Your Opinion: History's Greatest Military Commander?

[masterblaster72 0]

Been reading a lot of history these days and I thought this would make for an interesting discussion.

I know it's not a simple question since being a great commander involves a lot of different aspects of leadership and each leader's circumstances vary. The choices are suggestions, and I'm sure there are plenty that deserve to be on the list.

Who do you choose and why?

Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up.

[quade 3]

Sun Tzu

How the hell do you leave him off the list? Certainly one of the most studied of all time.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[kallend 1,623]

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Been reading a lot of history these days and I thought this would make for an interesting discussion.

I know it's not a simple question since being a great commander involves a lot of different aspects of leadership and each leader's circumstances vary. The choices are suggestions, and I'm sure there are plenty that deserve to be on the list.

Who do you choose and why?

Horatio Nelson

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[warpedskydiver 0]

Joe Stillwell is not on that list.

There are many others I can think of.

Do you want to limit it to well known names, supreme commanders, generals, or can we include the guys who actually did the dirty work?

[kallend 1,623]

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Joe Stillwell is not on that list.

There are many others I can think of.

Do you want to limit it to well known names, supreme commanders, generals, or can we include the guys who actually did the dirty work?

It DOES say "Commander"

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[vortexring 0]

Ok, what about a Section Commander of an infantry unit, commanding 8 to 10 men?

'for it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck 'im out, the brute!" But it's "saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.'

[warpedskydiver 0]

Did anyone ask you?


NO

[warpedskydiver 0]

I have a few favorites in that Category.


Also David Stirling gets a vote.

I also like Charlie Beckwith.

He was a great commander.

Harold Moore as well.

[warpedskydiver 0]

Sgt. Labalaba!

[vortexring 0]

'for it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck 'im out, the brute!" But it's "saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.'

[warpedskydiver 0]

My great great grandpa!

Even though he fought for the south.

[warpedskydiver 0]

1Lt. Gomez

Cpt. Montgomery (Now Commodore)

Lt. Burrow

GMC Pawlowski

[happythoughts 0]

I always liked the technique of winning without fighting.

Haile Selassie's genius, also known as Ras Tafari,
invited his opponent to a feast in his honor.
The guy shows up with several thousand men.

While the party is going on HS sends an emissary to
the opponents camp and offers to give the troops money for their weapons. (Hinting that there are hookers
around.)

The army sells their weapons and heads for town.
On his return, he finds that he has no army.

[vortexring 0]

The list is to small. If we just consider famous commanders through history, what about:

Saladin, Attila the Hun, MacArthur, Vo Naguyen Giap, Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson, Ulysses, Dwight David Eisenhower, Rommel, Monty, Churchill, William the Conqueror, Gustavus Adolphus, Robert Bruce, Wallace, etc, etc!!

I know who mine is. And he isn't famous.

'for it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck 'im out, the brute!" But it's "saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.'

[billvon 2,400]

>Did anyone ask you?

You did.

[lawrocket 3]

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Sun Tzu

How the hell do you leave him off the list? Certainly one of the most studied of all time.

Seconded. No doubt in my mind. Sun Tzu. Read "The Art of War." It doesn't take too long.

His guidance is not just for military but for life in general. I use it in my job constantly.

"He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight."

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Andrewwhyte 1]

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The list is to small. If we just consider famous commanders through history, what about:

Saladin, Attila the Hun, MacArthur, Vo Naguyen Giap, Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson, Ulysses, Dwight David Eisenhower, Rommel, Monty, Churchill, William the Conqueror, Gustavus Adolphus, Robert Bruce, Wallace, etc, etc!!

I know who mine is. And he isn't famous.

Why would you choose to include Ulysses and not Agamemnon?

[lost_n_confuzd 0]

George W. Bush!


Ok, jokes over. On a serious note I would have to say George Washington. With only six years experience in the military and even less commanding troops; he did one hell of a job. Not to mention that he had nothing to do with the military for 16 years before the revolutionary war started. Talk about a resume gap, lol.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington

If it were not for him, we would probably be speaking British right now

[Andy9o8 0]

Shaka.

[lawrocket 3]

I suppose he should have included Kenny McCormick, too!

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[warpedskydiver 0]

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>Did anyone ask you?

You did.

Wrong I never asked Kallend who was to be included or excluded from the list.

I asked the person who posted this thread.

[kallend 1,623]

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>Did anyone ask you?

You did.

Wrong I never asked Kallend who was to be included or excluded from the list.

I asked the person who posted this thread.

Still haven't figured out how open forums work, eh?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kallend 1,623]

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The list is to small. If we just consider famous commanders through history, what about:

Saladin, Attila the Hun, MacArthur, Vo Naguyen Giap, Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson, Ulysses, Dwight David Eisenhower, Rommel, Monty, Churchill, William the Conqueror, Gustavus Adolphus, Robert Bruce, Wallace, etc, etc!!

I know who mine is. And he isn't famous.

Why would you choose to include Ulysses and not Agamemnon?

Maybe he meant Ulysses S. Grant.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[warpedskydiver 0]

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>Did anyone ask you?

You did.

Wrong I never asked Kallend who was to be included or excluded from the list.

I asked the person who posted this thread.

Still haven't figured out how open forums work, eh?

You just have not figured out how to tell if someone is addressing you.

But being the self important person you are, you assume every post is about you.

Once again, for the record, I was not addressing you.

Your comment was most unwelcome and its only purpose was to antagonize.

[BIGUN 1,053]

Charlemagne

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.