Who is the greatest general of all time?

Answer 1

Gaius Jullius Caesar
Scipio Africanus
Napoleon Bonaparte
Hanibal Barca
Paul Hausser
Ghengis Khan
Erwin Rommel
Attila
George Patton
Omar Bradley
ALexander the Great
Stonewall Jackson
Robert E. Lee

I liked Caesar's empire building scheme, his exploits in Germania and Britainnia.

Answer 2

If you're talking about who's the most brilliant in military strategy, then:

1. Napoleon Bonaparte
2. Alexander the Great
3. Genghis Khan
4. Attila the Hun
5. Admiral Nelson
6. Gen. Sherman (instead of Lee or Grant; Sherman
waged all-out war)
7. Fieldmarshall Rommel
8. Gen. Patch (instead of the famous others--
Eisenhower, MacArthur, Bradley, Montgomerey--Patch
had a perfect combat record and never lost a major
unit)
9. Gen. Zhukov

Other famous generals just made too many tactical mistakes in battle (e.g. Washington and Eisenhower). Some were very famous but in reality they lost important battles (Eisenhower--Market Garden, MacArthur--the Philippines).


*A read an article claiming Zheng He reached the Eastern coast of the US about 70 years before Columbus did.

Answer 3

ArnoldCalvert Hinton, Brigadier-General(1894-1963)

Answer 4

The Greatest Generals of all time include Napoleon Bonaparte, Attila the Hun, and Robert E. Lee.

Answer 5

While there have been many impressive generals throughout history, the one that comes to mind is Hannibal.

Think about how close one man came to almost single-handedly collapsing an entire empire. Imagine someone who was outnumbered 7 to 1 and still finds a way to surround the enemy and win (Battle of Cannae). Here is a man who, for most of his campaign, ran rough shot up and down Italy, breaking most of the Roman strongholds and military encampments.

He was so feared that after the second defeat of Carthage, it was a condition that Hannibal would never lead another military force again.

There were many great generals, but his actions continue to echo over time ... plus this man was able to bring elephants over the Alps to display his tactical and strategic mastery.

Answer 6

General Merchandise

Answer 7

While most people would automatically think George Washington or maybe Julius Ceaser, I would have to go with some of the more Asian cultured Generals. Mostly because They were so High-strung on honor, which is a big plus in my views.

Answer 8

I dont actually remember his name
but you can find out for sure, It would be the Viatnamese general of the Viet Cong

first he sucseeded in rooting out the French and then He made USA
acknowledge its Defeat although he was out matched in every thing
Weapons,Technology,Resources,ManPower,Airsupport.Medical Facilities


i dont thing General Patton and all others had to beat this much Odds

and I am suprised too that none of you guys even mentioned him

Answer 9

Alexander the Great came from a relative "back-woods" and marshalled a huge army that literally followed him to the ends of the known world. The medieval retelling of his life story was the most widely read book in Europe (in addition to the Bible) and influenced the King Arthur stories. Alexander was tactically innovative, too.

Answer 10

Personally im not eitirely sure who some of the others are: Patton, Lee(?), Eisenhower (presedent of the United States), Grant(?) nor utterly sure of their abilities.

Persoanlly my Favourite is T'sao T'sao (Cao Cao- i will use this form as its more recognisable) who followed the teachings of Sun Tzu and added to it (I would say Sun Tzu- but doubts what period he existed and textual evidence suggests part of it was written later). He layed out all his camps perfectly, followed Sun Tzu well, was open to advice but with ability to make up his own mind. I have no doubt Kongmings (Zhuge Liang) had him in mind (along with his own lord) when writing Way of the General. Cao Cao embodied the Consummate General and Strategist. For example Hannibal was a great General but lacked Strategy, Cao Cao understood strategy and knew how to use people, he was fair in both rewards and punishments. One example is when he trampled some Crops, he had previously just announced that anyone who did this would recieve death. Promptly he took out his sword and went to kill himself, but stopped at the lamentations of his Generals and cut off his hair (a large and significant step in China). This is no doubt propaganda in the same way Alexander cut the Gordian knot. Though does outline the emphasis and reputation on discipline he had (its a powerful image). He was admired for the way he set his camp out, and the way he conducted himself in court. This man was arguably the most powerful man in China for his time, and he lead from the front unlike some 'office' Generals, he was a Julius Caesar or Alexander like man (Plutarch rightly puts these two together in his great lives series). But also mixed up with helping the state (Emperor) and devotion.
I stated he was the consummate General. Loyal to the State (you would be hard pressed to argue that for Caesar), knowledge of logisitcs and supplies, leads from the front, tough on discipline, yet is known to be mericful (later on in life), makes his decisions for himself and employs the able to advise him. A master manipulator and knows what way the land lies. Also the solid grasp on tactics that every great General enjoys. Though this person is slightly ahead of the Great Khan Temuchin (Genghis Khan) I mean he used fear and understood psychology one cannot underestimate that butcher.