Who was (were) your favourite war time generals during WW2?

Question

Tell me something about them

Answer 1

I wouldn't call them my favorite, seeing that I wasn't alive at the time. But some of the generals I admire for their military ability are:

Eisenhower (USA) - wasn't a tactician, or even that much of a strategist, but as an overall commander, he effectively welded together political as well as military objectives among the Allies
Nimitz (USN) - although at the same rank as MacArthur, often overlooked when folks discuss the Pacific War and who was reponsible for the eventual victory. His command of the Central Pacific and the island-hopping campaigns was superior, bypassing the stronger ones and starving them out.
von Manstein (German Army) - one of the authors of the plan for the attack on France (1940), he was an able general, especially of armored formations and performed outstandingly in the field throughout the war on the Eastern Front
Rommel (German Army) - well-known for his exploits in North Africa, he was a master of the attack involving armor. Overall, one of the best generals the Germans had, becoming a favorite of Hitler's. Was distantly involved in the attempted assassination of Hitler, deciding to end his life himself, rather than shame his family and reputation with a long, public trial.
Bradley (USA) - well-liked and effective Army commander in all American campaigns during the European Theater of Operations. Would not recklessly attack and cost unnecessary casualties, sometimes referred to as cautious. Not in my book, he cared for his men to be sure, but was a very able tactitian.
Konev (Russian Army) - one of the few Russian generals who survived the beginning of the war until the end and covered himself with glory and success along the way. Most of his victories occurred in the southern fronts, he re-captured southern Russia, Ukraine, Romania and southern Poland prior to advancing into Germany.

there are others, but these are a few who were very able leaders...

Answer 2

This has already generated some good answers, but I could add a few:
General Kurt Student- German commander of Fallschirmjager (paratroops). He used his men very effectively and developed much of German airborne doctrine. Many other nations copied his ideas.
General Omar Bradley-American commander who was a "soldier's soldier". He never went in for glory or honors, but was a very effective commander who was cautious with the lives of his men.
General "Sepp" Dietrich-German SS Commander of the Liebstandarte Division. A good overall commander who valued the lives of his men. He successfully managed to negotiate the fine line between the nazi fanatics and the old-school officers, and helped to create a combat-worthy unit. Surprisingly for an SS officer, he was also part of the Hitler bomb-plot, along with several other prominent SS and Wehrmacht leaders. He had enough "pull" to save himself and a few other SS men from the vicious reprisals that followed, and continued on as a combat leader.
Admiral Erich Raeder-German naval commander who built from scratch a very powerful and effective navy. He was a good overall leader and organizer, but always at odds with Hitler, and eventually replaced.
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto-Japanese naval commander who was extremely popular with his men, and a great strategist. He developed the Pearl Harbor attack, though all the while working for a peaceful solution that would forstall the war the Japanese army wanted.
I am sure that there are other commanders of worth that I and the others have missed.

Answer 3

Axis: Paul Hausser, as commander of the II SS Panzer Corp, he won the 3rd Battle of Kharkov against a Red Army 7 times his size.

Kurt "Panzer" Meyer was general of the Hitlerjugend.
Manstein, Guderian and Rommel were also notable generals of the blitzkrieg war.

Allies: Patton, his 3rd Army could've beat the Soviets to Berlin if he was given half the chance. James Gavan, the "jumping general' led the airborne in Normandy. Zhukov was the hero on the Eastern Front...he saved the day in Leningrad and Stalingrad.

Answer 4

All the ones mentioned, here are some less familiar ones.

- General Herman Balck - Panzer Division Commander and Commander of the German 48th Panzer Corps in Russia, referred to as Germany's best field commander.

- Major General F.W. Von Mellenthin - German General Staff Officer and wrote " Panzer Battles " classic account of tank warfare in WW2.
- Major General Maurice Rose - Commander of Patton's 3rd Armored (Spearhead) Division, was killed in action leading his troops from the front.
- General Vasili Chuikov - Russian Commander of 62nd Army , his headquarters were inside Stalingrad during the battle.

Answer 5

Allies: Viscount Slim. The only Allied general to have risen through the ranks from private to General. His victories when outnumbered at Imphal and Kohima were achieved against greater odds than any won by the more famous Montgomery who boasted more tanks, guns and men than Rommel had seenin his entire northafrican campaign

Germans: Heinz Guderian, he was the man who really originated the concept of blitzkreig, a much better commander than say rommel ro patton,

Hitler whose 'instincts' saved many allied soldiers who might have been killed had he not overruled wiser heads in the Wermacht.

Answer 6

I've always admired Vinegar Joe Stillwell. Served in China, had to juggle between the realities of the KouMinTang hiding in their stronghold and the Reds up there behind Japanese lines operating against the enemy.

Tough gig, but he did it well.

Answer 7

General 'Vinegar Joe' Stillwell

A U.S. infantry officer in the signal corps, General Stillwell was the commander of the China/Burma theater of operations in WWII.

Answer 8

General Sir Thomas Blamey. essentially an amateur who took the team over at the bottom of the ninth and saved my country from annihilation. McArthur, Eisenhower, Rommel for professionalism and Mannerheim for brilliance

Answer 9

"how many generals did the U. S. defense force have for the duration of WW2?" No concept, i do no longer do math. military + USAAF etal = certainly one of those migraines i'm getting once I easily have an concept. "And have been any of them killed in action?" this is historic previous and defense force, my favs! i can call one off the excellent of my pointy head. USAAF Lt prevalent L NcNair being the optimal score US serviceman to be killed for the duration of WW2 - via his very own air rigidity. An errant bomb hit the foxhole he occupied.

Answer 10

General George S. Patton--he's too colorful a character not to love.