your favourite commander or any other person in military history?

mine is the desert fox himself

 

Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel (listen (help·info)) (15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) was one of the most distinguished German field marshals of World War II. He was the commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps and also became known by the nickname “The Desert Fox” (Wüstenfuchs, listen (help·info)) for the skillful military campaigns he waged on behalf of the German Army in North Africa. He was later in command of the German forces opposing the Allied cross-channel invasion at Normandy.

Rommel's military successes earned the respect not only of his troops and Hitler, but also that of his enemy Commonwealth troops in the North African Campaign. Following the defeat of Axis forces in North Africa, and whilst commanding the defence of Occupied France, his fortunes changed when he was suspected (correctly or incorrectly) of involvement in a failed plot to kill Hitler in 1944.

Wikipedia

TBA

[TheBigDog]

Interesting that you would pick Rommel. I have always read about what a military genius he was, but he ultimately lost in every arena.

 

My selection is the nemesis of Rommel, General Patton. Perhaps the most gifted combination of strategist, tactician, and leader of men in modern history.

 

Some people needed to be slapped.

 

Bill

[theblackalchemist]

Interesting that you would pick Rommel. I have always read about what a military genius he was, but he ultimately lost in every arena.

 

My selection is the nemesis of Rommel, General Patton. Perhaps the most gifted combination of strategist, tactician, and leader of men in modern history.

 

Some people needed to be slapped.

 

Bill

 

Interesting too

George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a leading U.S. Army general in World War II in campaigns in North Africa, Sicily, France and Germany, 1943-45. In World War I he was a senior commander of the new tank corps and saw action in France. After the war he was an advocate of armored warfare but was reassigned to the cavalry. In World War II he commanded major units of North Africa, Sicily, and the European Theater of Operations. The popular image of "Old Blood and Guts", contrasts with the historians' image of a brilliant military leader whose record was also marred by insubordination and some periods of apparent instability.

Wikipedia

TBA

[Boerseun]

I'd have to go with old Julius Ceasar. It must have been one helluva job to run an empire that spanned from the middle East, North Africa, the Mediterranean, the biggest part of Europe plus England up to Hadrian's wall from Rome, what with the primitive communications technology of the day. And he was not only personally on the battlefield, he also personally partook in the political process in Rome.

 

I think to have been a man of that position back in those days, took serious cohones.

 

Matter of fact, he was so rockingly ***-kickingly awesomely cool, that we named the month of July after him! Very few celebs, politicians or billionaires get to say that, although I have heard rumours in the works that Bill Gates put in a bid for September.

[InfiniteNow]

Sun Bin (better pronounced in English as "Sun Pin"). ~ circa 316 BC ~

 

He is considered a descendant of Sun Tzu, and may have helped edit the Art of War.

 

Sun Bin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Sun Bin was recognized for his military brilliance at an early age. Pang Juan, a fellow student who was jealous of Sun Bin, plotted to bring Sun Bin to ruin. Appointed as a minister in Wei, Pang Juan enticed Sun Bin to go to Wei, then plotted to ruin Sun Bin. Sun Bin was mutilated, having his kneecaps removed; bin is a reference to the knees or the practice of mutiliation by removing one's knees. In ancient China, mutilation was an ignominious event and generally caused a person to be shunned by society for life; after the mutilation, Sun Bin's career should have effectively been over.

 

Sun Bin later escaped to Qi. His military skills were recognized, and he came to serve under King Wei. He formed a strong partnership with the military commander Tian Ji. They defeated the state of Wei (not to be confused with King Wei) at the Battle of Guiling against forces led by Pang Juan. When Tian Ji was banished from Qi due to court politics, Sun Bin followed him into exile to Chu. After King Wei died, the new king of Qi, King Xuan, recalled Tian Ji and Sun Bin. Sun Bin and Tian Ji later defeated Wei again at the Battle of Maling.

[Freddy]

Brevet Major General George Armstrong Custer was perhaps the most daring US officer in battle. He never asked his troopers to do anything he would not do himself. Custer's headquarters was at the front of his charging regiment or division. His adoption of "ride to the sound of the guns" and "Garryowen and Glory" philosophies got him into trouble several times and even killed on June 25, 1876. However, during the Civil War, where 13 charges equaled 13 victories, Custer's men truly would have followed him into the Gates of Hell. His defeat of J E B Stuart at Gettysburg was pure determination and leadership.

[Buffy]

I agree with Bill. Patton's always been my favorite. He would have been a lousy 5-star or Chair JCS, but that's a *completely* different position, and my fave there is Colin Powell, with Omar Bradley a close second (yeah, ahead of Ike because Ike was never really a *field* commander).

 

Don't tell my relatives though: I come from a Navy family.... :(

 

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity, :(

Buffy