Top 10 Generals

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katarn
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Re: Top 10 Generals

Post by katarn »

Smitty-48 wrote:
katarn wrote:
Smitty-48 wrote:Bear in mind tho, that doesn't mean they have to win the war, sometimes you can win battles against overwhelming odds without winning the war and still change the course of history to great consequence and to great consequence to me, and fall in battle at the head of their troops in the process, which is why Thomas J. Jackson is on my all world list.

Tie them Yankees down and bleed them, kept them out of Canada, and gave your life for it at the head of your troops, Stonewall, mighty obliged. <doffs hat>
What do you think of those who stay in the back to direct, like many of the commanding officers of armies in history? Or those who weren't allowed to the front?For example, Lee, who was turned back by his own men each time he tried to lead a charge.
Oh I don't say it's a requirement, in fact, the commander shouldn't really be reckless about charging into the breach, he needs to stay at least a tactical bound behind the line, even just to be able to control it, on the other hand, in extremis, I will give a commander his due, for going over the top into the forlorn hope, when desperate times call for desperate measures. Not to be done willy nilly, but when the situation calls for it, you gotta do what you gotta do, and if you do, and fall at the head of your troops; at the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember you.
Especially if you go down from your troops. Alas, good Stonewall...
"Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage...
If I have freedom in my love
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone that soar above
Enjoy such Liberty" - Richard Lovelace
Smitty-48
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Re: Top 10 Generals

Post by Smitty-48 »

katarn wrote:
Smitty-48 wrote:
katarn wrote:
What do you think of those who stay in the back to direct, like many of the commanding officers of armies in history? Or those who weren't allowed to the front?For example, Lee, who was turned back by his own men each time he tried to lead a charge.
Oh I don't say it's a requirement, in fact, the commander shouldn't really be reckless about charging into the breach, he needs to stay at least a tactical bound behind the line, even just to be able to control it, on the other hand, in extremis, I will give a commander his due, for going over the top into the forlorn hope, when desperate times call for desperate measures. Not to be done willy nilly, but when the situation calls for it, you gotta do what you gotta do, and if you do, and fall at the head of your troops; at the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember you.
Especially if you go down from your troops. Alas, good Stonewall...
Well shit definitely happens, blue on blue is what it is, but if on commanders recce and struck down blue on blue by the pickets, that's leading from the front, because getting up to take a first hand look at the ground is vital, and returning through friendly lines from a recce is actually one of the most dangerous parts of reconnaissance, that's always perilous, particularly if you're coming back in through a different post than the one you went out from.

Mind you, ol' Blue Light was such a butcher when it came to throwing his own troops into the breach, probably fitting that they took him down in the end. Amongst the things that made Jackson so effective is that he rode the troops hard and put em' away wet and had absolutely no compunction about firing them downrange, mission over men.
Nec Aspera Terrent
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Hastur
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Re: Top 10 Generals

Post by Hastur »

Vietnam seems to produce some great Generals.

Trần Hưng Đạo

Nguyễn Văn Huệ

Võ Nguyên Giáp
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Smitty-48
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Re: Top 10 Generals

Post by Smitty-48 »

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