Greatest General/ military theoretician in History?

EmperorSolo51 · Post by **EmperorSolo51** » 2002-08-20 09:47am

WHo do you think is the greatest Military general/theoretician in History and Why?

Here is my list. (Top 5: in decending order)
1. Sun Tzu- He wrote the world's oldest military treatise 3000 years ago, whic is still in use today. He wrote about waging war on the Offence, Defense, and the planing stages.
My favorite Line:

quote:
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Therefore, I say: Know your enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are sure to be defeated in every battle.
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2. Helmuth Von Moltke (Aka Moltke the Elder) - He was Prussian/German General led the Prussian and Northern German Confederation armies to victory over France in 1871 during the Franco-Prussian war in what was considered the first modern war.

3. Alfred Von Schliefan- He invented the Schliefan plan that had it been implemented as it was written, could have had the German Armies outflank the French and Paris could have been taken before Christmas of 1914.

4. Napoleon Bonaparte- He was able who create a French empire that spand and continent and created the Nepoleonic Code, which influenced the Laws of Louisiana, France, and Central europe. The only things that defeated Napoleon were General Winter and Over ambition.

5. Alexander the Great- He conquered much the Known world in the 330's BC and set up an empire that streched from Macedonia in the west to as far as the Indus river in India and far south as Nubia in southern Egypt. Had he not died in Babylon, His empire would been more mightier than the Roman Empire and would have lasted longer as well.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2002-08-20 04:52pm

Sun Tzu: Have to give it to him
Temunjin: Gengis Khan invented Mobile warfare if he had only understood the navy....

Honorable Mention:

Wellington: Asshole supream, Irishman noted for unconventional Tactics, and totaly decimating Napoleon's forces.
Belesarius: Byzantine General well known for putting down the "Victory" uprising, and for being one of the best generals in the Byzantine Roman Empire.
Leonidas: Held the Pass for 6 days, out numbered, and out gunned. And his "Come Tale them" line would later be echoed by many more besiegies.
Vlad Tepes: Best known for being a horror movie inspiration, he is the real life inspiration for the present conflicts in the Balkens. Credited with winning by committing atrocities so horrible no one wanted to appose him. (Terrorism/Psyche warfare.)

Mr. B · Post by **Mr. B** » 2002-08-20 06:03pm

Alexander the Great-conquered the Persian Empire spreading Greek culture.

Napoleon-Conquered most of Europe

All those German Generals

Julius Ceasar-not just a general but a politican and statesman

Zuchov-Soviet general, stopped German counterattck, defeated Manstein

Patton

Hanibal

nightmare · Post by **nightmare** » 2002-08-20 07:26pm

I nominate Clausewitz for strategy, Alexander as general, and Napoleon as tactician.