As soon as I posted the last poll, I went to vote. I then relized that "favorite commander" is not always the "best commander". So I posted this poll. So please pic a commander that you feel is the "best" commander of WWII.

Oops..You are totally right. With this one you gotta be objective!

I would pick out of all von Manstein! But still as an overall commander,with Guderian for attacking to assist him, and Model (not here ) for defensive operations.

Where´s Rommel you might ask?OK, I still have him as my favourite, but somewhere I read that he never did command in actual battle more than a couple of divisions, did he? I believe he would have been great anayway, but the live proof is missing...

__________________

The best?

Not my favourite?

So my first choice would be him:



My second:



And finally, my third would go for him:

__________________
"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

The question shouldve been 'best german commander' with the options you gave.

Where's Doolittle?
Where's Wainwright?
Where's Mannerheim?
Where's Homma?

MacArthur was the one i chose, He was by far a better 'Commander' than any German,

I also noticed all 3 votes before me were Manstein's

Well I dont think that that makes any since. Manstein was a great Strategist, but not a great Commander.

CvM

__________________

Rommel was the best!!

He did great things with a small army. (and do not forget that there were Italians as well)

But I think someone is missing here:

__________________

Monty of course - Master of the Battlefield

__________________
Paul Reed
Webmaster - Battlefields of WW2- http://www.ww2battlefields.info
D Day Ancestors: The British Army in Normandy - http://www.ddayancestors.com

Its been said before, but Rommel is my favorite. As for the best...Rundstedt is someone I've always held in high regard...and lets not forget Patton!

I eventually settled on Guderian...as he was the best commander, not necessarily the best general. I'm thinking commander as in someone who actually led troops, not just developed strategy, like Eisenhower. Bock would would be number 2, as he COULD have one Barbarossa, if only he wasnt forced to turn South. And blood'n'guts Patton as third.

[ 20 October 2002, 02:40 PM: Message edited by: dasreich ]

__________________
"If your gonna buy the angel s**t, you might as well go for the zombie package as well."
-George Carlin

Actually I did have Walther Model on my poll, but replaced him with "Sepp" Deitrich just to have an SS Commander. I relized that I left out Paul Hausser which probably would've been a better choice! My bad!

The others you mentioned I feel did not have a great inpact on the war, and only commanded small units, not large naval, air, or armies!
Otherwise the list would've been endless!

The question is not "Best German Commander". There are several German commanders on the list, because for the most part the Germans did have better leadership.

Von Manstien was an awesome commander! A brillinat stragtigest (probably the best!) and great at the "combined forces" (Heer, SS, Luftwaffe). If you dis-agree then I sugest you read his book entitled "Lost Victories" by Eric Von Manstien. I think you'll change your opinion!

Matt

[ 20 October 2002, 06:48 PM: Message edited by: mp38 ]

Common, doestn't anyone know?????

__________________

I voted for Rommel, von Manstein would have been next.

Of course my favourite commander would be Lt. General Baron Sir Bernard Freyberg VC,GCMG, KCB,KBE, DSO and 3 bars. He was the (British) New Zealand that commarnded the 2nd NZEF for the entire war and the Allied forces in Crete.

__________________
David

When you go home
Tell them of us, and say
For your tomorrow
We gave our today.

I believe there are different levels of commanders and tacticians. Rommel would probably be the best field commander but teamed with Manstein as the Corps, or Army Group commander that would be a very difficult team to beat.

In short my vote goes to Manstein as over all strategic commander and Rommel as the best field commander.

__________________
Greg

Actually, Erich von Manstein was perhaps the best general of WWII, because he was an excellent strategist, an excellent tactician and an excellent field commander. I think there are very, very few who had all those talents. And certainly Rommel was not a strategist. I like him, but I have always said that he goes into the list of the favourites, not into the list of the best.

__________________
"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

I HAD to pick G.S. Patton Jr. because: He got the job done and never lost a fight.

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

I put my vote with Carl and chose Patton. You cant argue with the end results, Patton got it all done.

__________________
The soldier above all others prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war. General Douglas Macarthur

What about MacArthur.

That man saved america from complete destruction in the pacific. He held out on Bataan and Corregidor for so long. He only left when Roosevelt ordered out, MacArthur threatened to become a private and fight it out himself.

__________________

Okay, it's Heinrici.

Although he wastn't long commander, he had realy good defense tactics against the Russians.

When the Ivans started to bomb his troops, they had to pull back and when they attacked his troops were back to fight Ivan.

__________________