Who was the best military commander throughout modern history?

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 05:19:04 -0500

Keep it to the last 250 or so years please.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 14 at 2014 5:31 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 05:31:52 -0500

Hard to argue against Lee. Until Gettysburg, the guy was winning battles where he was heavily outnumbered and outmaneuvered. Nathan Bedford Forrest was also a tactical genius. And although he's one of my favorite generals, Grant won most of his battles by being willing to throw people into almost certain death.
I've always found it somewhat amusing that Washington is as revered as he is for his military leadership. The revolutionary war was really won through a series of British mistakes and simple luck. Washington lost more battles than he won, but the Brits made some amazingly stupid decisions early on. Between Boston and New York, the Brits could have easily ended the Revolutionary War at numerous time points.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Nov 14 at 2014 5:37 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 05:37:00 -0500

Admiral of the Fleet Chester A. Nimitz: The one thing that stands out in Adm. Chester Nimitz’s tenure as America’s premier fleet admiral in the Pacific Theater of Operations during WWII is the nearly flawless strategic plan he concocted to deliver a decisive military victory over the armed forces of Imperial Japan.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 14 at 2014 8:00 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 08:00:07 -0500

So Barney Rubble is out then? lol. I am partial to General McArthur and Omar Bradley.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 14 at 2014 9:04 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 09:04:07 -0500

I noticed that no one has mentioned Curtis LeMay. Gen. LeMay was instrumental in our Cold War defenses through his leadership of the Strategic Air Command.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_LeMay

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Air_Command

Curtis LeMay - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Curtis Emerson LeMay (November 15, 1906 – October 1, 1990) was a general in the United States Air Force and the vice presidential running mate of American Independent Party candidate George Wallace in the 1968 presidential election.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 14 at 2014 9:39 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 09:39:58 -0500

LTC Private RallyPoint Member Sir, could you clarify 'modern history'? What are our constraints with regard to time periods?

Response by SGT Edward Thomas made Nov 14 at 2014 1:13 PM

SGT Edward Thomas — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 13:13:10 -0500

I am partial to General H. Norman Schwarzkopf. I served under his command directly from 1989 until his retirement. He led from the front. In Vietnam he risked his life to rescue a fallen SSG on the battlefield. I do believe he was a CPT or MAJ at that time.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 15 at 2014 3:40 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 03:40:36 -0500

Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D Eisenhower, Norman Schwarzkopf and Claire Lee Chennault.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Jul 8 at 2015 1:37 PM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:37:34 -0400

Marshal Zhukov Comes to mind.

Response by LTC Charles Blasdell made Jul 14 at 2015 5:20 PM

LTC Charles Blasdell — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 17:20:59 -0400

Creighton Williams Abrams, Jr.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 14 at 2015 5:53 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 17:53:32 -0400

General Eisenhower. He designed a very complex list of allied actions in the European Campaign to win. Something we can't seem to do now.

Response by Capt Walter Miller made Dec 29 at 2015 3:06 PM

Capt Walter Miller — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 15:06:36 -0500

Maybe Von Mannstein. Master of maneuver

Or General Marshall. Architect of victory

Or Crazy George Patton. Mobile warfare master.

Or Pap Thomas. Rock of Chickamauga. Drove the Army of Tennessee out of existence.

Or Von Runstedt. Never lost a battle.

Or Emory Upton. Developer of modern infantry tactics (also the modern cartridge belt)

Or Uncle Billy Sherman. Another master of maneuver.

Or Isaac Brock. Skillful Brit general Killed in action.

Or Philip Broke. Outstanding naval captain and captor of USS Chesapeake.

Or Jimmy Doolittle. Commanded the 8th US Army Air Force, 500,000 strong; thinking outside the bomber box to wreck the German Air Force and pave the way for invasion.

And an honorable mention to Nathaniel Lyon.

I love this story about General Lyon. Fierce for his duty and loyalty to the Union, he got so antsy about a Rebel camp down the road that he got in full female regalia - cross-dressed from vail to hoop skirt to button down shoes and drove a buggy into the insurgent camp to see what they were up to. KIA at the battle of Wilson's Creek.

Walt

Response by SFC Pete Kain made Dec 29 at 2015 3:10 PM

SFC Pete Kain — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 15:10:35 -0500

Going to have to say General Washington. You know the Revolution and all.

Response by SFC Pete Kain made Dec 29 at 2015 3:50 PM

SFC Pete Kain — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 15:50:31 -0500

Crazy horse or Geronimo. Both were pretty damn good.

Rommel was another great.

Response by 1SG Michael Blount made Dec 29 at 2015 4:49 PM

1SG Michael Blount — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 16:49:22 -0500

It's a tie between LTGs U.S. Grant and R.E. Lee

Response by SFC Pete Kain made Dec 29 at 2015 6:34 PM

SFC Pete Kain — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 18:34:25 -0500

Captain Walt Miller, if for nothing else, he is a legend in his own mind.
Yeah, I went there. shrug
C'mon you were all thinking it.
Apologies to the admin and staff, just got frustrated and irritated enough to post it.

Response by SGT Dana Williams made Dec 29 at 2015 6:47 PM

SGT Dana Williams — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 18:47:48 -0500

Mathew Bunker Ridgeway.