Favourite General?

[CtahhR]

Without any mention of time period, politics, nationality nor anything else. Do you have a singular favourite general/(field)marshal or do you have utmost admiration for a number of them?

[Tretov]

Marshal SU Dmitri Ustinov, no doubt. An early collector of the Order of Lenin.

[medals73]

Personally, I find the private soldiers far more worthy of admiration and respect than the people in command. They were the ones who did the hard work.

[Bill Garvy]

"Generals win battles, but Sergeants win wars." Not sure who said it but it rings true for me.

[CtahhR]

"Generals plan battles, men fight, heroes die".

[desantnik]

Of the US general officers I've seen (with few exceptions) - they both deserve their position and earn their paychecks. True, lower-ranking soldiers fight the wars, but the generals were often wearing those same boots much earlier in their careers, however have the often disregarded, but very real and crushing burden of command responsibility.

[CtahhR]

I think it would be quite difficult to name a Second World War period General officer who did not see action in the Great War. Generalissimo Stalin may be the exception as he has been called out by many as being a desk jockey.

Many were not only combat veterans but decorated. Many Generals had Victoria Crosses and Medals Of Honor for service prior to the Second World War.

It can also be noted that many Generals in the 20th century were killed in action due to the changing technology. Lord Kitchener being a prime example.

[travel-north]

Personally, I find the private soldiers far more worthy of admiration and respect than the people in command. They were the ones who did the hard work.

I also feel more admiration for the lower ranks, but in reality the responsibility of command can be as hard and often even harder than fighting on the front line.

[andrew6767]

John Monash - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

He even commanded 50,000 Americans at one stage

[Jeffrey Meffert]

I have admiration for those generals tortured at the gulags (like Rokossovsky) during the purges who were called back in the motherland's time of need and did able and loyal service.