Greatest WWII Military Commanders: Updated

[Raf ace]

For me i think general Marshal

 

[Desert Fox]

I would also like to point out that Hermann Goering was an abosolute idiot who couldnt get his head out of Hitlers arse long enough to command the Luftwaffe properly. There, i said it.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I think everyone knows that and that is why he did not get any votes.

 

[renrich]

Before the 2nd WW began and before Churchill had become PM, von Ribbentrop was trying to demonstrate to him why GB should stay out of any war that might involve Germany. He stated that Germany had the finest air force, the finest army "and this time we shall have Italy on our side." Churchill said,"that seems fair, we were stuck with them last time." Don't forget that Rommel won most of his victories in North Africa with more than half of his forces comprised of poorly equipped Italian troops. I would give much consideration to Kesselring and how about Adolph Galland. On the American side definitely MacArthur.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The thing that held Rommel back in France 1944 was Hitler himself...

 

[renrich]

Too right!

 

[plan_D]

Except the fact that Rommel had it all wrong anyway in 1944. He had his armour on the front; in range of Allied naval guns - they were pratically wiped out and were only poised to react to their part of the front.

Guderian wanted the armour back, to use to roads to react anywhere and be out of the naval gun range. Rundstedt agreed to Guderian at first; but gave in to Rommel's constant whining. Which resulted in the 21st Panzer division being splattered by the Royal Navy.

 

[Marriott]

Erwin Rommel by a long shot in my opinion

 

[Lucky13]

I'm missing Felix Steiner of the 5th SS Div. Wiking here....

Many great commanders to find here and a few not so "great"..

 

[102first_hussars]

People dont give Omar Bradley enough credit


Oh and by the way wheres Andrew Macnaughton

 

[rogthedodge]

Just joined so this is my first post:

It has to be William Slim - no-one else single-handedly turned a routed, defeated and defeatist army on the run into one that could take the Japanese on in what was seen to be their 'natural' environment and defeat them - resoundingly.

He did this with virtually no support, few extra resources and very little recognition - almost purely through his humanity, communication skills, and outstanding personal leadership.

He wasn't nick-named 'Uncle Bill' for nothing!

Contrast this with other greats Monty, Patton and Rommel - all of whom were talked up by their respective countries' PR machines for good military reasons but had significant resources at their disposal and often a numerical / technical advantage over their opponents.

On the basis of his comment to Churchill - 'Well I know one thing, Prime Mininster, my Army won't be voting for you' he was probably the bravest too.

 

[nosta3824382]

Zhukov should be the best he command soviet army to fight the strongest army in the world in late 1941 .That time soviet lost million mens and have only few troop left (fewer than German). And he command and win many battle in Moskov Stalingrad Operation Uranus Kursk Operation Bagration .He control all logistic partisan strategic and battle tactic until Soviet win German. Some battle he have not good killing ratio but because German have better weapon and more expert men.German can win with 10 /1 catualty ratio in many country .And 1 Panther or Tiger can destroy 5 Ally tanks when their enemy control air.
But about battle of Berlin I think if he just surround and cut food it enough to win .But may be he think if he lost men and let German surrender million of men it should better. He trap major German force in sounteast of city and capture Berlin with his 360,000 catualty. If half of wounded soldiers can medic .He lost only 220,000. But if this made more than million of German troop surrender it ok.

 

[mkloby]

I believe Zhukov is credited with making a comment that the best way to clear a minefield is to send the infantry across it. I don't know if this is substantiated, though.

 

[nosta3824382]

I dont know about that Zhukov strategy.Wikipedia and some other web is my only source.But if it true it too much cruel T_T.

 

[drgondog]

It depends on the definition of Blitzkrieg. Guderian was certainly instrumental in the development of the modern concept of tank maneuvers. Now was he involved in the development of the concept of coordinated artillery and air attacks with tanks, I don't know.

There's a difference in being a great military stategist and a great leader. I know Guderian led some battles but I don't think he is considered a great leader, certainly not in the league of Rommel. Of course Rommel had the press behind him.

My fist vote goes to MacArthur with Patton, Guderian, and Rommel in there as the best at the next level.

MacArthur was an absolute master of 3 dimensional warfare that maximized gains and minimized losses of grunt GI's - At least two of the above lost more troops dead in one day than MacArthur lost in his SW Pacific campaigns (somewhat of an exaggeration but not by much)

I also think that Monty was a great leader and a strategist as well as Alexander, Rundstedt, Balck, Kesslering and Zhukov as well as Yamamoto and Tamashita. As to the latter, he is/was under rated.

 

[drgondog]

I believe Zhukov is credited with making a comment that the best way to clear a minefield is to send the infantry across it. I don't know if this is substantiated, though.

mkloby - when my father led the last Shuttle Mission, over Warsaw, on 18 September (the Escort Group not the 3rd Div bomber force led by Truesdale) his singular most memorable experience of the mission was watching Russian soldiers, men and women, arm in arm marching across Piryatin airfield and taxi areas kicking up mines.

 

[drgondog]

Just joined so this is my first post:

It has to be William Slim - no-one else single-handedly turned a routed, defeated and defeatist army on the run into one that could take the Japanese on in what was seen to be their 'natural' environment and defeat them - resoundingly.

He did this with virtually no support, few extra resources and very little recognition - almost purely through his humanity, communication skills, and outstanding personal leadership.



On the basis of his comment to Churchill - 'Well I know one thing, Prime Mininster, my Army won't be voting for you' he was probably the bravest too.

How about Guadalcanal, Roge? Although it wasn't won single handed by anybody, just a bunch of raggedy ass Marines and soldiers..

Monty did fairly well at El Alemein as I recall, and the guys at Stalingrad did a pretty good job in similar 'psychological circumstances' - all against the 'undefeatable'..

 

[Lucky13]

Are you serious? Rommel was a strategic genius. His strategies are still studied today and he did so well with what limited resources that he had.

Shock-horror..... Imagine what Rommel might have done if he had had all the support and means that he so much needed.....

The North African theatre might have had a somewhat different ending....

 

[drgondog]

Except the fact that Rommel had it all wrong anyway in 1944. He had his armour on the front; in range of Allied naval guns - they were pratically wiped out and were only poised to react to their part of the front.

Guderian wanted the armour back, to use to roads to react anywhere and be out of the naval gun range. Rundstedt agreed to Guderian at first; but gave in to Rommel's constant whining. Which resulted in the 21st Panzer division being splattered by the Royal Navy.

Laughing a little and wondering if you ever held an opinion that you were uncertain of? or have it function on the basis of anything but 20/20 hindsight?

IF you KNEW that a.) the Allies had the advantage of suprise, b.) 100% control of the air, c.) ability to move and distribute enormous reserves at any beach head permitted to expand greatly (i.e no 'opposition' at the beach - just melt away strategy) - what would you have argued? And assume Calais because that is whatr German High Command believed.

Rommel KNEW the above before the fact and developed his strategy from those assumptions.

Now put "Your" Wermacht in position to respond first to Calais, let the Allies take the beaches and move armor in unopposed and grant total control of the air to TacAir and Strategic Air to deal with German movement of reserves to the front without any fear of Blue on Blue.

Regards,

Bill

 

[ToughOmbre]

Shock-horror..... Imagine what Rommel might have done if he had had all the support and means that he so much needed.....

The North African theatre might have had a somewhat different ending....

I would trade Rommel for Monty any day of the week Imagine Patton and Rommel on the same side.