Great Commanders

[Kingmaker]

HiHi

Hey Ivan you choose who you like, and up to 10 if you wish.

?? Henry V !?? a one hit wonder, allbeit a massive one :-)

All the Best
Peter

[Glyn]

My are..

1. Alexander the Great
2. Scipio Africanus
3. John Churchill - Duke of Marlborough
4. Gustavus Adolphus
5. Field Marshall 'Bill' Slim
6. Admiral Lord Nelson
7. Napoleon
8. Oliver Cromwell
9. Wellington
10. King Edward III

[Glyn]

?? Henry V !?? a one hit wonder, allbeit a massive one :-)

All the Best
Peter

Not necessary, he was on his third successful campaign when he died from dysentery in 1421. I think he would have done a lot more if he had lived, maybe the 100 years wars "might" have had a different out come.

[Kingmaker]

HiHi

Mmmm, my personal opinon Glyn, but I think in some ways Henry V reputation was more the product of what we would now call Media spin, something the house of Lancaster was allways very adept at.

For all the glory of St Crispins day at Agincourt surely the fact still remains that it was bad generalship that got the English army in the mess where it was win or be anihalated, fair enough his battlefield tactics were excellent but ... ?

As to his other 2 campaigns both were (if my memory serves me well)little more than siege opperations, OK he recaptured Normandy and got to the gates of Paris but I don't think he ever faced a French army in the field again (I may be wrong though), suffise to say that in my opinion the really outstanding commander in that period was Henrys brother Bedford, but thats merely my opinion.

Quite agree though that if he had of lived longer and taken the French throne France would have remained English, ... another lot that missed out on the joys of Cricket through going their own way :)

All the Best
Peter

[Ivan]

I guess it's how you define being a great commander. From what I know about him (and I'm no expert) he took over the throne at a very difficult time and managed to get a lot of people behind him. In the Normandy campaign he maintained great discipline and belief from his men ( he only had to hang one). He could do everything, and had a handle on everything, something of a polymath. He also understood how to defeat cavalry and men at arms using tactics the French should have understood better as their leaders had had first hand experience of these tactics against the Turks.

I would not say he was the greatest, not sure how anyone could come to that conclusion about anyone. But i think he deserves a mention as he was pretty damn good.

Cheers


Adam

[Kingmaker]

HiHi

Thats all fair comment Adam, in the end any choice we make is subjective to what we regard as good qualities in a leader, the brief was an open one and everybody can choose as they wish using whatever criteria, (You still have another 7 to choose :-) ).

I did add a, 'but be prepared to defend your choice' bit, which you have done well, Glyn also supports your candidate, but Henry is just not one I would choose.

Have 'a Scratch & a think' and add your copmpleat choice of 10 to the thread, ... even if it does include Henry V :)

All the Best
Peter

[Glyn]

I agree with the above Peter and one reason I haven't included him in my own top ten list.;)

I suppose that I just wouldn't call him over "rated", but he falls into the good medieval general category.:)

[Ivan]

Fellas

I'm not confident enough to do a top ten as there so many I don't know much about if anything even though I've been interested in military history all my life. So just based ones I know or think I know:

(1) Alexander the Great
(2) Julius Ceaser
(3) Georgi Zhukov
(4) Ghengis Khan
(5) Manstein
(6) Wellington
(7) Napoleon
(8) Shaka Zulu
(9) Geronimo
(10)Ahmad Shah Massoud

[Metnegomilj]

Timur Lengh(Tamerlan),anyone?
Josip Broz Tito:smoke:

[Kingmaker]

HiHi

Ok at this early stage the leaders are:-

Alexander the Great & Napoleon on 5
Nelson on 4
Genghis Khan & Marlborough on 3

Surprised nobody has mentioned Patton, obviously the film ain't been on TV recently! :stir:

All the Best
Peter