Joined Oct 2011
376 Posts | 0+
Greatest military leader.
- Thread starter Gevorg of Armenia
- Start date
Joined Sep 2011
1,323 Posts | 6+
Jelgava, Latvia
I'd really like to know why Alexander is now "the greatest commander ever". What's so hard about seizing the throne of an unstable kingdom (with the loss of 30% of its territory)?
Joined Oct 2011
376 Posts | 0+
Alexander did in the Ancient times what would be today the equivalent of Ronald Reagen invading the Soviet Union during the Cold War and then conquering half of Europe along the way. He defeated a major rival of the ancient world, and conquered much of the known territory at that time. It also helps that he never lost a battle and that his tactics have served as a model for military innovation ever since.
Joined Jul 2011
596 Posts | 2+
That is what I was wondering as well.. We should start a thread in name of this great general!
Joined May 2011
15,791 Posts | 1,621+
Navan, Ireland
That is what I was wondering as well.. We should start a thread in name of this great general!
Good Idea!
Joined Oct 2009
2,178 Posts | 3+
the Boomtown Shenzhen
Joined Sep 2011
1,323 Posts | 6+
Jelgava, Latvia
His tactics were not innovative - sure, he came up with a new plan for his every battle, but those were all variations of the already established strategies: pin the enemy down, flank them, outmaneuver them, achieve local numerical superiority, etc.
His achievement is more akin to George Bush invading the fragmented western parts of the USSR with the entire might of the NATO.
He didn't conquer "most of the known world", since after he conquered Persia, he would've found out about places like sub-Saharan Africa, India, China, southeast Asia and the vast steppes of the north. Not to mention he only took 2/3 of Persia anyway. Add to that the fact that most of his gains he didn't actually "conquer" - he seized (nominal) power over them by defeating the previous Persian king.
Joined Oct 2011
376 Posts | 0+
Numerical superiority??? At the battles of Issus and Guagamela he was outnumbered by the Persians by more than three to one! Look it up.
And although the Persian empire was past its peak and in a bit of a decline, it was still a major superpower and the greatest rival of Greece in the Middle East. That's not counting the various Greek rebels (with substantial cities- Thebes, Tyre), and the Indians under Porus. So even though he's not my favorite, give him some credit.
Hannibal himself named him the greatest commander in history. Napoleon later added him to his list of generals to study in order to master the art of war.
Joined Aug 2010
17,765 Posts | 23+
Central Macedonia
Moreover, good old Julius Ceasar stood in front of Alexander's statue in awe! Alex was his idol too!
Joined Oct 2011
376 Posts | 0+
There are simply not enough votes for Khalid ibn al-Walid, Suvorov, Hannibal, and Robert E. Lee...
Joined Oct 2011
93 Posts | 1+
Denmark
He conquered the whole Achaemenid Empire. Look at this map.
You cannot deny how impressive that is. And it's not what's hard, but that this was politics, he implemented his father's plans. In a matter of 6 years the desire of conquest of the Persian empire was fulfilled.
The Soviet Tank armies and artillery in the various 'Fronts' with the help of the Soviet Airforce using very sound Soviet planes.
You believe in a widespread American Fallacy:the German war production was rising continuously reaching its peak in August 1944 with 944 tanks and 1177 self-propelled artillery pieces;At that time Americans were in Europe still fighting around Caenn while the Soviet steam-roller was approaching Vistula.
See the corollation of forces after Stalingrad and you will see the superiority of the Soviets in the field to show that by the end of 42' the Russians were winning the war driving inexorably foreward before any American so-called help was felt and long before the allies appeared on European soil.
Joined Jul 2011
11,340 Posts | 2,849+
I wouldn't list any of these as the greatest commander of all time. Lee made some mistakes, but he won repeatedly with numerically inferior forces. Sherman's warfare was effective, but in his campaign from Atlanta into North Carolina he encountered little resistance. The greatest commanders of all time are known for defeating powerful armies not having large numbers of farm animals shot.
Joined Sep 2011
1,323 Posts | 6+
Jelgava, Latvia
He conquered the whole Achaemenid Empire. Look at this map.
You cannot deny how impressive that is. And it's not what's hard, but that this was politics, he implemented his father's plans. In a matter of 6 years the desire of conquest of the Persian empire was fulfilled.
He did not actually conquer it, he overthrew the Achaemenid dynasty and took over the empire that was already there. Although at a severe loss of territory (~3 million sq.km). Not to mention that map is grossly inaccurate. The Achaemenids ruled the Saka Tigrakhauda (eastern Caspian coast up till the Aral sea) and all of Punjab. They also apparently ruled Kush (although not after the countless Egyptian revolts). They did not rule north or east of the Tarim, though.
In order to take over an empire that is already there, it means that you have to conquer it by overthrowing the already existing dynasty.
It wasn't offered to him in silver platter as you might already know.
I honestly don't understand your logic.
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