The Top 5 Greatest Generals

*Includes pictures depicting important people, places, and events in each man''s life. Discusses interesting, lesser known facts about each man and answers common myths and misconceptions about them. Was Alexander referenced in the Qur''an? What were Caesar''s last words? Was Napoleon really short? Includes bibliographies on Napoleon and Alexander for further reading. Over the last 2,000 years, ambitious men have dreamed of conquering vast empires and attaining eternal glory in battle, but of all the men who took steps toward such dreams, few were as successful as Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, and Napoleon Bonaparte, all of whom have been inextricably tied together by their successes and ambitions. Over the last 200 years, would-be conquerors and generals hoped to rival Napoleon''s accomplishments, while Napoleon aimed to emulate the accomplishments of Julius Caesar. But Caesar himself found inspiration in Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.), the Macedonian King who managed to stretch an empire from Greece to the Himalayas in Asia at just 30 years old. It took less than 15 years for Alexander to conquer much of the known world. Alexander was responsible for establishing 20 cities in his name across the world, most notably Alexandria in Egypt, and he was directly responsible for spreading Ancient Greek culture as far east as modern day India and other parts of Asia. Hannibal has the distinction of being the only man who nearly brought Rome to its knees before its decline almost 700 years later. Rome never suffered a more horrifying defeat in its history than at Cannae, and indeed, Hannibal nearly rewrote the course of Western history during the Second Punic War. Even today there remains great debate on just how he accomplished his masterful invasion of Italy across the Alps. Since his army included war elephants, historians still argue over exactly where and how he crossed over 2,000 years after he managed that incredible feat. Hannibal will always be listed among history''s greatest generals, and his military campaign in Italy during the Second Punic War will always be studied, but part of the aura and mystique surrounding the Carthaginian legend is that there is still a lot of mystery. The ultimate conqueror, statesman, dictator, visionary, and opportunist, during his time in power Caesar expanded the borders of Rome to almost twice their previous size, revolutionized the infrastructure of the Roman state, and destroyed the Roman Republic for good, leaving a line of emperors in its place. His legacy is so strong that his name has become, in many languages, synonymous with power: the Emperors of Austria and Germany bore the title Kaiser, and the Czars of Russia also owe the etymology of their title to Caesar. His name also crept further eastward out of Europe, even cropping up in Hindi and Urdu, where the term for "Emperor" is Kaisar. In a world fascinated by men like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan is one of history''s greatest and most famous conquerors. No man, before or since, has ever started with so little and gone on to achieve so much. From a noble family but raised in poverty that drove him to the brink of starvation, Genghis Khan rose to control the second-largest empire the world has ever known (the largest being, arguably, the British Empire of the 18th and 19th centuries), and easily the largest empire conquered by a single man. Napoleon Bonaparte was the most successful French leader since Charlemagne and widely acknowledged as one of the greatest generals ever. Indeed, Napoleon was likely the most influential man of the 19th century, leaving an indelible mark on everything from the strategy and tactics of warfare to the Napoleonic Code that drafted laws across the continent. To defeat Napoleon, the Europeans had to form large coalitions multiple times, which helped bring about the entangling alliances that sparked World War I.

Includes pictures depicting important people, places, and events in each man's life. Includes an original introduction for each general. Discusses interesting, lesser known facts about each general and answers common myths and misconceptions about them. Was Alexander referenced in the Qur'an? What were Caesar's last words? Was Napoleon really short? Includes bibliographies for further reading. Over the last 2,000 years, ambitious men have dreamed of conquering vast empires and attaining eternal glory in battle, but of all the men who took steps toward such dreams, few were as successful as Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, and Napoleon Bonaparte. Over the last 200 years, generals like Robert E. Lee and George Patton hoped to score decisive victories like Napoleon, while Napoleon aimed to emulate the accomplishments of Julius Caesar, whose campaigns in Gaul and against Pompey decided the fate of Rome. But Caesar himself found inspiration in Alexander the Great, the Macedonian King who managed to stretch an empire from Greece to the Himalayas in Asia at just 30 years old. It took less than 15 years for Alexander to conquer much of the known world. Hannibal has the distinction of being the only man who nearly brought Rome to its knees before its decline almost 700 years later. Rome never suffered a more horrifying defeat in its history than at Cannae, and indeed, Hannibal nearly rewrote the course of Western history during the Second Punic War. In a world fascinated by men like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan is one of history's greatest and most famous conquerors. No man, before or since, has ever started with so little and gone on to achieve so much. From a noble family but raised in poverty that drove him to the brink of starvation, Genghis Khan rose to control the second-largest empire the world has ever known (the largest being, arguably, the British Empire of the 18th and 19th centuries), and easily the largest empire conquered by a single man.

Throughout the chronicles of military history, the skill of leadership has been epitomised by a multitude of generals, each forging their own distinct trajectory within the intricate fabric of armed conflict. The objective of "The Greatest Generals in History" is to shed light on these exemplars of strategic and tactical excellence. Nevertheless, prior to exploring the group of the ten most prominent individuals, it is crucial to recognise the honourable mentions-distinguished leaders who, due to diverse factors, were not included in the final compilation, yet their amazing military skills are indisputable. The process of determining the top 10 commanders in this book is fundamentally subjective due to the author's viewpoints and the criteria used. These criteria include factors such as the number of battles engaged in, the challenges encountered, the extent of risks incurred, and the delicate balance between strategic deception and military brilliance. These military commanders, although not ranked among the top ten, are honoured for their enduring influence on the field of military history. Each of them demonstrated exceptional mastery of the art of warfare, leaving behind a lasting legacy that surpasses temporal boundaries and serves as a source of inspiration for military thinking and strategic planning. It is important to note that this book focuses solely on land-based military commanders, leaving out illustrious admirals like Horatio Nelson, Andrea Doria, or Yi Sun-sin, whose stories are no less fascinating but belong to a different narrative, perhaps a book for another day. This exclusion is not an oversight but a deliberate choice to concentrate on the art of land warfare and its masters.

Here is a narrative account of decisive engagements that succeeded by brilliant strategy more than by direct force. The reader accompanies those who fought, from Roman legionaries and Mongol horsemen to Napoleonic soldiery, and Douglas MacArthur's Inchon invaders. Maps. Illustrations.

From the #1 bestselling author of The Crusades and the Soldiers of the Cross comes an exciting new book on the greatest minds of military leadership in history. Whether it is Hannibal of Carthage marching elephants across the Alps and attacking the heart of Rome, Khalid ibn al-Walid boasting an undefeated military career and destroying the Persian Empire while subduing the Byzantines, or Russian General Alexander Suvurov and his elevation of the bayonet to a work of art that could cut down any European army, great military leaders have exerted tremendous influence on society. This book will look at the lives of the ten greatest military commanders in history. Some conquered the fullest expanse of the known world, as did Alexander the Great. Still others were master statesmen and capable of translating military victory into long-term political gains, such as Julius Caesar, whose vanquishing of the Gauls and his political opponents laid the groundwork for several centuries of unmatchable Roman imperial might. It will also look at the tactics they used to bring down stronger armies and befuddle them at every turn; whether it is Napoleon, who nearly conquered Europe through his deadly manoeuvre sur les derrieres and marching unexpectedly away from the enemy's main strength and concentrating on a weak but vital enemy point; or Hannibal's double entrapment maneuver, which has been the envy of military strategists for the last 2,000 years. Whatever their background, these rulers show that the right military commander at the right time in history can destroy an empire, change civilization, and alter the course of world history forever.

The military expert and author of Philip II of Macedonia presents 9 profiles of exemplary leadership from the ancient world. Of all the military commanders throughout history, only a few are remembered as great leaders of men in battle. Is there a combination of personal attributes and historical circumstances that produces great commanders? Professor Richard A. Gabriel analyses the biographies of ten great generals, all of whom lived between 1481 BC and AD 632, in order to identify the characteristics of intellect, psychology, personality, and experience that allowed them to tread the path to greatness. Some of the names included in Gabriel’s selection, such as Moses and Muhammad, will surprise many readers—as will the historical figures Gabriel chooses to omit, including Alexander the Great and Atilla the Hun. But Gabriel is not merely interested in famous military exploits. A retired soldier and professor at the Canadian Defence College, he distils the timeless essence of military leadership through the examples of Julius Caesar, Philip II of Macedonia, Thutmose III of Egypt, and others

*Includes pictures and maps of battles. *Includes a bibliography of every general. With the exception of George Washington, perhaps the most famous general in American history is Robert E. Lee, despite the fact he led the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia against the Union in the Civil War. His most famous subordinate, Stonewall Jackson, is one of the most famous generals of the war, but it's still unclear whether that was a compliment for standing strong or an insult for not moving his brigade, but the nickname stuck for the brigade and the general itself. While all eyes were fixed on the Eastern theater at places like Manassas, Richmond, the Shenandoah Valley and Antietam, Ulysses S. Grant went about a steady rise up the ranks through a series of successes in the West. Grant eventually came east to face Lee in 1864. Synonymous with barbarity in the South, William Tecumseh Sherman is lauded as a war hero in the North, and modern historians consider him the harbinger of total war. Military historian B. H. Liddell Hart famously declared that Sherman was "the first modern general." While there is a never ending stream of acclaim going to generals like Grant, Lee, and Sherman, General George H. Thomas has managed to fly under the radar. Thomas scored almost inconceivable successes at Missionary Ridge, Franklin, and Nashville. Thomas also skillfully fought at Perryville, Stones River, and in Sherman's Atlanta Campaign, but he's best remembered as "The Rock of Chickamauga." Thomas' heroics prevented the destruction of the Union army at that battle and allowed it to successfully retreat to Chattanooga.

From the preeminent British military strategist comes this riveting biography of Manstein, Hitler's most controversial general. Among students of military history, the genius of Field Marshal Erich von Manstein (1887–1973) is respected perhaps more than that of any other World War II soldier. He displayed his strategic brilliance in such campaigns as the invasion of Poland, the Blitzkrieg of France, the sieges of Sevastopol, Leningrad, and Stalingrad, and the battles of Kharkov and Kursk. Manstein also stands as one of the war's most enigmatic and controversial figures. To some, he was a leading proponent of the Nazi regime and a symbol of the moral corruption of the Wehrmacht. Yet he also disobeyed Hitler, who dismissed his leading Field Marshal over this incident, and has been suspected by some of conspiring against the Führer. Sentenced to eighteen years by a British war tribunal at Hamburg in 1949, Manstein was released in 1953 and went on to advise the West German government in founding its new army within NATO. Military historian and strategist Mungo Melvin combines his research in German military archives and battlefield records with unprecedented access to family archives to get to the truth of Manstein's life and deliver this definitive biography of the man and his career.