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5. He couldnt. Napoleon. He denied senior civilian officials accurate data on enemy strength and composition, during development of a 1967 Special National Intelligence Estimate imposing a ceiling on the number of enemy forces his intelligence officers could report or agree to and personally removing from the order of battle entire categories that had long been included, thus falsely portraying progress in reducing enemy strength. Sorley skillfully uses Westmoreland's own words to show time and again his duplicity at worst and his lack of touch with reality at best. From Kaiser Wilhelm to Hitler and Saddam Hussein and Gadhafi, there is no end of national leaders who squandered their nations blood and treasure in futile conflicts. Was My Lai just one of many massacres in Vietnam War? Simultaneously, he contacted Maximilian to offer the young emperor his services. While serving in Vietnam . He would eventually be betrayed and killed by a friend. 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. 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. Westmorelands devotion to advancing his own interests, even when necessary by misrepresentation, was fundamentally at odds with what Scouting is all about. Delivered Monday-Friday. This proved possible only with enemy cooperation, since they could break contact and limit casualties as they wished by withdrawing into sanctuaries across the border. 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. Its quite exclusive: combat leaders who had the fate of their people in their hands and squandered it all. After months of inactivity, McClellan was finally spurred to action by Pres. To that Hollings responded, "Westy, the American people don't care about the ten. There appeared to be little serious planning for what would happen the day after Saddam was gone. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Lpez, possibly in a fit of madness, ordered the execution of hundreds of people, including some of his own family members. Sure, he won big at the Alamo. They dramatically upped their game, pressing the U.S. worldwide. Grachev played a key role in initiating and leading the First Chechen War. In reality, it is a collection of ideas, images, and information that enough people have chosen to preserve and disseminate. See the vast swaths of land to the north and south that arent Paraguay? But in a contemporaneous cable to General Earle Wheeler, then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Westmoreland complained that the military professionalism of the Marines falls far short of the standards that should be demanded by our armed forces. Some historians are a little more sympathetic towards Percivals legacy nowadays arguing that Percival had been dealt an unusually bad hand. Vietnam War U.S. Military Fatal Casualty Statistics When the War of 1812 began, Hull was commissioned a brigadier general and tasked with defending Michigan and invading Upper Canada. Who were the most feared soldiers in Vietnam? - 2023 Opportunistic firms in Asia and Europe have already begun to relocate investments to the United States. Publication of the PROVN Study, whose precepts were later implemented with great success by Westmorelands successor, illustrated a matter of fundamental importance. Click + to receive email alerts when new stories are published on. The latest news, analysis, and data from the country each week. General Westmorelands close associate, General William DePuy, later admitted the futility of the Westmoreland way of war. Explore the benefits included in your subscription. George Brinton McClellan, a self-proclaimed Young Napoleon, ran dreadful campaigns, but he doesnt make the grade because he was canned before he could lose the entire war. Hundreds of thousands died of disease. Varus placed his legions in a position where their fighting strengths would be minimized and that of the Germanic Cherusci tribesman maximized. Following on from our list of the greatest and most successful military commanders, we are presenting this list of the worst. Here's What You Need To Remember:The Soviets saw the American humiliation in Vietnam as a turning point. But the inducements encourage U.S. companies to invest only at homenot elsewhere. As for the British, they had lost the most valuable jewel of the Imperial crown. General William Childs Westmoreland (1914- 2005) with President Johnson in South Vietnam #1. 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. Two years later, he lost a leg fighting the French. Its prewar population was reduced by more than half, and perhaps 90 percent of Paraguays fighting-age men perished. In 1847, U.S. troops once again surprised Santa Anna and captured his prosthetic leg. The 20th century is the most violent century in history. After his defeat by the Texans at the Battle of San Jacinto, Santa Anna was captured. The Worst Military Leaders in History Hardcover - March 22, 2022 Vice President, Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute. Youre on the list! This is, obviously, a problematic quality when ones title is general-in-chief of the entire Union army. It was a humiliating baptism of fire for the U.S. Army in Europe, and more important, caused British commanders to dismiss their Yank allies as amateur soldiers for the rest of the war. These Are the Five Worst Generals of All Time Westmoreland is often described as a Boy Scout, usually implying, it appears, that he was well-intentioned but nave. But its not just the United States. 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. Westmorelands general mistake: severely underestimating the Communists. Concurrently with hi. Hull was thoroughly outclassed. 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. The Vietnam War body count controversy centers on the counting of enemy dead by the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). He served as a National Socialist member of the German parliament before authoring a book about how humanity exists in a state of perpetual war and why that is a good thing. 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. 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. And, to further demonstrate progress in reducing enemy strength, Westmoreland arbitrarily and entirely on his own removed from the order of battle several categories of enemy forces that had long been carried there, including during the three years Westmoreland had already been in command of U.S. forces in Vietnam. What can we glean from the current state of play on the battlefield? 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. 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. How might Vietnam or Iraq have turned out if a George Washington, a Ulysses Grant or a George Patton had been in command? The United States entered the war, forcing Ludendorff to accelerate his time line for a conclusive battle against the Allies on the Western Front. Corruption is the Worst Enemy of the Vietnamese Army (You May Also Like: 5 Israeli Weapons of War ISIS Should Fear). 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. Casey was an Army insidera four-star general and the son of the highest-ranking American casualty of the Vietnam War, a division commander who was killed in a July 1970 helicopter crash. Russias war is receiving critical assistance from authoritarian regimes around the world. Yes, Westmoreland was the general who lost Vietnam. He bears a lot of responsibility for one the greatest reversals of military fortune ever experienced by a super power. (You May Also Like: The Five Best Generals in U.S. History). 8. Pillow faced a court-martial for stealing a Mexican cannon and attempting to spirit it home in his personal baggage, but Polk intervened to clear Pillows record. HANOI, VIETNAMForty years ago, on April 30, 1975, Nguyen Dang Phat experienced the happiest day of his life . 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. The Worst Military Leaders in History - University Of Chicago Press Although he outnumbered Magruders Army of the Peninsula 10-to-1, McClellan settled in for a monthlong siege. The worst military leaders since Napoleon | History 101 Top 10 Utterly Useless Military Commanders - Listverse MilitaryHistoryOnline.com A very significant instance was his determination to arbitrarily hold down the estimate of enemy strength during a 1967 order of battle controversy. It wouldn't take a large force to slice through the ramshackle Iraqi army and topple Saddam Hussein, but securing a country the size of Iraq required a larger force. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. But the argument is unbalanced. Not that Fredendall didn't have real issues that would have tried any commander. Not later than the autumn of 1966 the leaders of both services involved in fighting the ground war in VietnamArmy Chief of Staff General Harold K. Johnson and Marine Commandant General. 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. The Worst Military Leaders in History review from Ancient Rome to Vietnam NEW FOR SUBSCRIBERS: Alas, as a historian, he passed on the opportunity to answer Battlelands questions about what Vietnam should teach us about Afghanistan, and who, if anyone, is todays Westmoreland, during our email chat earlier this week: Whats the most important thing you learned writing Westmoreland: The General Who Lost Vietnam? 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 The premise was that, if he could kill enough of the enemy, they would lose heart and cease their aggression against the South Vietnamese. 88,594. After gaining ground trying to cut an escape path for the Confederates during the February 1862 siege of Fort Donelson by Union forces led Brig. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. Todays list: The top ten reasons Gen. Westmoreland lost the war in Vietnam. But the inducements encourage U.S. companies to invest only at homenot elsewhere. Routed by U.S. forces under Winfield Scott, Santa Anna was again driven into exile. On September 9, 1965, Navy Cmdr. Military historian Russell Weigley rendered a succinct judgment on LBJ: No capable war President would have allowed an officer of such limited capacities as General William C. Westmoreland to head Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, for so long.. For one thing, we wouldnt haveSpartacuson Netflix. Vietnam War - Encyclopedia Britannica | Britannica Persian Gulf War (1990-1991) 24. 1 Erwin Rommel Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel, popularly known as the Desert Fox, was a German field marshal of World War II. Judging GOFOs The Decisive Point That may have been true in the east (the worst of the Union generals in that theater rates his own entry on this list), but in the west it was a much different affair. Grant had encircled the fort. The Worst American Civil War Generals and Commanders After eight years at Foreign Policy, here are the ten most popular Best Defense posts. When major U.S. ground force deployments were under consideration in July 1965, for example, LBJ worried that North Vietnam would respond by pouring in more men of its own. Join FPs Ravi Agrawal for a frank discussion about the Biden administrations China policy and alternatives that it ought to consider. in history from Michigan State University in 1995. Lewis Sorleys new book, Westmoreland: The General Who Lost Vietnam, is being published today by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Fighter Aircraft of All Time, his army being routed by a smaller force of Redcoats and Loyalists at the Battle of Camden in South Carolina in 1780, When the Germans shattered his troops and his reputation at Kasserine Pass in Tunisia in early 1943, Fredendall was only a major general and a corps commander, Listing MacArthur as one of America's worst generals will be controversial, 5 Israeli Weapons of War ISIS Should Fear, But MacArthur's strategy certainly helped unleash 300,000 Chinese "volunteers" who inflicted significant casualties on United Nations forces, But Franks, who commanded the invasion, made a bad situation worse, Critics say that Franks and senior officials, such as Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, concocted an invasion plan that used too few troops. 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. But with that kind of advantage in troops and firepower, who wouldnt? The American Civil War was a factory for producing bad generals such as Braxton Bragg and Ambrose Burnside. Alas, call it the laws of probability or just cosmic karma, but every nation produces bad generals as well as good onesand . A key plank in the Democratic platform that year was, appropriately, not fighting, and McClellan lost in a rout. At the Battle of Gaugamela, he helped make Alexander great by losing half his army to the Macedonian upstart. Varus was stationed with three of his legions, the 17th, 18th and 19th when news arrived of a revolt growing in the Rhine area. Armchair historians often generalize that during the American Civil War, while the Union held a clear advantage in material, the Confederacy could field superior commanders. 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?). The Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Memorial LectureThomas E. Ricks is a Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). This week marks exactly one year since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to invade Ukraine. 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. 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. Even a string of bad days does not guarantee entry. The early days of the 2003 Iraq War were bound to be a graveyard for military and political reputations, given the misperceptions and misjudgments behind America's ill-fated adventure in regime change and nation-building. Answer (1 of 4): The former Cham general/leader Che Bong Nga was killed in the battle against the enemy Dai Viet (old Vietnam) but Che Bong Nga was LUCKY to be mentioned by the enemy Dai Viet historians to allow people to remember him. While British cannons shelled the fort from the Canadian side of the river, Tecumseh marched his warriors through a forest clearing in an endless parade. A monthly digest of the top articles read by FP subscribers. The unprecedented violence of battles such as Shiloh, Antietam, Stones River, and Gettysburg shocked citizens and international observers alike. The enemy did not lose heart, did not cease aggression. Thuong, 52, is the youngest member of the party's Politburo, the country's top decision-making body, and is widely regarded as being close to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnam's most . At the height of the Cold War, he dealt decisively with neither. You worked for GEN Westmoreland when he was Army Chief of Staff. Hannibal. A Brief History. 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. Feel free to mention any others you may know of in the comments. 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. His senior staff lacked diversity of experience and professional outlook, consisting mostly of people with backgrounds similar to his own, especially airborne. Hull was taken prisoner by the British and was court-martialed upon his return to the United States. Darius was a different sort of game-changer. He was found guilty of 11 counts, and only the intervention by Pres. 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Top 10 Most Underrated Military Generals. The last king of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia, Darius was not quite as qualified to rule a mighty empire as his predecessors were. What does that mean for trade and globalization? Sun Wu Sun Zi, or Sun Tzu, was a prominent military general during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) who is always regarded as one of the greatest military strategists in China and even the World. As Lincoln well knew, the only way the Union could lose the war was if the North eventually grew tired and agreed to allow the South to secede. Download the new FP mobile app to read anytime, anywhere. 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. up as tough on Beijing, even seeking to contain the rise of the worlds second-biggest economy. World War I provided a forum for any number of truly horrible commanders to assert themselves. In order, from most culpable down. Although Nelson was killed in combat at Trafalgar, Villeneuve outlived him only by six months. But he was overly cautious by nature. The result of his manic commitment to the war of attrition was that Westmoreland squandered four years of his troops bravery and support by the public, the Congress, and even much of the news media for American involvement in the war. Stay updated on the topics you care about with email alerts. 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. Delivered Wednesday. Its quite exclusive: combat leaders who had the fate of their people in their hands and squandered it all. At this point, things somehow got worse for Hull. The Worst Military Leaders in History is meant to be thought-provoking, and it surely is that." ARMY Magazine "Few subjects get military historians and history buffs talking like a debate over the best military leaders in history. Xi Jinpings signature foreign policy is a shadow of its former self.. Grant left politics to the politicians and did what had to be done. Cue the protests from other parts of the globe: A chorus of nations are accusing Washington of fostering unfair competition. Finally, there was MacArthur's insubordination. Keep up with the world without stopping yours. He gritted his teeth and wore down the Confederacy with incessant attacks until the South could take no more. Top 10 Most Underrated Military Generals - TheTopTens Gamelin made the mistake of viewing the Ardennes as impenetrable and chose to defend it with ten of his weakest, least well equipped and least well trained divisions. The Summer 2023 term begins June 1, 2023 and ends August 24, 2023. 3. For many soldiers, a major tipping point happened when Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in 1968, news of which reaches the soldiers in Da 5 Bloods during one particularly stirring scene . Despite fresh salvos of Western sanctions, Tehran and Moscow are buddying up on defense ties. If Gates had been in command, we might be paying for our groceries with shillings and pence. Why our generals were more successful in World War II than in - YouTube The British blockaded the port at Cdiz with a numerically inferior force, and Villeneuve, upon learning that he was to be relieved of command, rashly struck out at Nelsons fleet. In 1941, Graziani resigned his commission after the British counterattacked and the Tenth Army was completely defeated during Operation Compass. 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.. Horacio Gates of the American Revolution was pretty bad. Want to read more on this topic or region? He was also supremely gifted at overestimating the size of his opponents armies to a degree that beggared belief. In a war that saw more than its share of unskilled politically appointed generals, Pillow was arguably the worst on either side. Although he eventually disavowed Hitler, by that point Ludendorff had become so deeply involved with mysticism that few took him seriously. Best Defense: The Vietnam War, as Seen by the Victors - The Atlantic History: Military History. 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. He ran as a Democrat against Lincoln in the 1864 presidential election. He is the dumb ass who gave the order to exfoliate the jungles with agent orange. Thus it was under Darius rule that the Persian Empire fell and was conquered. Watchthe conversation onFP Live, the magazines forum for live journalism, orreada condensed transcript. Two of the more prominent of these mistakes, both with wide and sweeping results, were the June 22, 1941 invasion of the USSROperation Barbarossaand the December 11, 1941 unprovoked and unwarranted declaration of war on the United Statesagainst the advice of Hitler's Foreign Minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop. But the worst of all was McClellan, the so-called "Young Napoleon" from whom Lincoln and the Union expected great things. These are the incompetents, the idiots, the bumblers who have represented armies or nations at war only to lead them to defeat or shame.