Although Westmoreland denied it, he imposed a ceiling on the reported number of enemy by instructing his intelligence officers to adhere to a command position of not more than 300,000, even though newly acquired and more accurate data developed in his own headquarters then indicated a much higher figure. 10 Redvers Buller All rights reserved. And once again, at the Battle of Antietam, McClellans terminal case of the slows (as Lincoln called it) prevented the exploitation of a possible war-ending vulnerability in Confederate defenses. They dramatically upped their game, pressing the U.S. worldwide. Some would say that failure on the battlefield warrants censure. He first demonstrated his ineptitude during the Mexican-American War, where he had received an appointment to the rank of major general from his friend Pres. Nor is being a bad battlefield commander, by itself, sufficient to make the cut. However, Ludendorff and German General Staff chief Helmuth von Moltke had altered the Schlieffen PlanGermanys overall battle plan for fighting a two-front warin a way that had weakened the attacking army on the Western Front. In 1975, when the Vietnam War ended, the Vietnamese army had only 36 generals, but by 2018, peace-time Vietnam had 415 military officers holding general ranks. Darius did not take the field against Alexander until a year and a half after Granicus, at the Battle of Issus. Thus it was under Darius rule that the Persian Empire fell and was conquered. In the end, the Romans leveled Carthage and salted the earth. In his single-minded pursuit of that objective, Westmoreland (despite his repeated claims to the contrary) essentially ignored two other crucial aspects of the war, improvement of South Vietnams armed forces and pacification. Instead of holding a natural defense line around Pyongyang, which would have given the United Nations control of most of the peninsula, the UN troops retreated all the way back into South Korea in a humiliating reverse for U.S. power after the crushing victory of World War II. He deprived the South Vietnamese of modern weaponry, giving U.S. and other allied forces priority for issue of the new M-16 rifle and other advanced military wherewithal. On March 24, 1976, Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1 st Viscount of Alamein, hero of World War II, died at home in England. Marcus Licinius Crassus was a self-aggrandizing opportunist who started a pointless war with the Parthians, and Publius Quinctilius Varus lost three legions at Teutoburg Forest, but Proconsul Quintus Servilius Caepio manages to top them both with his actions at the Battle of Arausio. The curation of this content is at the discretion of the author, and not necessarily reflective of the views of Encyclopaedia Britannica or its editorial staff. He lacked the schooling and relevant experience to understand the war and devise a viable approach to prosecuting it. In 334 BC, Alexander the Great invaded the Persian Empire. The Worst Military Leaders in History - University Of Chicago Press By the way, here is the first review I have seen of Sorleys new biography of Westmoreland, which I read in galleys last summer, and enjoyed. Antonio de Padua Mara Severino Lpez de Santa Anna. Westmorelands first resort in claiming progress in the war was always body count, but in fact this was meaningless. Despite Lincoln's pleas for aggressive action, his Army of the Potomac moved hesitantly, its commander McClellan convinced himself that the Southern armies vastly outnumbered him when logic should have told him that it was the North that enjoyed an abundance of resources. They kept it as a war trophy, exhibiting the leg at county fairs. Indeed they are brave and proud, but their standards, tactics, and lack of command supervision throughout their ranks requires improvement in the national interest. And, he added, I would be less than frank if I did not say that I feel somewhat insecure with the situation in Quang Tri province, in view of my knowledge of their shortcomings. Disobeying orders, he sailed for Cdiz instead of the Channel, allowing Nelsons fleet time to return and effectively scuttling Napoleons plans for a cross-Channel invasion. In other words, this book is a "how-not-to" guide to leadership. Advancing to the North Korean border with China also was a red flag for Mao-Tse Tung, who feared that American troops on his border were a prelude to U.S. invasion. If pressed to rank the miscreants, I would place Wheeler first, then LBJ, and then McNamara, with all entitled to recognition as important accomplices in dooming the endeavor. The Top Ten. He lacked the schooling and relevant experience to understand the war and devise a viable approach to prosecuting it. Vietnam Communist Party Nominates Vo Van Thuong as New President - Sources The Americans lacked sufficient troops, supplies and air cover (when was the last time an American general had to fight a battle while being pounded by enemy bombers?). Sure, he was the greatest commander of the Second Punic War, a titanic contest between Carthage and Rome. Military 151. Westmoreland is often described as a Boy Scout, usually implying, it appears, that he was well-intentioned but nave. There are a number of contenders for the top places on such a roster. Westmoreland: The General Who Lost Vietnam, by Lewis Sorley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011. . Caepio was born into a noble family and became consul in 106 BC. He was soon released, however, and, as more capable French admirals either died or somehow incurred Napoleons disfavor, a path to the top echelons of command was opened for Villeneuve. His senior staff lacked diversity of experience and professional outlook, consisting mostly of people with backgrounds similar to his own, especially airborne. The premise was that, if he could kill enough of the enemy, they would lose heart and cease their aggression against the South Vietnamese. Grenada (1983) 3. Westmoreland held a press conference in which he categorically denied any such loss of confidence. Following on from our list of the greatest and most successful military commanders, we are presenting this list of the worst. Under Westmorelands command, the Vietnam war began smoothly as the U.S. won every battle. But in 1968, when Westmoreland became Army Chief of Staff, Communist forces baited Westmoreland into committing nearly 40% of his strength to the military outpost at Khe Sanh, then attacked cities and towns throughout South Vietnam. They care about the one. Westmoreland didnt get it. Varus was stationed with three of his legions, the 17th, 18th and 19th when news arrived of a revolt growing in the Rhine area. Still, it is his world-changing defeat at Yorktown that merits memorializing. A very influential visitor, Senator "Fritz" Hollings from Westmoreland's home state of South Carolina, had warned him about reliance on such ratios. Westmorelands devotion to advancing his own interests, even when necessary by misrepresentation, was fundamentally at odds with what Scouting is all about. In the end, Chiang sacrificed more than a million Chinese soldiers and well over ten million Chinese civilians in his bid to stay in power. He bears a lot of responsibility for one the greatest reversals of military fortune ever experienced by a super power. Michael Ray oversees coverage of European history and military affairs for Britannica. Although he eventually disavowed Hitler, by that point Ludendorff had become so deeply involved with mysticism that few took him seriously. The suppression of drug consumption and trade is high on the Government of Vietnam's agenda. Their orientation, indeed the core of Scoutings values, is selflessness and service to others. While serving in Vietnam . FPsRavi Agrawalsat down with U.S. Trade RepresentativeKatherine Tai, the Biden administrations top official tasked with mapping out and implementing the White Houses trade policy. To say that he failed in both regards is to dramatically understate the case. 13,091. Whatever its military wisdom or lack thereof, it was a decision that should not have been made by generals under the American political system. Unfortunately the fates of the former Republic Vietnam (Sout. Haig had largely dismissed the effect of the machine gun on the battlefield, believing that previous Allied failures owed to something other than an impenetrable wall of lead traveling at ballistic velocity. Mexican general Antonio Lpez de Santa Anna probably wished that everyone really did remember the Alamo, because: (1) he actually did win that battle (he outnumbered his opponents between 10- and 30-to-1); and (2) during the 13-day siege, he somehow resisted the urge to betray all his allegiances and change sides. McClellan was removed from command immediately after. Needs to Talk About the Risk of War With China, Putin Has Assembled an Axis of Autocrats Against Ukraine, The Conversation About Ukraine Is Cracking Apart. These records were transferred into the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration in 2008. General Harold K. Johnson was an authentic battlefield hero, and as noted above was fundamentally at odds with Westmorelands approach, but he was not in the chain of command. Johnston was wounded on the first day of the Battle of Seven Pines, six miles east of Richmond, and he was replaced by Robert E. Lee. All related (37) Sort Recommended Doug Szabo Author has 972 answers and 137.7K answer views Nov 27 My vote goes to adm Otto Zumwalt. This would be known as the Tet Offensive and would become a major turning point in the war. Rommel is by far the greatest military general of the . But the worst of all was McClellan, the so-called "Young Napoleon" from whom Lincoln and the Union expected great things. By the way, here is the first review I have seen of Sorley's new biography of Westmoreland, which I read in galleys last summer, and enjoyed. (You May Also Like: 5 Israeli Weapons of War ISIS Should Fear). The worst military leaders since Napoleon | History 101 Westmorelands general mistake: severely underestimating the Communists. By Lewis Sorley Best Defense Saigon bureau chief. Implementing the attrition strategy, Westmoreland typically employed a series of large unit sweeps conducted in the deep jungle regions along South Vietnams western borders. 2. This did not, however, achieve the postulated outcome. But then MacArthur thrived on controversy like bread thrives on yeast. Franz Conrad von Htzendorf of Austria couldnt decide which country he wanted to invade, so the German General Staff eventually took his armies away. James Madison spared him from execution. After months of inactivity, McClellan was finally spurred to action by Pres. The Battle of Khe Sanh (21 January - 9 July 1968) was conducted in the Khe Sanh area of northwestern Qung Tr Province, Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), during the Vietnam War. Westmoreland: the General Who Lost Vietnam Critics say that Franks and senior officials, such as Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, concocted an invasion plan that used too few troops. What does that mean for trade and globalization? Of course they raised this issue, leading Westmoreland to declare vehemently that establishing MACV Forward had not a damned thing to do with my confidence in General Cushman or the Marines, not a damned thing. That again was not only false but, given the existing paper trail, reckless as well. 15. So long Fort Bragg, welcome Fort Liberty: The Pentagon's naming Having amassed roughly twice as many losses in a single day as Arthur Wellesley, 1st duke of Wellington, had suffered during the entire Peninsular War, Haig saw no reason to change tactics. But Franks, who commanded the invasion, made a bad situation worse. Listing MacArthur as one of America's worst generals will be controversial. By one estimate from Harvard University, more than 130,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or severely wounded, in addition to the deaths of more than 7,000 Ukrainian civilians. Germanic tribes sacrificed Roman officers on altars to their gods. Sure, he won big at the Alamo. It's not the first time that someone thought he was smarter than his boss. Think about how history would have been different if Hannibal had a military plan to outlast Roman might. At this point, things somehow got worse for Hull. How well that would have worked can be seen when Gates was sent to command American troops in the South. Hannibal. (Photo: Warner Bros.) Roger Ebert called "Gods and Generals" a film "Trent Lott would enjoy," referring to the Senator's praise of segregationist Strom Thurmond. James K. Polk. My daughter thinks 2018 was the worst year ever. I'd nominate 1968 Instead he simply sent more and more replacements to make up his losses. His prestige restored by his conduct during the Pastry War with France, Santa Anna once again claimed dictatorial powers. A dull, unfeeling, unimaginative, smug "Colonel Blimp" of the worst sort. George McClellan is one of those generals who really looks great on paper. General Failure - The Atlantic They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Grant had encircled the fort. Elmo Zumwalt was a U.S. admiral and commander of American naval forces in Vietnam. After being taken prisoner (again) by the British, Villeneuve was released but committed suicide rather than face Napoleons wrath. After his performance at Belmonta spectacular success by Pillow standardshe was tasked with the defense of Fort Donelson, a key strongpoint on the Mississippi River. Thats the point. In stereotypically McClellan fashion, he was promptly checked by a vastly inferior force under John Bankhead Magruder. Weekly update on developments in India and its neighbors. Finally, there was MacArthur's insubordination. Of course, that is what they did when Ludendorff pushed for the use of unrestricted submarine warfare against Allied shipping. Following on from our list of the greatest and most successful military commanders, we are presenting this list of the worst. There was no warmth, no apparent interest in his associates as people. A former British officer, Gates rose to fame as Continental Army commander during the momentous American defeat of a British army at Saratoga in 1777. What myths or misperceptions surround Westmoreland that you would like to clear up, if any? Hull was thoroughly outclassed. What a Lovely War and then in the 1989 television comedy series Blackadder Goes Forth. But his persistence and inspiration kept the Continental Army in the field through the worst of times, which is why his face is on the one-dollar bill. There's an entire myriad of generals from the American Civil War that fought for the Union that were incredibly inept. But the inducements encourage U.S. companies to invest only at homenot elsewhere. He was an artilleryman who missed out on the Army's great schools system, never attending the Command & General Staff College or the Army War College. Who is Che in NBA 2k20? - Sport-net Along with Communist China and other Communist movements in the region, who were fighting to reunite the Vietnams under the red banner, there were other belligerent, free countries in the region who had an interest in keeping South Vietnam away from the Commies. Many historians credit Benedict Arnold and others with being the real victors of Saratoga. Heres the inaugural class: 6. The Second Battle of the Somme was the first of a series of successful German offensives, but Ludendorff had failed to integrate these tactical victories into a broader strategic plan. Army Chief of Staff General Harold K. Johnson put one forth in the PROVN Study, a Program for the Pacification and Long-Term Development of Vietnam. That document held that Westmorelands approach was not working and could not work because it ignored the real war in South Vietnams hamlets and villages, where the covert enemy infrastructure was through coercion and terror dominating the rural populace. Outstanding commanders such as George H. Thomas, Phil Sheridan, and William Tecumseh Sherman routinely bested their Confederate opponents. Only FP subscribers can submit questions for FP Live interviews. Commanders of Chaos: The 5 Worst Generals in U.S. History Jessica Chen Weiss, formerly a senior advisor for policy planning at the State Department under the Biden administration, makes the case that the United States is becoming consumed by competition with China, a strategy that could lead to dangerous conflict. Todays list: The top ten reasons Gen. Westmoreland lost the war in Vietnam. Despite reports of the build-up of German forces and even knowing the date of the Germans attack, Gamelin did nothing, stating that he would await events. Test yourself on the week of Feb. 25: Nigeria votes, Finland builds a border wall, and Israel escalates repression. While Hull dithered, Brock captured Fort Michilimackinac, establishing British control of the Straits of Mackinac. Simultaneously, he contacted Maximilian to offer the young emperor his services. James Bond Stockdale was flying his A-4 Skyhawk on a mission over North Vietnam, just days after the Gulf of Tonkin incident, when his plane took fire and hurtled d Hundreds of thousands died of disease. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig: World War I's Worst General - HistoryNet The Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Memorial LectureThomas E. Ricks is a Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). A final humiliation came during Mexican-American War. History is not a fixed set of facts. During the darkest days of the rebellion, when Washington's army had been kicked out of New York and King George's star seemed ascendant, the "Conway cabal" of disgruntled officers and politicians unsuccessfully schemed to out Washington and appoint Gates. He was also supremely gifted at overestimating the size of his opponents armies to a degree that beggared belief. James K. Polk upon the outbreak of war between Mexico and the U.S. and offered to become an agent for the U.S. (again). Maximus managed to form up his men but to no avail. What can we glean from the current state of play on the battlefield? Opportunistic firms in Asia and Europe have already begun to relocate investments to the United States. 5. Is Weiss correct? Who were the most feared soldiers in Vietnam? - 2023 His invasion of Canada came to an abrupt halt when he failed to capture Fort Malden, a British position that was a laughably short distance from Hulls headquarters at Fort Detroit. But the worst of all was McClellan, the so-called "Young Napoleon" from whom Lincoln and the Union expected great things. Watchthe conversation onFP Live, the magazines forum for live journalism, orreada condensed transcript. 7. On September 2, 1945, hours after the Japanese signed their unconditional surrender in World War II, communist leader Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independent Democratic Republic of Vietnam, hoping. Delivered Monday-Friday. He underestimated the enemys staying power, maintaining that if he could inflict enough casualties the communists would lose heart and cease their aggression against South Vietnam. But the inducements encourage U.S. companies to invest only at homenot elsewhere. And what then? Lpez was the son of Carlos Antonio Lpez, a dictator who had done much to modernize Paraguay in the mid-19th century. According to formerly classified Army documents, an investigation disclosed that from at least March 1968 through October 1969, "Vietnamese [civilian] detainees were subjected to maltreatment" by. On the other hand, there was that bad day at the Battle of Salamis when most of the Persian fleet went to the bottom. I flew into Vietnam in June 1968 as a young . in history from Michigan State University in 1995. But with that kind of advantage in troops and firepower, who wouldnt? Although Nelson was killed in combat at Trafalgar, Villeneuve outlived him only by six months. In a war that saw more than its share of unskilled politically appointed generals, Pillow was arguably the worst on either side. He spoke up in Honolulu, during an important U.S. planning conference in February 1966, observing that we can beat up North Vietnamese regiments in the high plateau for the next twenty years and it will not end the war. Westmorelands later dismissive comment was that Ambassador Lodge does not have a deep feel of military tactics and strategy.. Washington also suffered his share of defeats. Villeneuve lost 20 ships, while Nelson lost none. The Roman Empire has a long, proud tradition of producing some of the finest generals in human history- and just as many of the worst. There were available better concepts of how to prosecute the war. Ukraines economy and infrastructure have been dealt blows that will take decades to recover from. Persian Gulf War (1990-1991) 24. Delivered Friday. Francisco Solano Lpez managed to stumble into a war with pretty much all of that. He graduated second in his class at West Point (well ahead of classmates Stonewall Jackson, George H. Gordon, and George Pickett). Relations between the United States and China seem to be getting frostier by the day. Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security. Vietnam War U.S. Military Fatal Casualty Statistics He also issued orders to his troops in a personal code that no one else understood, such as this gem of command clarity: Move your command, i. e., the walking boys, pop guns, Baker's outfit and the outfit which is the reverse of Baker's outfit and the big fellows to M, which is due north of where you are now, as soon as possible. Darius again was the first to flee the battle, abandoning all of his soldiers and his property to be taken by Alexander. Pierre de Villeneuve had his first brush with history when he bravely ran away at the Battle of the Nile. Routed by U.S. forces under Winfield Scott, Santa Anna was again driven into exile. Tortured in notorious 'Hanoi Hilton,' 11 GIs were unbreakable The alternative was to split the United States asunder. Click + to receive email alerts when new stories are published on. Argentina, Brazil, and the Brazilian puppet government in Uruguay formed an alliance, and on May 1, 1865, they declared war on Paraguay. When two able and progressive Nationalist generals, Pai Chunghsi and Li Tsung-jen, begged the generalissimo to adopt similar methods, Chiang rejected them outright. If there was a saving grace for America, it was that he wasn't commanding an army. The 20 Worst World War II Generals - Ranker Where is Carthage you ask? General and presidential candidate Douglas MacArthur (1880 - 1964) at his headquarters in Yokohama, Japan with US Lieutenant General Jonathan Wainwright (1883 - 1953) (right), and British Lieutenant-General A E Percival (1887 - 1966) (left) who were taken prisoner by the Japanese after the US retreat in the Bataan peninsula and released in 1945. Darius never showed up for the first battle and defeat (Battle of Granicus) because he didnt see Alexander as much of a threat to his empire. A very significant instance was his determination to arbitrarily hold down the estimate of enemy strength during a 1967 order of battle controversy. Download the FP mobile app to read anytime, anywhere. These battlefield bumblers serve to provide that contrast. And how might that be impacting the world? More ways to stay updated on global news: By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. Considering some militants as instruments of regional influence while fighting others has had disastrous consequences. The loss of Fort Donelson opened the door to Kentucky and Tennessee to Union forces and marked the beginning of the end of Confederate resistance in the west. He was called the "inevitable general." A West Point graduate, he served in World War II and Korea. Hull responded by ordering the evacuation of Fort Dearborn, and the garrison was promptly massacred by a Potawatomi war band upon leaving the fort. He need not be concerned, soothed Wheeler, because the weight of judgment was that the enemy cant match us on a buildup. That turned out to be one of the classic misjudgments of the war, comparable in magnitude and consequence to General MacArthurs assurances to President Truman that Chinese forces would not enter the Korean War. In 1847, U.S. troops once again surprised Santa Anna and captured his prosthetic leg. Percival surrendered Malaya to Japanese forces in early 1942, defying Winston Churchills own instructions for prolonged resistance. 6. Worst. Military. Leaders. Ever. | The Heritage Foundation Who was the worst general in history? After achieving moderate success in Libya and Ethiopia, the Butcher of Ethiopia became Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Royal Armys General Staff and of Italian North Africa at the start of World War II. Judging GOFOs The Decisive Point After only an eight-day siege, he surrendered his entire armya third of all British forces in America. The next major British offensive came at Passchendaele (July 31November 6, 1917), where Haig lost another 275,000 troops in a battle whose name became synonymous with pointless slaughter. With a few relatively minor changes, thats just about where they stayed for the next four years. Why our generals were more successful in World War II than in - YouTube Haig was cruelly mocked, first in the satirical musical Oh! For its part, Washington has made a series of policy choices over the last few years that can be summed Show moreup as tough on Beijing, even seeking to contain the rise of the worlds second-biggest economy. He was a teacher in the Chicago suburbs and Seoul, Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.

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