Wazap, fellow BF2 cannon fodder.
I'm going to throw out a new topic for debate.
Name your favorite military commanders by nation and/or war, and why.
My choices:
American Revolution = George Washington
(turned the tide at Trenton by sheer will alone, then won the whole thing at Yorktown with help from the French army and fleet. Only won two battles but they were the ones that counted the most.)
War of 1812 = Andrew Jackson (Decided to remain within his fortifications so he could use an entire British army for target practice at New Orleans.)
Mexican-American War = Winfield Scott (cut his supply lines between Vera Cruz and Mexico City; even the Duke of Wellington said it was mad, but it worked.)
American Civil War =
-Lee, for whipping McLellan's larger force during the Seven Days, and keeping Confederate hopes alive far longer than they otherwise would have.
-Grant, for pulling together the Union Army into a war-winning force. Sherman helped a lot too - rarely have two commanders ever had such an excellent rapport.
World War I: Arthur Currie and John Monash, for creating the excellent Canadian and Australia/New Zealand Corps which spearheaded the drive against Germany in 1917-1918.
WWII: Patton, for whipping his 3rd Army around the German flanks in Normandy (he used blitzkrieg against the Nazis in ways they could only dream about); for having the foresight to predict a German counterattack in the Ardennes, and halting and redirecting his army from east to north to counter it; and for crossing the Rhine with barely a shot fired. Montgomery, who was a very able commander, couldnt touch Patton.
-Slim, the master, for rebuilding his shattered Anglo-Indian army from defeat into spectacular if costly, victory at Imphal and Kohima; and especially when he led the Japanese to believe he would cross the Irriwaddy at one point, yet he crossed at another, turning their retreat into a full-blown route.
Korea: MacArthur, for landing at Inch'on where the North Koreans (and everyone else) said it couldn't be done, and pushing them back to the Yalu.
Vietnam: Fred Weyand, for having the foresight to keep sizeable reserves ready to defeat the Tet Offensive in and around Saigon. General Krulak of the Marine Corps also deserves merit for outstanding leadership in the North - he could outthink his enemy. What a pity they did not succeed but it wasn't their fault.
Gulf War II: soldier-scholar David Patraeus of the 101st Airborne Division. He held a meeting with two other generals during a mortar barrage. They showed little reaction as the bombs dropped around them, until they came a little too close - but then they drew their pistols and charged at the Iraqis. On top of it all, the guy has a PhD from Princeton. Amazing.
Your thoughts.
I'm going to throw out a new topic for debate.
Name your favorite military commanders by nation and/or war, and why.
My choices:
American Revolution = George Washington
(turned the tide at Trenton by sheer will alone, then won the whole thing at Yorktown with help from the French army and fleet. Only won two battles but they were the ones that counted the most.)
War of 1812 = Andrew Jackson (Decided to remain within his fortifications so he could use an entire British army for target practice at New Orleans.)
Mexican-American War = Winfield Scott (cut his supply lines between Vera Cruz and Mexico City; even the Duke of Wellington said it was mad, but it worked.)
American Civil War =
-Lee, for whipping McLellan's larger force during the Seven Days, and keeping Confederate hopes alive far longer than they otherwise would have.
-Grant, for pulling together the Union Army into a war-winning force. Sherman helped a lot too - rarely have two commanders ever had such an excellent rapport.
World War I: Arthur Currie and John Monash, for creating the excellent Canadian and Australia/New Zealand Corps which spearheaded the drive against Germany in 1917-1918.
WWII: Patton, for whipping his 3rd Army around the German flanks in Normandy (he used blitzkrieg against the Nazis in ways they could only dream about); for having the foresight to predict a German counterattack in the Ardennes, and halting and redirecting his army from east to north to counter it; and for crossing the Rhine with barely a shot fired. Montgomery, who was a very able commander, couldnt touch Patton.
-Slim, the master, for rebuilding his shattered Anglo-Indian army from defeat into spectacular if costly, victory at Imphal and Kohima; and especially when he led the Japanese to believe he would cross the Irriwaddy at one point, yet he crossed at another, turning their retreat into a full-blown route.
Korea: MacArthur, for landing at Inch'on where the North Koreans (and everyone else) said it couldn't be done, and pushing them back to the Yalu.
Vietnam: Fred Weyand, for having the foresight to keep sizeable reserves ready to defeat the Tet Offensive in and around Saigon. General Krulak of the Marine Corps also deserves merit for outstanding leadership in the North - he could outthink his enemy. What a pity they did not succeed but it wasn't their fault.
Gulf War II: soldier-scholar David Patraeus of the 101st Airborne Division. He held a meeting with two other generals during a mortar barrage. They showed little reaction as the bombs dropped around them, until they came a little too close - but then they drew their pistols and charged at the Iraqis. On top of it all, the guy has a PhD from Princeton. Amazing.
Your thoughts.