Choose your Leader

Squad Leader Sgt ‘Chip’ Saunders, 361st Infantry K Company, Serial #: 227-06-22

I would have to say George Washington although Rommel would be good too.

@Imperious:

Squad Leader Sgt ‘Chip’ Saunders, 361st Infantry K Company, Serial #: 227-06-22

Good to know I’m not the only one that still watches COMBAT!

@Jermofoot:

I definitely can see your argument, Fun.  Did they translate 3 Kingdoms in Spanish?  Or did you read an English copy?

An English copy. I had to download it from internet (kongming.net, I think), because is not traslated to Spanish and I didn’t found the English version in a book store

Those things usually never reach Spain. I think they are making a film based on Red Cliffs (Chi Bi) battle this very year, but there aren’t previews of it on Spanish cinemas

@Funcioneta:

@Jermofoot:

I definitely can see your argument, Fun.  Did they translate 3 Kingdoms in Spanish?  Or did you read an English copy?

An English copy. I had to download it from internet (kongming.net, I think), because is not traslated to Spanish and I didn’t found the English version in a book store

Those things usually never reach Spain. I think they are making a film based on Red Cliffs (Chi Bi) battle this very year, but there aren’t previews of it on Spanish cinemas

Oh yeah, totally forgot about kongming.  Named after you know who.  :-D  That’s how I read most of it until I got a paper copy.  Reading on the internet is fine, and their additions and commentary are great, but I preferred one of the older translations that had some great word and phrase choices.

I totally forgot about the movie until I ran across it the other day.  Both parts have already been made but I didn’t see any indication it was going to be released anywhere but the Far East (China, Japan, S. Korea).  Hopefully I can find some subtitled transfers on the internet somewhere, it was supposed to be a big deal.

@Jermofoot:

Hopefully I can find some subtitled transfers on the internet somewhere, it was supposed to be a big deal.

If you find one, please PM the link. Thanks in advance

Beetle Bailey  :roll:

Thats a really great Q?

My Gut says Rommell or Eisenhower, Either one is a winner.

Yammamoto isn’t a bad choice Either.

any of these 3 I would be Happy with

Sgt. Chip Saunders, King company, 351st infantry

Best military mind of all time?
It’s hard to argue against Clausvitz. Dude, the guy wrote the first basic strategy book “On War” that was ever really used by military schools about strategy. And, it’s still in use today.
That’s my thoughts.

Clausewitz is more philosopher than strategist/commander, although he was an officer in the Prussian army. I read Clausewitz and it was very interesting, and innovative thoughts. But it’s not military in the same sense as Rommel, who was an innovative military field commander.

Clausewitz said that wars and battles have a political goal, we want to force the enemy/opponent to concede, not with economy or diplomatic ways, but with physical force.

Personally I think Clausewitz is much more interesting than Rommel/Patton, I did not read any books by any of those, but he was not famous for being a commanding general or admiral like many military minds, from Agrippa until Tommy Franks.

If we can include also Emperors, not only field commanders, I would say Hadrian and Octavian as one of my favorites.

WW2 favorite general- Big fan of Chuikov, CG 62nd Army, Stalingrad, later 8th Guards, Shock Army AND he conquered Berlin.  A ruthless SOB, who threw his men into the meat grinder without counting.  Not a brilliant tactical leader by any stretch (compared to Manstein for example), but he understood the Blitzkreig notion of the Schwerpunkt.

Patton - and I will defend my choice.

Many commanders are famous for how the excelled at some particular facet of war; logistics, politicking, inspiring loyalty, etc etc.

Patton, in my opinion, could be dumped at almost any point in human history, given some sort of fighting force, and he would study the situation and excel.

Thus, I feel it is fair to compare him to naval, air, artillery commanders, etc. because he would probably have been talented at any aspect of making war.

my $.02

@ABWorsham:

I beleive Caesar may be one of the most underated commanders.

and criminals.

everybody was a criminal if you apply today’s standards of law upon them. In 1,000 years most of today’s leaders will be criminals to the eyes of future apes who take over our planet. Just ask Charlton Heston.

@Imperious:

everybody was a criminal if you apply today’s standards of law upon them. In 1,000 years most of today’s leaders will be criminals to the eyes of future apes who take over our planet. Just ask Charlton Heston.

Even by his era’s standards, Caesar was a criminal.

It seems reasonable to try people according to their own laws.

Even by his era’s standards, Caesar was a criminal.

Exactly: Some people also feel the pope is the devil. Some people felt Caesar was good and other felt he was bad. Then and today.

When WW1 ended people felt the kaiser was bad, now he got replaced by Hitler who was a thousand times worse. IN 1,000 years the Kaiser will be another mere product of his age. Hitler will still be bad.

It seems reasonable to try people according to their own laws.

Well it could lead to disastrous results to think that this means that the ‘laws’ themselves are just and not also a product of the times. IN 1,000 years most of our laws will be considered barbaric and again some will feel they are just fine, while new “Hitlers or Caesars” will invent a new set of them and claim the same rationale. Back and forth.

Laws are not platonic ideal forms, but changing, altering definitions based on the current situation. Things working that way offer more evolution and dynamism.

I think the Roman Empire is a very interesting historical epoch, but Gaius Julius Caesar should not be consider criminal unless he killed many people who was not wearing uniforms and weapons. that being said, he was a dictator, not elected by the people as many roman senators. And Caesar was not close to be among the worst roman emperors, like i.e. Nero… :roll:
Julius Caesar was not the worst, but not the best leader for the roman people/citizens. I do believe that Julius Caesar deserves to have his names in the history books though, more than, Pompeii.