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Greatest general of the German general staff

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  • Greatest general of the German general staff

    well, past trying to give a tongue-twister, this question was prompted by bluesman reminding me that the OKW and the Großer Generalstab aren't quite the same thing

    but, as the question states,

    whom do you think was the best general of the Großer Generalstab; and to make it more interesting, let's include the personalities within the prussian general staff into this as well. so within the 1808-1919 time period.
    There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "My ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."- Isaac Asimov

  • #2
    Moltke the first.

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    • #3
      Yep.

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      • #4
        Tell me about him. Never heard of him.

        My opinion on the greatest general was General von Lettow Vorbeck (sp???) where he was never defeated in the campaign of East Africa despite with inferior resources and numbers.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Blademaster
          Tell me about him. Never heard of him.

          My opinion on the greatest general was General von Lettow Vorbeck (sp???) where he was never defeated in the campaign of East Africa despite with inferior resources and numbers.
          I had a Marine major recommend a book, called 'The Great War in Africa', and it was EXCELLENT. All about this guy Lettow-Vorbeck, who, if I remember correctly, was a mere Lt. Colonel for most of the war (no offense, OoE), and therefore not REALLY eligible.

          But as a leader and a fighting man, BABY, that's a DAM' GOOD PICK.

          As for Moltke the Elder, check out his Wiki entry. Too much to put in a post.

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          • #6
            I did visit the Wipi Encylopedia and wasn't too impressed by the biography they had on Molte. Perhaps you can point me to somewhere else?

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            • #7
              ^^^

              I will go with Generaloberst Seeckt .... he rebuilt the new army around the remnant of the old Imperial army after a horrible war in the shadow of the Versailles Treaty

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              • #8
                Blademaster a quick resume on Moltke...Born 1800,Ist served in the Danish Army before transferring to the Prussian Army in 1822. Ended up as Field Marshal Helmuth Carl Bernard Graf von Moltke....try signing that on your cheques!!

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                • #9
                  I think the best loved by his troops and the best known to his enemies was of course Rommel

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by dave lukins View Post
                    Blademaster a quick resume on Moltke...Born 1800,Ist served in the Danish Army before transferring to the Prussian Army in 1822. Ended up as Field Marshal Helmuth Carl Bernard Graf von Moltke....try signing that on your cheques!!
                    Also, it should be noted that he also served a German military advisor in the Turkish Army

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by dave lukins View Post
                      I think the best loved by his troops and the best known to his enemies was of course Rommel
                      now that we are going outside the Chief of General Staff, perhapes it would wise to consider the defacto chief Ludendorff and Colonel Hoffman

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by xerxes View Post
                        Also, it should be noted that he also served a German military advisor in the Turkish Army
                        Yes indeed ,he was adviser to the Sultan. His campaigns include..Denmark 1864..Austria 1866 and France 1870-1

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by xerxes View Post
                          now that we are going outside the Chief of General Staff, perhapes it would wise to consider the defacto chief Ludendorff and Colonel Hoffman
                          Xerxes not to sure about Erich Luderndoff as a great "general" . A very ambitious person ,and he had very strong views on aggession.."peace is only an intermission to war.".Ok. under Hindenburg he destroyed the Russian Army on the Eastern Front in WW1. Not the best but might come near the top of the poll

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                          • #14
                            ^^ well he was the dictator of Germany after the fall of Falkenhayn till the end. Though his military rank never went over that of General der Infanterie - probably because of the lack of either noble blood or else - he ruled Germany through the old field marshal.

                            But while Falkenhayn was a "western" general the Ludendorff was an "eastern" general, believeing east to be the decisve battleground. Though i will credit him with knocking Russia out of the war, his military succes against the Russians in tannenberg and onward is questionable as we dont know to what extend was hoffman involved. Specially sense after the rise of Ludendorfff as the chief of staff, Hoffman was promoted as chief of staff of the eastern front under the nominal leadership of the Prince of Bavaria. A bit like the Subotai and Batu of the Mongoles in eastern europe.

                            So Hoffman was the military mind, Hidenburg was the political figure and Ludendorff was the brute energy that drived the team.

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                            • #15
                              He actually refused the rank of Field Marshal offered by non other than Herr Hitler in 1935
                              Last edited by dave lukins; 26 Jan 07,, 04:05.

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