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Best Generals of all Time


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My kinsman

 

Casimir Pulaski, father of the American cavalry

 

General of the Pulaski cavalry legion

 

Considering the cavalry was historically the most feeble arm of the US Army, and produced only one general of note (J.E.B. Stuart - unless you want to include that !@#$ Nathan Bedford Forrest, which I don't), I wouldn't really give him high marks.

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Considering the cavalry was historically the most feeble arm of the US Army, and produced only one general of note (J.E.B. Stuart - unless you want to include that !@#$ Nathan Bedford Forrest, which I don't), I wouldn't really give him high marks.

He personally saved Washington's life in battle

 

He obviously isn't one of the best Generals of all time but Washington may not have made it through the war if it wasn't for Pulaski's heroics

 

And that's a fact

 

He was also VERY WEALTHY and donated all his $$ to the cause which wasn't his

 

He has parades around the country

 

He is a hero

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He personally saved Washington's life in battle

 

He obviously isn't one of the best Generals of all time but Washington may not have made it through the war if it wasn't for Pulaski's heroics

 

And that's a fact

 

He was also VERY WEALTHY and donated all his $$ to the cause which wasn't his

 

He has parades around the country

 

He is a hero

 

Doesn't make him a good general. And this is the "greatest generals" thread, isn't it?

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Doesn't make him a good general. And this is the "greatest generals" thread, isn't it?

Yes and he isn't the greatest.

 

But Father of the American cavalry HAS to count for something

 

But I agree that he isn't one of the best Generals of all time... I just thought founding the American cavalry is significant

Where does Sun Tzu sit?

 

Is he worthy of a top 10 spot??

 

Art of war is a masterpiece

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Yes and he isn't the greatest.

 

But Father of the American cavalry HAS to count for something

 

But I agree that he isn't one of the best Generals of all time... I just thought founding the American cavalry is significant

Where does Sun Tzu sit?

 

Is he worthy of a top 10 spot??

 

Art of war is a masterpiece

 

Founding American artillery is significant. American cavalry...its best moment is Stuart riding around McClellan's army in the peninsula, which virtually no one knows about. It's best-known moment is Little Bighorn. That's not exactly a service arm you want to brag about establishing. I'm not saying he was a cretin, but let's not over-exaggerate. He certainly wasn't a Stuart, Seydlitz, Sobieski, or Subotai. Or even a Ney, Murat, or Hephastion.

 

Sun Tzu...there's interestingly very little evidence outside of The Art of War that he even existed, and almost nothing about any battles he led. And while he wrote perhaps the single most important work of military theory in history...a great military theorist is not necessarily a great general. No one lists Jomini or Clausewitz among great generals, or Alfred Thayer Mahan among great admirals.

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Founding American artillery is significant. American cavalry...its best moment is Stuart riding around McClellan's army in the peninsula, which virtually no one knows about. It's best-known moment is Little Bighorn.

Something has to be famous to be great? Then what about General Zod?

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William the Conqueror was also known as William the Bastard, which is much less flattering. Plus...have you ever read about the battle of Hastings? The Normans won practically by accident, when Harold Godwinson died and the Saxons fell apart.

 

Shaka, I have high regards for, but can't consider him one of the greatest generals. I'm always amused at how he established the Zulu military legend: before him, Zulu warfare was highly ritualized. Impi would line up across from each other and sing, a couple of big swinging dicks would challenge each other in single combat between the lines, and at the end of the day they'd decide who won and everyone would go home. Then one day, Shaka says to himself "I have ten thousand guys with spears, why the !@#$ are we singing?..."

 

No comment on Martel?

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No comment on Martel?

He may one of the most important figures in world history if Lynn White's book Medieval Technology and Social Change is to be believed. White argued that Martel in facing the rise on Islam decided that the mounted horse using stirrups and horseshoes was the weapon of choice and remade European society into the feudal system to support horses and mounted knights. White looked at Europe around the time of the battle of Tours 732 and found many churches had their lands taken away to make horse breeding land. Some historians have challanged this thesis but its still provocative

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He may one of the most important figures in world history if Lynn White's book Medieval Technology and Social Change is to be believed. White argued that Martel in facing the rise on Islam decided that the mounted horse using stirrups and horseshoes was the weapon of choice and remade European society into the feudal system to support horses and mounted knights. White looked at Europe around the time of the battle of Tours 732 and found many churches had their lands taken away to make horse breeding land. Some historians have challanged this thesis but its still provocative

Cut and paste.

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No comment on Martel?

 

Overrated. I mean, he wasn't bad by any stretch, he won Tours before the battle even started based on a masterful understanding of his army, the Ummayad army, and an excellent use of terrain and great preparation. But a great portion of his reputation as "the Hammer" was Christian propaganda.

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Founding American artillery is significant. American cavalry...its best moment is Stuart riding around McClellan's army in the peninsula, which virtually no one knows about. It's best-known moment is Little Bighorn. That's not exactly a service arm you want to brag about establishing. I'm not saying he was a cretin, but let's not over-exaggerate. He certainly wasn't a Stuart, Seydlitz, Sobieski, or Subotai. Or even a Ney, Murat, or Hephastion.

 

Sun Tzu...there's interestingly very little evidence outside of The Art of War that he even existed, and almost nothing about any battles he led. And while he wrote perhaps the single most important work of military theory in history...a great military theorist is not necessarily a great general. No one lists Jomini or Clausewitz among great generals, or Alfred Thayer Mahan among great admirals.

I fully agree

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