Who is your Favorite Foreign (Interesting Commander)/General?

[MAJOR_Baker]

Favorite General....that is easy for me.   It is General Washington.   I have read as much as I can about his early years and what made him the man he became.   I was always impressed by his leadership style.   When he had a meeting with his suboirdinate commanders about an upcoming battle he presented plans and never showed which one he favored and always listened to the PROs and CONs.

He was brave and could always be found near the thick of things which of course angered his subordinate commanders because they didn't want him in their business (I don't think he was a micro-manager) or have him being killed or wounded on their watch.   Was he as brilliant as some of the commanders he faced?   Probably not, but he knew his army and its strengths and he knew what to do to keep his army together to fight another day.

The most impressive part of his character was as President of the US he was my hero!   He could have been a dictator, but instead he ensured the continuation of the Republic.   It was his example that is so often cited in the peaceful transition of Governments.  

He did have slaves until his death, however in his defence, I believe he knew in his heart that it was wrong and within one year of his death all were given their freedom and they received pensions and schooling.   In fact several former slaves received pensions well into the 1800s.

     

 

[Matt_Fisher]

Lieutenant General James N. Mattis, USMC
http://www.usmc.mil/genbios2.nsf/biographies/35E4CF7347323B108525680800620EED?opendocument

I had the honor and privilege to serve under him with 1st Marine Divsion in Iraq in 2003 and got to see him on a daily basis in Camp Babylon in Sept. as our company was given the responsibility of providing security for 1st Marine Division Headquarters.  This man is a straight talker and gets things done.  He focuses on preparation for battle and winning the fight and not much else.

 

[sigpig]

General Sir Peter de la Billiere, British Army

http://www.britains-smallwars.com/gulf/Billiere.html


The above link  is a readers digest condensed version of his excellent autobiography - 'Looking for Trouble.'

What I really like about de la Billiere is his hands on, follow me approach to leadership. He was in there with his troops, sharing the hardships and danger, until advances in rank kept him to the rear.

A great picture in the book is him as a Major-General swimming in some lake in Wales with full kit 'proving' the route for a patrolling exercise he was organizing. He served in the SAS for more than 20 years and was the British armys most decorated living soldier when he retired in 1992.

 

[winchable]

Admirals are okay too? The equivalent of a general anyway.

http://www.aboutnelson.co.uk/

"England Expects That Every Man Will Do His Duty"

There's so much about him that might be myth but quite frankly I don't care. The greatest sailor since the world began.
My Englsih family insisted I was named Horatio, I'm somewhat glad that didn't stick but have admired the man/myth(?) since I was young enough to know what the navy is.
He's just so..English.
I've stood underneath his monument, and on the exact spot where he was gunned down onboard the Victory and both times it was a sobering and inspiring moment.

 

[Infanteer]

I would say the title "Interesting Commanders" would be a far more suitable title for this topic - let's the subject area encompass a broader scope.

Now that I've resumed Shelby Foote's massive 3-part tome, The Civil War: A Narrative, I'd say that a very fascinating commander to me right now is Confedrate Cavalryman Nathan Bedford Forrest.

Reading about his "guerrilla-style" attacks up and down northern Tennessee goes to show that hit-and-run, irregular style raiding and ambushing has always had a real relevance in a conflict.   Bedford Forrest was able to so disorient and confuse his opponent that Union General Rosecrans would not move upon Bragg in Tennessee, even with far superior numbers, with the marauding rebel cavalry in his rear.  

Somewhat of a controversial character (with the KKK), in pure military terms I think Nathan Bedford Forrest gives us a clear idea of how asymmetry can be utilized to migitate enemy preponderance.   In the day of budget cuts and manning issues, perhaps this is an issue we should pay attention to (as opposed to "keeping up with the Jones's).

As well, we still celebrate one of his most famous military maxims - "Get there fustest with the mostest...."

 

[Canuck_25]

My favorite general would be General Bill Slim, British Army general in Burma. I suggest if anyone is interested, read his book "Defeat into Victory."

 

[Acorn]

I have to echo the vote for Slim. Not only an outstanding commander under often adverse circumstances (and lacking the public affairs machine of Montgomery), but a military theorist of the highest calibre.

Another favourite quote attributed to him (from memory, so the errors are mine): "When the British Army fights you can be sure that it will be uphill, in the rain, and at the junction of four map sheets."

A couple of other favourites:

Sir John Moore - the father of British Light Infantry
Geiorgy Zhukov
Lassalle - "Napoleon's Hussar" here's a quote for you "cavalwy" blokes: "A Hussar who isn't dead at thirty is a blackguard." Lassalle was killed at Wagram, in 1809, at the age of 34.
Admiral Andrew Cunningham - comd RN forces in the Med in the dark days of '40-'42.

With some thought I could probably come up with a bundle of others.

Acorn

 

[Danjanou]

Not sure I can come up with a favourite, although Slim would be in the running. A real soldier's General. Wingate one of his subordinates an unorthodox and complex individual but a brilliant leader is also deserving of mention

John Moore another excellent choice. One wonders if he'd lived would he and  not Wellesley have taken over supreme command of British and Allied forces in the Iberian Peninsula and how that would have changed history of not. Howe almost a century earlier is also worthy of looking at as a firm believer in the capabilities of light infantry

Forrest, his politics aside and to be honest if not PC but that was an acceptable social view in his day, was an outstanding tactician. Much better than the overrated Stuart IMHO.

One not mentioned is the greek general Xenephon, or is that too far back in history.

Finally while he had an ego as big as the South Pacific there is no denying MacArthur's strategic brilliance.

 

[Baloo]

Napoléon Bonaparte, who I feel is really one of the best commanders of the battlefied, ever.

Let the hazing begin.

Also making this list would be:

Louis Davout (Napoléon's undefeated marshal)
Erich von Manstein
Georgii Zhukov
Erich von Hindenburg
Erwin Rommel
Ferdinand Foch