Greatest WWII Military Commanders: Updated

[Udet]

Zaitzev:

Not entirely correct when affirming Zhukov "crushed" an invading Japanese force eh...

In fact an accurate approach on losses for both sides during the series of skirmishes between Japs and Russians in 1939 is apparently non-existant.

What most people who have studied this battles apparently do agree when saying both sides suffered very high losses. Right, the Japs were not succesful, however to affirm they got crushed is somewhat exaggerated.

[plan_D]

It's spelt Khalkin-Gol. Zhukov used a simple, but effective, armour pincer movement on the Japanese forces and destroyed them. The Japanese armour could not stand up to the Red onslaught and crumpled.

[loomaluftwaffe]

Japanese Armor doesn't need much to crack, all u need are a few 37mm and 50mm AP rifles and ur set

[the lancaster kicks ass]

what's this? no "Bomber" Harris? the man that sent the whirlwind? the man that helped destroy huge areas of germany, not just cities but communications and transport networks, the man that came up with the massive moral booster that were the first 1,000 bomber raids? the man that provided the only real means with which the battered British could strike back at the heart of germany, the man thousands of young airmen looked to for inspiration..........

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

no "Bomber" Harris?



Put "Other". I can't change the poll now.

[plan_D]

"Bomber" Harris was no great leader. The "Whirlwind" that was set upon Germany was clumsy, at best. The Bomber Command should have been used more directly against the war machine, than being wasted against German cities.

You are talking about a man that opposed the Pathfinders, and thought it a drain on his resources to divert heavy bombers away from smashing cities to support Operation Overlord. He was so tied up on bombing cities he missed the key link to the German war machine, it's oil. Bomber Command should have been thrown at the German oil production facilities at full strength, but instead they were sent out against the cities in a waste of steel, lives and bombs.

The bombing campaign was effective, but any commander could have set that kind of destruction against their opponent. While the bombing campaign was vitally important to the winning of World War II, Bomber Command could have been used more effectively.

[ozumn]

Mannerheim was a good leader imo.

http://www.winterwar.com/M-Line.htm

[syscom3]

The failure to recognize the importance of the oil facilities early in the war was a failure of both British and American commanders.

[plan_D]

Oil production facilities were detected as the key to the German war machine in 1939, but it was not acted upon by the leader of Bomber Command.

[syscom3]

And that was a failure of the bomber command (as well as the 8th AF)

[plan_D]

Yes. I mention it being recognised to point that the failure of both bombing forces to pinpoint their bombs on these vital strategic targets is even worse than merely missing it in their write-up of important targets.

They knew it was the most important target and still didn't bomb them in force until 1944!

[syscom3]

And the sad thing is, the oil plants were easy to disrupt and burned hot and bright so the night misisons would have been easy.

[plan_D]

True. Although this may seem a tad optimistic, I think a concentrated effort against the oil production zones in 1941-1942 could have crippled the German war effort by late 1943. It could have been started earlier but I'm giving Bomber Command a time to get something worth mentioning as a heavy bomber. They only had Hampdens, Blenheims, Wellingtons and Whitleys for a bomber force. Hardly the planes to be waging a large strategic campaign against the enemy heartland with. Although the 1000-Bomber Raids would have been better used on the oil production facilities ...

[syscom3]

If the oil offensive was started in spring 1943, then Germans would have been in serious trouble by early 1944.

[davparlr]

I saw a Military Channel story on strategic bombing where it said that, even when the US started an effective campaign against German oil facilities, Harris refused to join in until forced.

A note on Patton. When he was with Pershing chasing Pancho Villa he got into a wild west shoot out with some of Pancho,'s men, shooting his 45 as they rode by shooting at him. I think he got the main guy. They loaded him up on a jeep like a deer and took him back to headquarters.