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Greatest General in American History

Rack OpsRack Ops Member Posts: 18,596 ✭✭✭
edited May 2017 in General Discussion
Let's discuss. Who you got?
«13

Comments

  • mogley98mogley98 Member Posts: 18,291 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    General Lee, granted (pun intended) he didn't win.


    quote:Originally posted by Rack Ops
    Let's discuss. Who you got?
    Why don't we go to school and work on the weekends and take the week off!
  • jimdeerejimdeere Member, Moderator Posts: 26,285 ******
    edited November -1
    Stormin' Norman!
  • jerrywh818jerrywh818 Member Posts: 2,573 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    George Patton. While they talked about it he got it done. "Wait my *" George Patton
  • iceracerxiceracerx Member Posts: 8,860 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Daniel Sickles (at least according to him)

    Edit: I vote for Chuck Yeager
  • Don McManusDon McManus Member Posts: 23,695 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    William Tecumseh Sherman was very influential, thoughtful and like many geniuses, sorely misunderstood by history.

    'War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over.'

    'War is the remedy that our enemies have chosen, and I say let us give them all they want.'


    'I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation. War is hell.'
    Freedom and a submissive populace cannot co-exist.

    Brad Steele
  • spasmcreekspasmcreek Member Posts: 37,717 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    boigraphy of Patton is an interesting read...he believed he was reincarnated to be the right warrior at the right place at the right time...and just shortly after he had won he was killed in a stupid doodah jeep accident...i hope he was RIGHT, for soon i fear AMERICA will need that warrior again...at the right place and time...
  • wpageabcwpageabc Member Posts: 8,760 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Greatest Generals depend on whos side your on. For Americas Generals
    George Washington certainly would be in the top runnings. Without Mr. Washington his perseverance. No boots for his troops.

    Yet a brilliant defeat of the Hessian mercenaries in Trenton NJ on a very cold Christmas raid across a semi frozen river in the dark...

    One of George Washingtons excellent moves.
    "What is truth?'
  • gruntledgruntled Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    We don't have any generals anymore. They all have to be politicians now. That's what got us in so much trouble in Korea & Vietnam.
  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Aside from George Washington Chesty Puller comes to mind.

    Puller performed a brilliant and seldom successful fighting withdrawal from the trap at the Chosin Reservoir.
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Can we all agree Custer is not in the running?
  • Ditch-RunnerDitch-Runner Member Posts: 25,375 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    General Custer , for the first here hold my beer moment

    Robert E Lee loved by most of his troops and a great mind in warfare (besides being southern I feel the need to brag about him )
    George Patton should have let him off his chain and took the world ,[:D]
    George Washington what had and what he faced and thanks to him we can be here admiring him and this great country



    I am sure there is some great ones history has left out
  • Fazer1Fazer1 Member Posts: 332
    edited November -1
    Greatly under rated non professional, had nothing troop wise, kept building it up but, they kept taking it away. But his accomplishments were good. Nathan Bedford Forrest.
  • ChrisStreettChrisStreett Member Posts: 3,847 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    ^^^Wizard of the Saddle.
    "...dying ain't much of a living boy"-Josey Wales
  • mlincolnmlincoln Member Posts: 5,039 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm always amused at how when this topic comes up, people name Confederate generals. Perhaps those folks missed the part about how they Confederate generals were fighting under a different flag and shooting at troops carrying the American flag. They were American generals like I'm a Chinese fighter pilot.
  • remingtonoaksremingtonoaks Member Posts: 26,245 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Douglas MacArthur, without MacArthur General Patton would've been unreatrained and ended up just a flash in the pan. Because General Patton would never stopped advancing even if it meant losing. But General MacArthur kept him in check. And it would take one hell of a leader to slow General Patton down
  • JunkballerJunkballer Member Posts: 9,309 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    R.E Lee was no doubt a smart & well liked man but Stonewall Jackson made Lee look great on the battlefield, Lee knew that too and after losing Jackson it was all downhill after that [:(]......what the Hell was Lee thinking going to Gettysburg [V]......a stupid move that a rookie would make.

    "Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee

  • fideaufideau Member Posts: 11,895 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Junkballer
    R.E Lee was no doubt a smart & well liked man but Stonewall Jackson made Lee look great on the battlefield, Lee knew that too and after losing Jackson it was all downhill after that [:(]......what the Hell was Lee thinking going to Gettysburg [V]......a stupid move that a rookie would make.


    Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson.
    Damn right.
    I will also mention that Albert Sidney Johnson was another whose loss was as great as Jackson's.
  • remingtonoaksremingtonoaks Member Posts: 26,245 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by mlincoln
    I'm always amused at how when this topic comes up, people name Confederate generals. Perhaps those folks missed the part about how they Confederate generals were fighting under a different flag and shooting at troops carrying the American flag. They were American generals like I'm a Chinese fighter pilot.


    Actually the question was posed "in American history" not the history of United States. Which could include all the countries of North America, Central America and South America.

    Although it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Rack Ops meant was in the history of United States. Not in all the Americas. But we're talking about southerners here, so you can't expect much [:D]
  • fideaufideau Member Posts: 11,895 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by mlincoln
    I'm always amused at how when this topic comes up, people name Confederate generals. Perhaps those folks missed the part about how they Confederate generals were fighting under a different flag and shooting at troops carrying the American flag. They were American generals like I'm a Chinese fighter pilot.

    I'm always amused by people who think they know history when obviously they do not.
    Most of Lee's Generals were in the US Army before the War of Northern Aggression and served with honor. Lee himself served in the US Army for 30 years.

    How do you like flying those * airplanes?
  • p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 23,916 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    MacArthur, and here is the reasoning.

    Name another general officer that could arrive in a beaten nation, beaten with atom bombs, administer that country to become a steadfast ally and revere him as a great man and leader who treated them sternly, but fairly.

    If that's not enough:

    Inchon. The greatest strategic amphibious landing ever made.
  • remingtonoaksremingtonoaks Member Posts: 26,245 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by fideau
    quote:Originally posted by mlincoln
    I'm always amused at how when this topic comes up, people name Confederate generals. Perhaps those folks missed the part about how they Confederate generals were fighting under a different flag and shooting at troops carrying the American flag. They were American generals like I'm a Chinese fighter pilot.

    I'm always amused by people who think they know history when obviously they do not.
    Most of Lee's Generals were in the US Army before the War of Northern Aggression and served with honor. Lee himself served in the US Army for 30 years.

    How do you like flying those * airplanes?


    Yes they did serve the United States Army, but they were also traitors of the United States Army. I don't see how you consider a traitor A great General [:D]
  • Fazer1Fazer1 Member Posts: 332
    edited November -1
    quote:I'm always amused at how when this topic comes up, people name Confederate generals. Perhaps those folks missed the part about how they Confederate generals were fighting under a different flag and shooting at troops carrying the American flag. They were American generals like I'm a Chinese fighter pilot.


    I won't get into the are they Americans part. Too involved, but if you look at the Original Constitution and what the South wanted, you'll find their ideas were much closer to the Constitution than the way the North wanted it.

    I think people bring up Southern Generals, because a General who can prevail, with fewer men, lesser equipment, inferior logistics, takes him above one who has an endless supply of men and equipment. This is true around the world and through history.
  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,437 ******
    edited November -1
    McArthur? Patton? You mean those guys that attacked American protesters during the great depression? But they were just attacking vets, so it's ok. Lovely fellas.[xx(][xx(]

    I suppose y'all are big fans of Lon Horiuchi too. Make a good general, he would, right?
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
  • gearheaddadgearheaddad Member Posts: 15,091 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was always a fan of Pershing.
    He got stuff done. No nonsense kind of guy.
  • jerrywh818jerrywh818 Member Posts: 2,573 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by remingtonoaks
    Douglas MacArthur, without MacArthur General Patton would've been unreatrained and ended up just a flash in the pan. Because General Patton would never stopped advancing even if it meant losing. But General MacArthur kept him in check. And it would take one hell of a leader to slow General Patton down

    I just thought I would inform you that Gen MacArthur was not in command of Patton. Patton was in Europe. MacArthur was in charge of the pacific campaign.
    Mr Perfect would have gotten rid of them.Then we would be better off today. Right??
  • drl50drl50 Member Posts: 2,496
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by remingtonoaks
    Douglas MacArthur, without MacArthur General Patton would've been unreatrained and ended up just a flash in the pan. Because General Patton would never stopped advancing even if it meant losing. But General MacArthur kept him in check. And it would take one hell of a leader to slow General Patton down

    You must mean Eisenhower.
  • RadarRadar Member Posts: 2,312 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ike had his work cut out for him,not that he was a great strategist but he had to hold the allies together even when they disliked each other.
  • chiefrchiefr Member Posts: 14,115 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    As far as meeting strategic objectives: Washington, McAuthur, Patton, Nimitz, Eisenhower, Sherman.
  • Ditch-RunnerDitch-Runner Member Posts: 25,375 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    they had the car , that was in the crash, maybe still do at the tank museum at fort Knox KY .
    along with a great display of tanks ours and "there's"
    the car and many of Patton's personal items on display
    looking at it was one of the moments you really stop and think about the man


    quote:Originally posted by us55840
    quote:Originally posted by spasmcreek
    boigraphy of Patton is an interesting read...he believed he was reincarnated to be the right warrior at the right place at the right time...and just shortly after he had won he was killed in a stupid doodah jeep accident...i hope he was RIGHT, for soon i fear AMERICA will need that warrior again...at the right place and time...


    What jeep?

    c&P

    General George S Patton Car Crash Accident
    Patton died on December 21,1945 from injuries sustained in a car accident that happened in Occupied Germany on December 9, 1945. The accident occurred one day before Patton was to return to the United States. In one account Patton was riding in a 1939 Cadillac Model 75 with his chief of staff, Major General Hobart R. happy while being driven by PFC Horace Woodring. Patton was sitting in the back seat with happy. At some point a 2.5 ton truck driven attempted a left-hand turn towards a side road in fornt of the Cadillac near Neckarstadt, Germany. The Cadillac crashed into the truck throwing Patton violently forward. Patton's head hit a metal partition between the front and back seats resulting in severe injuries. happy and the driver Woodring were unharmed. Patton was left paralyzed and died of a heart attack or embolism on December 21, 1945 at the military hospital in Heidelberg. His wife came but he wa sunable to speak to her. This is the offical version of the accident and death. There is much speculation that Patton due to his unpopular views and political potential was assassinated by either the USSR or US.
  • Smitty500magSmitty500mag Member Posts: 13,623 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Without General George Washington there would not have been a United States period let alone any US Generals in the future. What he did is unbelievable and it just boggles the mind to think he took on the largest military on Earth at the time with practically nothing in the way of supplies and experienced soldiers and came out on top. Short of divine intervention I don't see how he did what he did. No other general on Earth has ever carried the load that was placed upon him.
  • mlincolnmlincoln Member Posts: 5,039 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by fideau
    quote:Originally posted by mlincoln
    I'm always amused at how when this topic comes up, people name Confederate generals. Perhaps those folks missed the part about how they Confederate generals were fighting under a different flag and shooting at troops carrying the American flag. They were American generals like I'm a Chinese fighter pilot.

    I'm always amused by people who think they know history when obviously they do not.
    Most of Lee's Generals were in the US Army before the War of Northern Aggression and served with honor. Lee himself served in the US Army for 30 years.

    How do you like flying those * airplanes?


    Horsepuckey! When you leave your country to join another country, you leave. You don't get to come back when they're handing out laurels. Neither Lee nor Jackson did anything so magnificent before the War of Northern Aggression to rate all-time status. And both men had the advantage of going up against some very inept foes during the war.
  • spasmcreekspasmcreek Member Posts: 37,717 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    car/jeep vs truck ...only slight error i have ever made on this board....just off the top...sdddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd
  • pwilliepwillie Member Posts: 20,253 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by mlincoln
    quote:Originally posted by fideau
    quote:Originally posted by mlincoln
    I'm always amused at how when this topic comes up, people name Confederate generals. Perhaps those folks missed the part about how they Confederate generals were fighting under a different flag and shooting at troops carrying the American flag. They were American generals like I'm a Chinese fighter pilot.

    I'm always amused by people who think they know history when obviously they do not.
    Most of Lee's Generals were in the US Army before the War of Northern Aggression and served with honor. Lee himself served in the US Army for 30 years.

    How do you like flying those * airplanes?


    Horsepuckey! When you leave your country to join another country, you leave. You don't get to come back when they're handing out laurels. Neither Lee nor Jackson did anything so magnificent before the War of Northern Aggression to rate all-time status. And both men had the advantage of going up against some very inept foes during the war.
    Gen. Josef Wheeler USA , CSA, USA....only General in American history accomplished this feat.....my kin....It is the United States, not the Federal States...Lee was a Virginian,he resigned his commission,because he could not take up arms against his state.as did Jefferson Davis....Lincoln killed 650,000 Americans....
  • jerrywh818jerrywh818 Member Posts: 2,573 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    George Washington was no doubt the most important General in the nations history but he probably wasn't the best strategist. The English had a lot going against them. Like the Atlantic ocean and France. Without France we would have lost and Benjamin Franklin won the French over to our side. Old Ben was the brains of the revolution.
  • ltcdotyltcdoty Member Posts: 4,184 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Benedict Arnold should be in the running up to his turning his coat.

    He was one of the planners and led the surprise attack on Ft. Ticonderoga..because of the capture, cannons were moved down to the heights of Boston, forcing the British to leave.

    Organized the building of a raggedy * fleet of glorified rowboats that fought a running battle with a superior British fleet on Lake Champlain in October of 1776. He lost his command, but rattled the Brits so much, they withdrew back up to Canada.

    It could be argued that his causing the delay of the British from coming down Lake Champlain in the Fall of 1776, gave the Americans more time to build an army to defeat the British at Saratoga the following year...

    When they came down the Lake the next year, they were defeated at Saratoga where Arnold took part in the two major actions.

    the second action he led the attack on the British redoubts, turning the British line....which eventually led to the British surrender. In this battle he was wounded in the leg..

    The same leg he was wounded in when he led an attack on the city of Quebec several months earlier...after leading his army through the wilderness of Maine...

    Some say he turned his coat because he had been passed over for promotion.....went into great debt spending his own funds on his troops...the Continental Congress gave him a hard time about being reimbursed since all his personal papers and account books were destroyed at the Battle of Valcour Island in the Fall of 1776.

    Others say he had his head turned by a pretty Tory face of a young Peggy Shippen. He probably became a traitor for some of all of these reason.

    You can visit the Saratoga National Battlefield park where there is a monument to General Arnold's leg.....his name is not mentioned on the monument. Just a wounded bandaged leg in a boot with the epaulet of a Continental Army Major General

    [img][/img]download14.jpg
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    general electric [8D]
  • wiplashwiplash Member Posts: 7,145 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Wow, after reading all of this, I'm starting to hate my own Country!
    There is no such thing as Liberal Men, only Liberal Women with Penises.'
  • Rack OpsRack Ops Member Posts: 18,596 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the input, gents.

    As for myself....setting aside the question of allegiance, I don't put Lee on that list. The Gettysburg disaster immediately removes him from consideration, IMO.

    Stonewall also put forth a hell of a string of victories....but his inexplicable ineptness during the Seven Days may have cost Lee the surrender of McClellan's army.

    The WW2 Generals are hard to qualify as well, because they were operating at such a material advantage over their opponents.

    Bedford Forrest may be the best pure tactical General the US has ever produced...but I will have to throw my lot in with the First Soldier of our Republic, General Washington.
  • remingtonoaksremingtonoaks Member Posts: 26,245 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by drl50
    quote:Originally posted by remingtonoaks
    Douglas MacArthur, without MacArthur General Patton would've been unreatrained and ended up just a flash in the pan. Because General Patton would never stopped advancing even if it meant losing. But General MacArthur kept him in check. And it would take one hell of a leader to slow General Patton down

    You must mean Eisenhower.


    I'm sorry, you my friend are right. I did mean Eisenhower.

    It's been so long sense High School, looks like I need a refresher course[:I]
  • kimikimi Member Posts: 44,719 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by mlincoln
    I'm always amused at how when this topic comes up, people name Confederate generals. Perhaps those folks missed the part about how they Confederate generals were fighting under a different flag and shooting at troops carrying the American flag. They were American generals like I'm a Chinese fighter pilot.


    HAHAHAHA Eat your black heart out.
    What's next?
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