Top 10 Most Underrated Military Generals
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel, popularly known as the Desert Fox, was a German field marshal of World War II. He worked under Adolf Hitler's Third Reich as a leading general and gained fame from his battles in North Africa. Rommel is by far the greatest military general of the 20th century. He was a great general and a gentleman to his foes. Montgomery would never had beaten Erwin if Hitler just gave him supplies. He gained the hate and respect of Winston Churchill who said, "We have a very skillful opponent against us. And may I say across the havoc of war, a great general." Beyond victory no soldier can ask for anything other than the respect of his enemies.
He was a very good general and also very respectable. He did not commit war crimes nor did he follow many of the commands that came from the Nazis (because they were unreasonable). He planned to arrest Hitler and put him on trial and thus was forced to commit suicide (because he was involved in the July Plot). Most people do not know his name or assume he was a bad person when in reality he was a great military leader and good person.
If Erwin Rommel and George Patton fought a major campaign, Erwin Rommel would 've won even though George Patton read his book of strategy. Rommel looks calm but in fact he is very rash similar to Patton. He knows how to use his supplies successfully and can make up plans never seen before in history to defeat his foes.
There are few words to describe a great man; but there are even fewer words to describe The Desert Fox. Not only was he respected by his troops and acted like a leader by leading in the front and giving the example; he was also a man that created his own options with scraps and prototypes that he was given. While campaigning in France his armored division was nicknamed The Ghost Division cause Rommel's superiors didn't know where he was. He overrun enemy's positions at every turn giving them no rest, he was ultimately order to halt his advance as supply trucks couldn't find the division and the line was over stretched and outmanned to maintain him. After this he was sent to Africa as General of the Afrika Corps to regain the initiative in the Italian front that had been losing since the war started. With only scraps and prototypes that the German army gave him; he was able to turn the war in Africa leading his troops all over to El Alamain (not once but twice). The first time he ...more
That is my great grandfather. Anyone in my family will say that he was quite possibly the most passionate man you would meet. He cared about his work and now goes unnoticed and under-appreciated. He was the last living five star fleet admiral of WW2 as well. Love me some Chet.
Robert Edward Lee was an American and Confederate soldier, best known as a commander of the Confederate States Army. He commanded the Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War from 1862 until his surrender in 1865. Just to begin, I'm born to two New Yorkers in California... so there's no Southern pride going on here. But Robert E. Lee has to go down as one of the greatest military tacticians of all time. He was outnumbered out out supplied in every conflict. And yet in even the conflicts he had 'lost' he inflicted more damage (usually) to the enemy than his forces incurred. But it wasn't sustainable. The pure measure is the question that if Bobby Lee was granted the same resources of manpower and supplies that U.S. Grant was given, who would have come out on top...I don't think any sane military thinker would believe the war would have ended the same. And Bobby Lee did not support slavery and actually supported a united states. He just wouldn't raise his sword against his beloved homeland... Virginia. But as far as military leaders, he's one of the greatest... truly one of the greatest there ever was. And yes, he surrounded himself with great leaders (Jackson, Forest, Stuart...). just like all ...more
Robert E Lee did support slavery and did own slaves. When his father in law died and freed some of his slaves in his will. Lee did not immediately free the slaves but held on to them for years before he carried out his father in laws wishes and freed them
In matter of fact, Robert E. Lee joined solely because he did not want to fight his own state and his people. He also did not support slavery and did not own slaves.
Great in defense and running away from the enemy. And when it comes to attacking, there is a high chance Robert E. Lee has a high chance of winning.
A great warrior who like many where tricked and murders by the white man.
It seems the one who brought this up does not know much about Vietnam war as well as the real story of Dien Bien Phu battle. I am wondering will someone continue vote for general Giap If they know general Giap was not the author of the battle. This rating about him is funny unless this site favors communisim.
Defeated France at Dien Bien Phu with an army of rag-tags and paddy farmers, then took on the might of the American military and unified his country in the Vietnam War.
He's great hero
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg, known as Otto von Bismarck, was a conservative Prussian statesman who dominated German and European affairs from the 1860s until 1890. In the 1860s, he engineered a series of wars that unified the German states, deliberately excluding Austria, into a powerful German Empire under Prussian leadership. The first reich was the Holy Roman Empire under Germanic emporers the second was Bismarks unified German empire the third was Nazi Germany the Weimar Republic was a republic that was created by liberals after ww1 Reich is German for EMPIRE! Not republic or democratic system or state.
Otto Von Bismarck made Germany strong and great, created the German Empire (First Reich) and made Berlin the capital of mainland Europe (not seriously) during his era.
First things first he didn't create the second reich, he created the first. The first was the German empire the second was the German Weimar Republic. Just wanted to clear that up.
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov (1 December 1896 – 18 June 1974) was a Soviet general and Marshal of the Soviet Union. He also served as Chief of the General Staff, Minister of Defence, and was a member of the Presidium of the Communist Party (later Politburo). During the Second World War, Zhukov oversaw ...read more. In schools, people learn about great World War II generals like Montgomery and Eisenhower, but we always forget Zhukov. He was the one who opposed the Nazi advance in the Soviet Union and halted the Nazi attack.
Zhukov can be considered as the one who put the war in the Allies favour as his tactics were the first major defeat to the Nazis.
He brought down the Nazi regime in Eastern Europe.
Belisarius is considered a military genius rivaling both Napolean and Hannibal. He demolished the Ostrogothic army in Italy twice with 7500 men and then later with 4000 men, and being instrumental in the recovery of North Africa(carthage) from the Vandals. Belisarius also beat back the Persians, preventing them from invading and ransacking the Empire by holding the fort at dara and beating the persian army which outnumbered his army by 2:1. In the same battle his troupes routed the persian immortals considered the best in asia. He also held the besieged city of rome which was at the point of complete starvation against an invasion by vistrogoths with less than 5000 men.
Belisarius should be #1 on this list. Barely anybody knows about him, yet he is one of the greatest commanders of all time. His first victory at Dara was where he was outnumbered 2:1 and he absolutely smashed that army. He continued and was able to conquer the whole Italian peninsula, all of North Africa, and hold off the Persian army with almost no money and no soldiers.
This guy was able to conquer all of the southern half of Italy and returned the city of Rome to the Eastern Roman Empire with a mere 7,500 men, many of them had to be left as garrisons in the cities he conquered. His genius tactics and innovations in war have won him almost every battle and siege he had fought.
How is he so low he should be number 1. One of the greatest if not the greatest general of all time and possibly the only one to rival Alexander THe Macendonian in a battle.
George Smith Patton Jr. was a General of the United States Army who commanded the U.S. Seventh Army in the Mediterranean theater of World War II, and the U.S. Third Army in France and Germany following the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Patton never lost a major engagement either in WWI or WWII. His armies covered more ground, captured and killed more enemy troops and had fewer casualties than any other in the same conflicts. The Third army in Europe had a kill/captured to loss ration that was nothing short of stunning. His ego, bluntness, and a pair of incidents where he slapped American GIs were largely to blame for his being passed over for command of the 12th Army group in Europe (given instead to Omar Bradley). Patton was by far the general the Germans most feared.
I know some of you may think I'm weird for saying this, or flat-out start arguing with me, but Patton is underrated. I mean, for what he had available, he did amazing things. Read Bill O'Reilly's book, Killing Patton. It has all you need to know in there.
Definitely one of the most underrated American generals. German generals admitted that of all American field commanders he was the one they most feared.
All right, why is Caesar on the list? A lot of people think he is the greatest ever! How is that underrated?
Not just a warrior but a man who fasted a whole month and used to pray and fight with obediance to all Islamic War ethics and laws.
The best arab commander
He shouldn't be here,the best warrior that ever set foot on earth...the blood of the enemy is his water
He is the best ever
Father of the Turks
Very very smart
Gaius Julius Caesar, known by his cognomen Julius Caesar, was a Roman politician and military general who played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. He is so underrated! Now I know what some of you are thinking. Some of you are thinking: But everyone thinks he is one of the best generals ever! My response? Exactly. He wasn't just one of the best. He was arguably THE BEST of all time. Who knows how far Rome would've gotten had he not been assassinated.
Julius Caesar is an awesome legend of the military general. There is even a tasty salad that's named after him: "Caesar Salad".
I think the world knows his place, what a legendary leader he was...
He isn't underrated.
This guy fought every battle when he was outnumbered buy a lot, but he won each battle
Fritz Erich Georg Eduard von Manstein (24 November 1887 – 9 June 1973) was a German commander of the Wehrmacht, Nazi Germany's armed forces during the Second World War. He attained the rank of field marshal. In a battle with all things being equal... Von Manstein wins.
The MASSIVE overrated Patton won because almost total air, logistical and numerical superiority.
Von Manstein used to win without these. He was the master of all-arms warfare and concentration of force doctrine that still stands today.
Um... WHY is he not on here. Not only the most brilliant commander in history but also the most underrated. Beat back the russkies and the French at the same time. Later he fought the Brits, French, Americans, and Russians with them having a combined army of 50 to 1 against him and having 20 -1 tanks and 40 -1 artillery. They had 65-1 aircraft and he still held them off for 3 months!
By far, the best military mind in World War 2 of any nation. It was Manstein's idea to attack France through the Ardennes, as opposed to attempting another invasion of France through the low countries as Germany attempted in World War 1. Since the Germans did the unthinkable, in this case, France ended up surrendering in about 10 weeks, and the British were stranded at Dunkirk as a result of Manstein's tactics.
Had Germany stopped after taking out France and putting Great Britain on the defensive-- as the only remaining power fighting Germany-- the Third Reich would have basically won the war, as a result of Manstein's brilliant approach. Unfortunately, Hitler attempted to take credit for the risky, yet successful strategy of dominating on the western front by early 1940.
Manstein, once again, displayed his brilliance on the Eastern front against the Soviets when he faced off against a much larger foe in Zukhov and lured him into a situation that allowed the remaining ...more
Rommel and Patton are way overrated. Rommel is only thought good because Allied generals made him sound brilliant when they made blunders. Patton fought a half Starved German army without air support.
Why isn't Yi Sun-sin not on this list until I put him on here. He is the greatest naval commander of all time. Despite great corruption in Korea, he managed to rise through the ranks, even though he was court-marshalled several times, due to aforementioned corruption. When Japan invaded Korea, they lost every battle except for the naval battles Yi Sun-sin was in, in which they won every battle. He destroyed several fleets of Japanese ships, numbering in the hundreds, without losing a SINGLE SHIP. Tragically, he died in the last battle of the war, in which the mixed Korean-Chinese navy manged to defeat the Japanese due to his tactics.
Geronimo was a prominent leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Apache tribe. From 1850 to 1886 Geronimo joined with members of three other Chiricahua Apache bands.
Ike was a great diplomat and manager, he was NEVER a battlefield commander. The great battlefield leaders of WWII were guys like Montgomery, Bradley and Patton. In fact, Patton and Rommel were likely the best two strategists and tactical minds of that war and, maybe, in history.
Supreme allied commander in ww2. President of usa for 2 terms need I say more.
The man who created the blitzkrieg lightning warfare doctrine, the proper use of air power tanks and infantry in battle, a real pioneer in battlefield tactics.
For all of the hype for Rommel, Guderian did his job just as well. He was the most outspoken general, even though he was an amazing commander.
Made France look like school girls in 1941.
He was the second best if not the best general tactically in the civil war his armies were like stonewalls.if he didn't die iat Chancellorsville Gettysburg would have been completely different and Washington, D.C. Would have fell to the CSA easily giving the south victory and independence from the northern Union of tyranny.