There's probably been something like this before,but..who is in your opinion the best commander in WW2(strategics,tactics,determination)?

My choice would definitly be Marshal Georgi Zhukov..

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'The commissars explained tankers that tank is burning 5-6 hours and to leave is a crime...'
From memoirs 'Guard Tank Army'

I guess on being new around here Ill eventually come across a thread similar to this one which would probably be why not a lot of replies to your question here....Just say Montgomery and stand back....And yes its my real view....

Otherwise if we were to take what decision proved the worth of the soldier..then Id always go for Gort and his ignoring of his peers at a confused time and making two outstanding decicions based on his own feelings, right man right time for getting it right....renforing the line astride the soon capitulating Belgians and the other... forcing the decision on his political masters to withdraw at Dunkirk.

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Prepare to repel borders.
William L. McGonagle, MOH, U. S. Navy, Commanding Officer, USS LIBERTY 1967.

Lt-Colonel Terence Otway
Jonny Frost
Witzig

My three 'small' unit leaders...

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"Watch that Fu*ker, he'll 'ave someones eye out!" King Harold at Hastings 1066.

Depending on which Army your are talking about

Amis: Gen Patton
Germans: von Manstein and Heinrici--as the best defensive General.
British: Urquhart (SP?)and my fav--Orde Wingate.
Russian: Zhukov and a toss up tween, Rokosovsky, Chuikov,and Budenny (sp?)
Finnish: MANNERHEIM (of course)

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

How could I have not put MANNERHEIM,

Best put him in before the boys from Finland arrive...

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"Watch that Fu*ker, he'll 'ave someones eye out!" King Harold at Hastings 1066.

Red Baron--we're safe--we beat Kai and CvM to it.

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

Carl, RedBaron,

thanx for remebering Mannerheim! He was our father figure for along time.He had his faults but all in all he was an outstanding leader, and led our country that kept its independence through WW2, an astonishing deed!



[ 31. December 2002, 03:11 AM: Message edited by: Kai-Petri ]

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My personnal top 5 is:
1.)Von Manstein
2.)Guderian
3.)Rommel
4.)Zjukov
5.)Monty

All them were tactically very good.

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Kai, your quite welcome. Mannerheim is alot like Americas General George Washington in being "the father" of our country.

Mannerheim has always been a favorite of mine ever since I first read about his leadership during the Russo-Finnish War. He is a person that deserves more recognition--and much respect--in my opinion.

Here-- Fieldmarshall Mannerheim will not be "lost" or "forgotton" as I hope he never will be over in Finland. The terrible thing about this day and age is--that all to often--great historical figures such as: Mannerheim and Gen. Washington, are being forgotten by todays youth. I think this is due to the fact that they never had to make great sacrifices nor faced a foe in battle as these brave men did.

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

Well, I'm kinda new to this internet thing and was doing some research on General A.M. Patch and somehow stumbled onto your conversation... so I registered and now I'll give you my opinion of the best commanders of WWII.

With out regard to National Origin.. and excluding air and sea commanders or commanders in the Pacific. This was tough to do, and I changed the order a few times. Also, keeping in mind that there are many subordinate commanders (like Busse (german), and Clark(US) just to name a two that could have risen to the level of accomplishment of the ones I list, but had it not been for the fortunate end of the war.

1. von Manstein (of course!) - Maneuver/strategic master (with out a doubt, the best of them all)

2. Guderian - Tactics Master / father of modern Armor tactics
3. Bradley Operational Master
4. Student Airborne Assault Master
5. von Rundstedt - a superb army group commander & Defensive commander
6. Zukov - Strategic ability
7. Rommel - tactical and maneuver
8. von Leeb - Army group command / strategy
9. Blaskowitz - Army group strategy
10. von Kleist - Armor Strategy
11. Patton - Armor Strategy and Leadership
12. Alexandrovich - Strategy and Defense
13. von Kluge - Army group command.
14. Dempsey
15. Manteuffel

It goes without saying that a commander who can effectively use an Army Group is in and of it's self a great feat, especially in the era low tech communications.

OK... that took a while... I'll probably change my mind a few times after I post this...

[ 03. February 2003, 04:17 PM: Message edited by: von Manstein ]

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All soldiers, no matter who they fought for, should be honored!

Zhukov and Montgomery are two. I have a little problem with picking Germans because they all ended up to fail.

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Go-Flames-Go

Winning a War is 90% everything else and 10% the commanders.. so who won has very liitle to do with who had the best commanders....

Manpower
Logistics
Mineral/fossel reserve
Reserves
Attacking vs. Defending
Moral

all but the last one were against the Germans.

[ 02. February 2003, 06:24 PM: Message edited by: von Manstein ]

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All soldiers, no matter who they fought for, should be honored!

As I have always said:

Erich von Manstein, Gerd von Runstedt and Georgi K. Zhúkov would go for wonderful strategists.

George S. Patton, Erwin Rommel and Heinz Guderian could go for excellent tacticians. Among many, many others.

[img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]

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"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