#4006430 - 09/07/14 08:18 PM
Re: The most influential military commanders of all time
[Re: toonces]
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NH2112
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I don't know that that event constitutes influencing military thinking, though... Not that what he did wasn't significant. True, but the OP specified simply winning or losing decisive battles that changed the course of history or development, not influencing military thinking. Gettysburg was the Midway of the Civil War, and the case can be made that Chamberlain & the 20th Maine holding the line on Little Round Top is what prevented the Confederates from winning.
Last edited by NH2112; 09/07/14 09:53 PM.
Phil
“The biggest problem people have is they don’t think they’re supposed to have problems.” - Hayes Barnard
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#4006442 - 09/07/14 08:49 PM
Re: The most influential military commanders of all time
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
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Vitesse
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I'd also add the Duke of Marlborough, Oliver Cromwell and Henry V. PM; You, Sir, are a man of culture.
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#4006459 - 09/07/14 09:26 PM
Re: The most influential military commanders of all time
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
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semmern
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Colonel Birger Eriksen, commander of Oscarsborg fortress at the narrowest part of the Oslo Fjord, who held off the Germans when they invaded on April 9, 1940. The Norwegian political and military leadership was a complete and utter farce during the invasion, and without any orders he fired at the German battlecruisers Blcher and Ltzow, sunk Blcher and forced the invasion fleet headed for Oslo to withdraw initially, allowing the King and the government to escape.
General Carl Gustav Fleischer, the first Allied commander to stop the Germans in WWII. At the battle of Narvik he commanded Norwegian, French and Polish troops who re-took the city; The first Allied re-taking of captured territory during WWII.
In all my years I've never seen the like. It has to be more than a hundred sea miles and he brings us up on his tail. That's seamanship, Mr. Pullings. My God, that's seamanship!
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#4006468 - 09/07/14 09:38 PM
Re: The most influential military commanders of all time
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
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Pielstick
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The Engine Room
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I'm going to go with: Henry V - apparently the French didn't like him much Sir Francis Drake - defeated the Spanish Armada Oliver Cromwell - English Civil War and all that John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough - picked the winning side in the Glorious Revolution, won at Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet in the War of Spanish Succession. Basically had a very big hand in setting the stage for what was to follow in Europe. James Wolfe - if it wasn't for him our American friends here might possibly be speaking French now Duke of Wellington - the Peninsular War, Waterloo, putting Boney in his place Lord Nelson - Battle of the Nile, Battle of Trafalgar, putting an end to Boney's nautical ambitions Hugh Dowding - Battle of Britain Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein - turned the tide in North Africa and ultimately in Europe William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim - beat the Japs in SE asia. Sir Max Kennedy Horton - commanded the Western Approaches from November 1942 and oversaw the turning of the tide against the U-Boats. Not a single leader as such, but I'd also have to pick out the Plantagenets as the kings who laid the foundations of the United Kingdom... and the Tudors as the kings and queens who put us on the trajectory of becoming a global empire.
Last edited by Pielstick; 09/07/14 10:03 PM.
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#4006487 - 09/07/14 10:23 PM
Re: The most influential military commanders of all time
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
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oldgrognard
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You all have covered US persons pretty well.
I would put forward Alfred Thayer Mahan, except that he had no real effect during battle. Great thinker, but a pretty poor doer. His writing " The Influence of Sea Power on History" was a pretty influential work.
Likewise George C Marshal of The Marshal Plan.
Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
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#4006498 - 09/07/14 10:56 PM
Re: The most influential military commanders of all time
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
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Priceyplanecrasher
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Only commanders from my country? I'm not that very familiar with my countries warfare history so I will give it a try. 1) Willem van Oranje/NassauHe is basically our founding father, altough the eighty years war didn't start out as a succession war but as a protest for equal rights and religious tolerance. 2) Maurits van Oranje/NassauHe was a lot more effective against the armies of Spain than his father, he transformed the army to a smaller more profesional unit and used scout cavalry before moving his army (don't know if that was common practice then), also he standardized cannonball calibres. 3) Frederik Hendrik van Oranje/NassauVery capable siege commander, achieved to take strongholds deemed untakeble. 4) Michiel de RuyterWhat needs to be said, probably the best known admiral of his age. There are a lot of lesser known Dutch admirals but I'm not very familiar with them. I don't really know any more commanders.
Last edited by Priceyplanecrasher; 09/07/14 10:57 PM.
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#4006530 - 09/08/14 12:26 AM
Re: The most influential military commanders of all time
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
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Pooch
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Love 'im or hate 'im....Douglas MacArthur. He certainly influenced the war in the Pacific.
"From our orbital vantage point, we observe an earth without borders, full of peace, beauty and magnificence, and we pray that humanity as a whole can imagine a borderless world as we see it, and strive to live as one in peace." Astronaut William C. McCool RIP, January 29, 2003 - Space Shuttle Columbia
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#4006533 - 09/08/14 12:33 AM
Re: The most influential military commanders of all time
[Re: Pooch]
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Priceyplanecrasher
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Love 'im or hate 'im....Douglas MacArthur. He certainly influenced the war in the Pacific. Absolutely, the landing on Inchon was simply briliant.
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#4006534 - 09/08/14 12:36 AM
Re: The most influential military commanders of all time
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
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shan2
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Yi Soonshin
How good was he? Imagine the Spartans winning at Thermopylae.
You're only young once, but you can be immature forever.
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#4006550 - 09/08/14 02:18 AM
Re: The most influential military commanders of all time
[Re: oldgrognard]
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Timothy
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You all have covered US persons pretty well.
I would put forward Alfred Thayer Mahan, except that he had no real effect during battle. Great thinker, but a pretty poor doer. His writing " The Influence of Sea Power on History" was a pretty influential work.
Likewise George C Marshal of The Marshal Plan. Beat me to it.
Keep Calm and Check CanopyThere are no ex-paratroopers, only ones off jump statusLearn Economics at: http://www.mises.orgCarthago delenda est
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#4006551 - 09/08/14 02:21 AM
Re: The most influential military commanders of all time
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
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Timothy
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Phoenix - Ft. Carson
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I can't stand Hasley. He messed up the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He was asked to keep the battleships back, and he took them. It would have been the greatest surface clash in history and would have actually hurt the Japanese more than going after some empty carriers.
Keep Calm and Check CanopyThere are no ex-paratroopers, only ones off jump statusLearn Economics at: http://www.mises.orgCarthago delenda est
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#4006600 - 09/08/14 09:15 AM
Re: The most influential military commanders of all time
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
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BD-123
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Old Scroat
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Naunton Beauchamp Worcestershi...
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To the Brits I would add: Keith Park, Bomber Harris, (controversial, I know,) Tedder,
Montgomery,
Admiral Cunningham,
Surorised that Eisenhower hasn't been mentioned.
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#4006628 - 09/08/14 11:22 AM
Re: The most influential military commanders of all time
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
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Smosh
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New Zealand:
WWI: Andrew Russell (he was knighted for his actions at Gallipoli and also served on the Western Front).
WWII: Keith Park
Howard Kippenberger
Bernard Freyberg
Nancy Wake (most decorated servicewomen)
Rabbits, break right and climb.
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Exodus
by RedOneAlpha. 04/18/24 05:46 PM
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