Greatest military commanders

[Rino]

Originally posted by Lizard3
Who was the Japanese Admiral who wooped hell out of the Russians back before WW2? Might've been before WW1...anyway, he did number on em.

Togo

[Simaril]

For the Rommel partisans, a question:

I recall that during the time Rommel ran rampant, looking like a tactical genius, he was actually being guided by specific intelligence that revealed the Brit's plans in detail. These plans had been provided as a courtesy to the US miltary attache in Africa, who kindly forwarded them by radio in a code the germans had broken (rather than by diplomatic pouch).

Once this leak was ID'd and plugged, Rommel suddenly didnt look so invincable -- at least as I recall the timing.


He was a clearly an excellent commander who both gave and received loyalty from his troops. His attacks into France benefitted from the French army's lethargy and tactical mistakes; he effectively spanked the inexperienced US army in N Africa; his defense of Normandy was hindered by material and higher command.

Does he really deserve the best of all time moniker?

[Simaril]

How about Gustavus Adolfus? This king of sweden revolutionized warfare with demonstrations of mobility and tactical innovations that made his swedes major players in the 30 Years' War. He shifted emphasis from careful defensive preparations to active defense by attack; he introduced mobile artillery; he used maneuver, misdirection, and deception better than any previous commander. He was idolized by both Clauswitz and Bonaparte.

Some say his death in combat (1632) profoundly changed european history by leaving germany's fractious hodgepodge of states destabilized, until they eventually became prussianized by Bismarck; had Gustavus lived, his militarily efforts might have unified germany without the prussian dominance and prevented.......world war????