Greatest Generals Greatest Campaigns - Page 3 - Historum

**srb7677** · December 31st, 2010, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srb7677

As someone more knowledgeable about World War 2 than any other, I will say what I think was the best campaign of that war.

I believe it was the German conquest of France and the Low Countries in 1940. In Belgium and Holland the Germans employed airborne troops for the first time in war, capturing numerous strategic locations in advance of their armies. This included putting the Belgian fort of Eben Emael with it`s garrison of 1100 out of action by landing about 70 glider borne troops on top of it. The British and French were thus lured into Belgium to assist the Belgian defence.

But the bulk of the German armour took the Allies completely by surprise by advancing through the Ardennes forests to the south, to break through the French lines at Sedan by crossing the Meuse, and then advancing headlong to the sea. This brilliant tactical move ultimately split the Allied armies in two, doomed the Belgians to defeat, destroyed a significant chunk of the French army, and forced more of it, along with most of the Britsh, to abandon most of their equipment and desperately escape by sea. The failure of the Germans to actually finish off the trapped enemy before they could escape is their only real failing of significance in the campaign.

After the Dunkirk evacuation, France was left too weak to withstand furthur German attacks for long, and soon succumbed to defeatism and defeat.

Just to clarify,when I say I know more about World War 2 than any other, I meant than any other war, not that I know more than any other person.

blacksmit049 · December 31st, 2010, 08:55 AM

Hernan Cortes' conquest of the Aztec Empire. Although not a trained general, but an excellent diplomat.

**Lucius** · December 31st, 2010, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacksmit049

Hernan Cortes' conquest of the Aztec Empire. Although not a trained general, but an excellent diplomat.

Yes, he was an excellent diplomat - and how diplomatic of you to style it thus!

**tjadams** · December 31st, 2010, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viperlord

I actually think Second Manassas was a more impressive victory than Chancellorsville....The Second Manassas Campaign was a sheer work of art by Lee, Jackson, and Longstreet.

Sure, I'll concede that.

Master Chief · December 31st, 2010, 11:50 AM

I'm surprised that no one mentioned Subutai as he is the only one (as a foreigner) that have conquered Russia (as I don't recall anyone else doing that).

**Labienus** · December 31st, 2010, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Master Chief

I'm surprised that no one mentioned Subutai as he is the only one (as a foreigner) that have conquered Russia (as I don't recall anyone else doing that).

Yes, he did conquer the lands of modern Russia and it was a fine accomplishment. On the other hand, we must take into consideration that at the time, there was no "official" Russian state because there was several of them like the Republic or Novgorod, the several successor states of Kievan Rus', etc.

Diogenes · December 31st, 2010, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacksmit049

Hernan Cortes' conquest of the Aztec Empire. Although not a trained general, but an excellent diplomat.

Well put. Diplomacy was the key to the whole enterprise. Most of the heavy lifting was done by the allies from Tlaxcala and Huexotzinco...and Cortes spun it into "his" conquest. Brilliant...

**DreamWeaver** · December 31st, 2010, 01:50 PM

Im going to throw out the First Crusade (no surprise there lol), not much in the way of genralship, but quite a campaign.

**Labienus** · December 31st, 2010, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamWeaver

Im going to throw out the First Crusade (no surprise there lol), not much in the way of genralship, but quite a campaign.

Well it is unbelievable how the crusaders of the First Crusade managed to get all the way to Jerusalem with their absolute lack of logistics.

**Viperlord** · January 4th, 2011, 01:18 PM

To throw in another Great General, the Hungary/Poland Campaign by Subutai was quite impressive.