10-17-2014, 06:21 AM,
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Poor Yorek
Sergeant Major
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Posts: 607
Threads: 51
Joined: Jun 2012
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RE: Loved by one's enemies or feared by one's friends?
Or, of course, there is Master Guy de Lombard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8yjNbcKkNY
who famously taunted those English pig-dogs.
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10-18-2014, 01:00 AM,
(This post was last modified: 10-18-2014, 01:00 AM by plloyd1010.)
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plloyd1010
First Sergeant
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Posts: 3,474
Threads: 353
Joined: Jun 2012
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RE: Loved by one's enemies or feared by one's friends?
Firstly this conversation has become far more serious than the "isn't that cute?" sort of thought that had inspired the original post. That said:
None of the finalists, including Napoleon, ever posed an existential threat to England. The threat attributed to Napoleon has more to do with the French Revolution. The fundamental problem was that a population, of a country with real power and close enough to be dangerous, had risen up and overthrown the monarchy. England, and almost every other country, was a monarchy and most of those populations were none too happy with their governments. So the success of the French Revolution is more the threat than Napoleon. How often did Napoleon actually fight the British? I only recall 1 direct military confrontation which led, and he lost. Otherwise all the fights, which are of Britain's making, are with his underlings. Now Napoleon may be considered Austria's, Prussia, or Russia's greatest military enemy, but not Britain's.
Washington does lead an army in direct confrontation with British forces on several occasions. Honestly, he doesn't do very well, something like a 35-40% overall success rate. What he is good at is keeping the revolution alive. On 2 or 3 occasions he is personally responsible for keeping the revolution going. It is true that Washington's opponents didn't understand the situation. Apart from Cornwallis, & possibly Bourgoyne, British generals treated the American Revolution much like a European war.
I don't know if that makes Washington the greatest enemy or not. The turmoil and later loss of the colonies was severe blow to the realm, both financially & in military readiness.
One more thing: Ataturk came in first in the online vote.
... More and more, people around the world are coming to realize that the world is flat!
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10-18-2014, 12:40 PM,
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stear
Grand Admiral
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Posts: 110
Threads: 13
Joined: Sep 2013
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RE: Loved by one's enemies or feared by one's friends?
There seems to be a mix-up in the poll (with its 60 voters) between military and political leaders. Perhaps a more accurate PG-HQ poll is called for? Military victories vs. political success. Aye, can be touchy.
-Jim
"Bugs! BUGS!!!"
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10-18-2014, 12:42 PM,
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stear
Grand Admiral
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Posts: 110
Threads: 13
Joined: Sep 2013
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RE: Loved by one's enemies or feared by one's friends?
Which is to say, in the US, many of us don't think of General / President Washington as a Great Commander. ;-)
"Bugs! BUGS!!!"
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10-18-2014, 01:45 PM,
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RE: Loved by one's enemies or feared by one's friends?
(10-18-2014, 12:42 PM)stear Wrote: Which is to say, in the US, many of us don't think of General / President Washington as a Great Commander. ;-)
Listen up people, George Washington appears on an insane number of green pieces of paper. Those little pieces of paper, in the aggregate, control or influence a large chunk of the global economy. If that isn't clout then I don't know what is. It all comes back to the victor at Yorktown.
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