Who Was History's Greatest Military Leader?

by Elephant Lord Posted 2012/05/28 03:28:38

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	Genghis Khan	2 votes	3%
	Napoleon Bonaparte	4 votes	6%
	Saladin	3 votes	5%
	Alexander the Great	13 votes	20%
	General Patton	1 vote	2%
	Sun Tzu	4 votes	6%
	Ulysses S Grant	0 votes	0%
	Robert E Lee	2 votes	3%
	Hannibal Barka	3 votes	5%
	William Wallace	0 votes	0%
	Teddy Roosevelt	2 votes	3%
	Shaka Zulu	2 votes	3%
	Julius Caesar	4 votes	6%
	Lawrence of Arabia	0 votes	0%
	William the Conquerer	2 votes	3%
	Attila the Hun	0 votes	0%
	Cyrus the Great	2 votes	3%
	George Washington	2 votes	3%
	Sargon	1 vote	2%
	Vlad the Impaler	2 votes	3%
	Undecided	6 votes	9%
	None of the above	11 votes	17%

More polls by Elephant Lord

Rural Charmer 2012/06/09 12:06:10

Napoleon Bonaparte

+1
"The best genral, is the one that does not have to go to war"

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Valia-chan 2012/06/01 18:46:26

Alexander the Great

Oh definitely Alexander.He was a genius.

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Pikku13 2012/05/31 05:08:24

None of the above

All of these men are amazing in their own way, and have their own approaches to war. So in truce, they all are (in their own manner) history's greatest military leader.
However I personally find Napoleon Bonaparte the most interesting. But one historical figure that was a great military leader that you forgot to mention is Peter the Great, a Russian tzar. Another is Frederick the Great (of Prussia.) There are thousands upon millions, and it can only be a question in which the answer is all of the above, or perhaps none at all.

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BlackwinterG36C 2012/05/29 12:03:30

Alexander the Great

+2
Alexander the Great and Napoleon. Its a tough call. It really does come down to personal preference when it comes to this list. Alexander the Great won my vote because someone once said you will never understand war unless you study Alexander the Great.

But all those PALE in comparison to Lord Serpentor THIS HE COMMANDS!!!!!!

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Jack 2012/05/29 07:15:20

Undecided

I would say all were great at their time. Some just became famous by winning a single war, others win a few and lose a few. However, I feel that you left out other greats like Erich von Manstein, Heniz Guderian and Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf aka "Stormin Norman".

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☣Lady Gothika☣ ™ 2012/05/29 07:01:21

Vlad the Impaler

yep, sure why not

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FELINE GESTURES IN THE DARK 2012/05/29 06:39:33

None of the above

+1
I would not like to put him with Vlad or Lawrence ( what is he doing among William & the rest ??) but in a group of higher leadership qualities I would give a name . But not here , not with them . Even his name is too precious .

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hasher 2012/05/29 04:11:36

General Patton

i thought for sure patton would get some votes!!!

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wildcat 2012/05/28 21:17:08

None of the above

William Tecumseh Sherman

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DoxieDad 2012/05/28 20:29:07

Sun Tzu

+1
Some of these were not necessarily military leaders. But, for their time each had an important role to play in history. I choose SunTzu because his teachings on military tactics are well documented and studied in military colleges around the world. It is amazing how tactics and disciplines used five hundred years before the current era are applicable to today's military strategies

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Jackie G - Poker Playing Pa... 2012/05/28 18:43:30

Alexander the Great

Alexander

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stevmackey 2012/05/28 18:42:16

Genghis Khan

He managed to conquer most of Europe and Asia.

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wolf sloan 2012/05/28 15:50:48

None of the above

+2
Chief Joseph

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pat 2012/05/28 14:28:30

Robert E Lee

My personal favorite...glad to see he was on the list.

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3003573 2012/05/28 13:11:05
Gunner 2012/05/28 12:05:15

None of the above

+2
Great question, Elephant Lord - thanks.

Goodness, this a tough one....

I will say General George Patton.

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jacob crim 2012/05/28 11:36:05

Undecided

+2
I want to say Khan since no one took over as much land mass as he did. But I am sorry for my answer, but its true the dude was a modern military mastermind.

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Ken to jacob crim 2012/05/28 17:28:49

I think you have something....and you gave at least a bit of tribute to Khan. I feel Sun Tzu understood the logic of war better than anyway but am not sufficiently familiar with his battles to know if he knew how to apply this logic.

The success of the German armies in conquering Europe (except Russia and Britain) was remarkable. His statesmanship in forming his alliances with Italy, Japan, and Russia was also remarkable. For these accomplishments he deserves some credit....

But....and there is always a but.....

Along with Donald Rumsfeld, he provides an excellent example to demonstrate how winning the war is futile if you cannot win the peace. Hitler and Germany's occupation of the Ukraine provides an excellent example of how to lose an empire. In the four years of so the Germans occupied the Ukraine the people went from loving Hitler for saving them from Stalin to loving Stalin for saving them from Hitler. Anyone who converts to their friends into their enemies will not long endure....and will leave a legacy of shame rather than honor.

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Angus 2012/05/28 10:54:24

Alexander the Great

+2
Without a doubt ;-)

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sglmom 2012/05/28 08:23:44

Undecided

+3
WOW ..
what a list of choices ..
Sun Tzu .. His Art of War .. was definitely interesting read ..
I have to admire anyone who was banished multiple times .. yet STILL Regained and proclaimed emperor (Napoleon) .. although his WIFE was truly most loved for her charitable works ..
Alexander the Great .. young .. shrewd .. a genius ..
Washington .. the Uncommon LEADER of men .. (and he was also human .. had his doubts .. his concerns .. )
PATTON .. yep .. I definitely ADMIRE HIM ..

and yes, there's the cruder ones .. not necessarily genius .. but definitely interesting to study tactics and methods from them
(Vlad, Ghengis, Atilla .. )

I'd have to say of these .. tough choice ..
but ..

Patton and Sun Tzu .. both fascinate me immensely (and I do admire the minds of each)

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Gunner to sglmom 2012/05/28 12:08:46

+1
Great and very thoughtful post, sglmom. I answered Patton as well, and coincidentally in my mind I was also thinking of Sun Tzu.

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Insert Vaguely Clever Name ... 2012/05/28 07:05:34

None of the above

+2
obviously

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Ken to Insert ... 2012/05/28 17:57:57

Fabulous choice and well reasoned. You identified a person who defeated the British Military, with a ragtag group of untrained peasants armed with nothing but their farm tools. Only a brilliant strategist who understood the strengths and weaknesses of his own forces and those of his enemy, could have succeeded against such odds. Few, if any generals, on the list overcame more impossible odds against winning.

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Heptarch 2012/05/28 05:58:56

Alexander the Great

+1
It was either between him and Bonaparte. Alexander gets the nod because he didn't forget the cardinal rule of Risk.

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BlytheSpirit~bn0 2012/05/28 05:24:38

None of the above

+2
Jean D'Arc

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abycinnamon BN-1 2012/05/28 05:24:08

Alexander the Great

+1
held the largest empire ever. Considered best ever by some.

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Disko Pickle 2012/05/28 04:54:11

None of the above

+2
Barack Hussein Obama

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selgo451 2012/05/28 04:38:58
Curmudgeon 2012/05/28 04:16:49

Sun Tzu

+3
His book the art of war is timeless, and still used today by companies who train sales executives in Asia. When a book that old is still used it says allot about it.

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sjalan 2012/05/28 04:05:12

Alexander the Great

+1
He is well known as the single greatest military mind of his time and much of the history around him has shown his genius.

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zbacku 2012/05/28 04:04:54

George Washington

+2

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Rammstein 2012/05/28 03:59:27

Hannibal Barka

+1
naming my kid after him!

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strawberry 2012/05/28 03:51:30

Teddy Roosevelt

+1
Teddy Roosevelt and The Rough Riders.

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I. Car Rus 2012/05/28 03:43:39

Julius Caesar

+2
Julius Caesar. This is who the rest studied.

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Gunner to I. Car Rus 2012/05/28 12:12:14

+1
"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war." Julius Caesar

My favorite quote.

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I. Car Rus to Gunner 2012/05/28 16:40:46

Yeah, its a great quip.

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EliteAmongOutcasts 2012/05/28 03:37:15