Top 10 Most Successful Military Commanders

[Forrest Griffin]

How about BUSH who conquered Afghanistan and Iraq??/

As with most Presidents he makes the ultimate military decisions but he is not a general as evidenced by the aftermath of the Iraq War.

 

[Indestructible]

NO Military Commander ever defeat 2 super power of the World except Khalid Bin Waleed.

Dude...Research a bit more...it seems you only have been reading school books.

 

[neverbee]

5 - General Vo Nguyen Giap - Used brilliant tactics to overcome equipment and technological gaps to defeat the Japanese, French, Americans and then the Chinese.
Vo Nguyen Giap - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

absolutely right !

he is a very successful commander and never lost any war he led.

for example, he forced the US-marines to flee from Khe Sanh combat base until July 1968. It is the only time the U.S. had to leave a so important military base because of enemy attacks.

The final days - Lyndon B. Johnson - policy, war, election, domestic, foreign, second
"....response to Johnson's order to hold at all cost...."

and three months later ...

Battle of Khe Sanh: Recounting the Battle's Casualties HistoryNet
"...It was the only time Americans abandoned a major combat base because of enemy pressure..."

 

[Vassnti]

No mention of Ervin Rommel and Wellington!

yup if your going to pick some one from ww2 germany the Fox would be it. Hitler was a politician not a general.

 

[CardSharp]

yup if your going to pick some one from ww2 germany the Fox would be it. Hitler was a politician not a general.

Rommel is a highly overrated general. His reputation today is partly a result of his ability to run his own PR and in the end, he and his theatre just didn't matter. It was a side show. If you want to name a German commander who had a real effect on the war, I'd pick Erich Von Manstein.

 

[farhan_9909]

I think Muhammad Bin qasim deserve his name in the top ten

because he was the onw who at the age of 17 started conquering india..

He has introduced islam in South asia

 

[CardSharp]

My nomination is Genghis Khan.

 

[CardSharp]

5 - General Vo Nguyen Giap - Used brilliant tactics to overcome equipment and technological gaps to defeat the Japanese, French, Americans and then the Chinese.
Vo Nguyen Giap - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Giap didn't serve in the 1979 war

 

[Vassnti]

Rommel is a highly overrated general. His reputation today is partly a result of his ability to run his own PR and in the end, he and his theatre just didn't matter. It was a side show. If you want to name a German commander who had a real effect on the war, I'd pick Erich Von Manstein.

Good point i dont know if i can find the quote but i belive even Rommel said at one stage Manstein was the better general, personal bias i suppose i just like the way Rommel planned and inspired his troops.

 

[Last Hope]

The list you have mentioned is of this era, but lets have a look at all of the history.

The muslim army, who was 313 with 70 camels and 2 horses won a war with a army of 1000 men, 700 in chain mail and with around 300 in cavalry. Only 14 were martyred.

This was the first ever war by muslims, and greatest in history of the whole world, and the planning done by the Commander (Prophet) was much like modern battlefield. As we all know he was orphan and wasnt educated, he still proved to be an excellent commander. His formation was un beatable (well, in second war of Islam, Uhad, the men disobeyed him).

Then like others are saying about Tariq bin Waleed aka Sword of Allah and other brave men, they must be included, as they are much more greater, successful and fierce than the ones enlisted.

Regards.

 

[neverbee]

My nomination is Genghis Khan.

At the height of Mongolian Empire, is Genghis Khan or some of his successors got defeated 3 times by the Vietnamese general Tran Hung Dao ?

Very great battles but little known.

Vietnam - The Tran Dynasty and the Defeat of the Mongols
The third Mongol invasion, of 300,000 men and a vast fleet, was also defeated by the Vietnamese under the leadership of General Tran Hung Dao.

 

[CardSharp]

Good point i dont know if i can find the quote but i belive even Rommel said at one stage Manstein was the better general, personal bias i suppose i just like the way Rommel planned and inspired his troops.

Yeah in my earlier days of reading history I kind of idolized him too (especially after reading Panzer Commander) But as read more I realized how unrealistic and sometimes peevish his demands on German high command were. He wanted supply priority for him and his Afrika Korp at a time when the German army was fighting desperately in Russia. All he could think about was winning his battles and glory for himself but had no real grasp of the greater war effort.

 

[CardSharp]

At the height of Mongolian Empire, is Genghis Khan or some of his successors got defeated 3 times by the Vietnamese general Tran Hung Dao ?

Very great battles but little known.

Vietnam - The Tran Dynasty and the Defeat of the Mongols
The third Mongol invasion, of 300,000 men and a vast fleet, was also defeated by the Vietnamese under the leadership of General Tran Hung Dao.

Wouldn't be surprised. The Mongols relied on Cavalry, and cavalry don't do particularly well in mountains or areas with lots of rivers. But I doubt this battle was fought by Genghis Khan, he died before the conquest of China was complete, so it was probably one of his successors that tried to invade Vietnam.

In fact the Mongols often did poorly in non-cavalry battles. To Conquer China, the Mongols had to bring in Persian troops experienced in siege warfare and urban combat.

 

[Jigs]

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Least as far as Central Powers commanders are concerned in WW1. Seeing as he was the only commander that was never defeated by the end of the war.

 

[CardSharp]

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Least as far as Central Powers commanders are concerned in WW1. Seeing as he was the only commander that was never defeated by the end of the war.

Never defeat and a good general do not necessarily go hand in hand. If we are take a simple scoring system to war, we must examine circumstance too.