Vietnam War - Encyclopedia Britannica | Britannica 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. Scott claimed that Pillow was ''the only person I have ever known who was wholly indifferent in the choice between truth and falsehood. When talk of secession reached Pillows home state of Tennessee, he helped organize the state militia and was appointed a brigadier general in the Confederate army. General William Childs Westmoreland (1914- 2005) with President Johnson in South Vietnam #1. Again fighting outnumbered Texans, this time Santa Anna would lose the battle stunningly. The Summer 2023 term begins June 1, 2023 and ends August 24, 2023.
Bombs away! Here are the 13 worst military movies in Hollywood history Alas, call it the laws of probability or just cosmic karma, but every nation produces bad generals as well as good onesand America is no exception. Haig was cruelly mocked, first in the satirical musical Oh! Approaching his 60th birthday and exhibiting a timidity that had no place in a general about to lead an invasion, Hull also had the misfortune of facing two of the most gifted commanders ever to operate in North America. But his crowning achievement was bad generalship in Korea. These Vietnam War photos taken by U.S. Army photographers reveal a side of the conflict that few people have ever seen. His poor tactical decisions resulted in his army being routed by a smaller force of Redcoats and Loyalists at the Battle of Camden in South Carolina in 1780.
Who was the worst US general during the Vietnam War? - Quora Alas, call it the laws of probability or just cosmic karma, but every nation produces bad generals as well as good onesand . Persian Gulf War (1990-1991) 24. Known as Reverse Buller by his troops during the Second Boer War, the Englishman was first defeated at the Battle of Colenso and subsequently lost his position as overall commander. How does an admiral make a list of the worst generals? [i] However, the list is subjective, and open to debate, as top 10 lists tend to be. He was responsible for coming up with the idea of using force to restore constitutional order in Chechnya. But Gates could have doomed the American Revolution. And what then? Michael Peck is a contributing writer at Foreign Policy and a writer for War Is Boring. 9 Noteworthy Bog Bodies (And What They Tell Us), 12 Novels Considered the Greatest Book Ever Written, Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution, https://www.britannica.com/list/9-worst-generals-in-history.
9 Worst Generals in History | Britannica LBJ's tragic "addiction" to Vietnam: The mistake that still - Salon Thats an automatic disqualification from Hall membership. Others would say that it is not victory, but success in fulfilling a mission that counts. 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. 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. 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.
Warfare: Who was the worst General/military commander in history George Custer at the Little Big Horn and Lord Chelmsford at the Battle of Isandlwana leap to mind.
Worst US General of all time? | O-T Lounge - TigerDroppings Horacio Gates of the American Revolution was pretty bad. Considering some militants as instruments of regional influence while fighting others has had disastrous consequences. Diem's family was one of the earliest to convert to Catholicism, a religion he took . Explore the benefits of your FP subscription. Luckily for the colonists, the Empire also had Cornwallis, a peer of the realm and truly pitiful commander. 1.
Leaders of the Vietnam War - Wikipedia Alexander, Napoleon, Rommel. Officially labelled a defector by the Pentagon, many suspected Nolan, an African American, changed sides after suffering a lifetime of racial discrimination. In the end, Chiang sacrificed more than a million Chinese soldiers and well over ten million Chinese civilians in his bid to stay in power. Would he be upset if he were alive to read this book today? Ultimately, he was denied his final showdown with the Allies by German political leaders who realized that the Americans could produce soldiers faster than Germany could produce bullets. They kept it as a war trophy, exhibiting the leg at county fairs. Hulls nerve was shattered. He gritted his teeth and wore down the Confederacy with incessant attacks until the South could take no more. Following on from our list of the greatest and most successful military commanders, we are presenting this list of the worst. Others were experienced military men who should have known better than to take the risks they took - or not take the risks they should have. Brock, sensing an opportunity, advised an immediate march on Fort Detroit. 88,594. 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.
The General Who Lost Vietnam | TIME.com Woefully inexperienced U.S. soldiers found themselves against Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps veterans. Publication of the PROVN Study, whose precepts were later implemented with great success by Westmorelands successor, illustrated a matter of fundamental importance. Percival was off mistreating Irish Republican Army (IRA) leaders during the Anglo-Irish War before commanding British Malaya in World War II. The Battle of Khe Sanh (21 January - 9 July 1968) was conducted in the Khe Sanh area of northwestern Qung Tr Province, Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), during the Vietnam War. Army Chief of Staff General Harold K. Johnson put one forth in the PROVN Study, a Program for the Pacification and Long-Term Development of Vietnam. That document held that Westmorelands approach was not working and could not work because it ignored the real war in South Vietnams hamlets and villages, where the covert enemy infrastructure was through coercion and terror dominating the rural populace. His was one of just two French ships of the line to escape the destruction of the French fleet there. Instead of sweeping around the French defenses in a massive flanking movement, the Germans were checked at the First Battle of the Marne. Once again, McClellan worked his organizational magic, restoring the morale of a shattered Union army. But Franks, who commanded the invasion, made a bad situation worse. Instead of holding a natural defense line around Pyongyang, which would have given the United Nations control of most of the peninsula, the UN troops retreated all the way back into South Korea in a humiliating reverse for U.S. power after the crushing victory of World War II. He graduated second in his class at West Point (well ahead of classmates Stonewall Jackson, George H. Gordon, and George Pickett). In the end, the Romans leveled Carthage and salted the earth. Yes, Westmoreland was the general who lost Vietnam. Ukraines economy and infrastructure have been dealt blows that will take decades to recover from. By signing up, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to occasionally receive special offers from Foreign Policy. 4. And how might that be impacting the world? He overestimated the American peoples patience and tolerance of friendly losses. Yet backstabbing your commander-in-chief in the middle of a war is taking ambition a little too far. Yet, Hannibal nevertheless ranks as one of the worlds epic fails. I flew into Vietnam in June 1968 as a young . Panama (1989) 2. Despite reports of the build-up of German forces and even knowing the date of the Germans attack, Gamelin did nothing, stating that he would await events. Finally, when it comes to bad generals, let us remember Truman's immortal words about firing MacArthur: I fired him because he wouldn't respect the authority of the President. Darius III. 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. Had Lincoln retained McClellan in command of the Union armies, many former Americans might still be whistling "Dixie.". 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. Westmoreland: The General Who Lost Vietnam, by Lewis Sorley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011. . 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. On September 9, 1965, Navy Cmdr. Driven into exile in 1845, he contacted U.S. Pres. Many of the charges leveled against him have also been laid at the feet of . Ulysses S. Grant made his Civil War debut at the Battle of Belmont against Confederate Gen. Gideon Pillow. He was an artilleryman who missed out on the Armys great schools system, never attending the Command & General Staff College or the Army War College.
Battle of Dak To in the Vietnam War - ThoughtCo The 5 Worst Generals in U.S. History. Grachev has also been linked to corruption among the higher ranks of the military, specifically the assassination of journalist Dmitry Kholodov. A more positive example is George Washington. rs worth well over $400 billion. George McClellan is one of those generals who really looks great on paper. 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.
The Worst Military Leaders in History - University Of Chicago Press 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. DE AGOSTINI PICTURE LIBRARY/Contributor/Getty Images, Biden Proposal Puts Climate Agenda Above Americas Defense, Russias New START Breach Means U.S. Nuclear Weapons Modernization Is a Must. Ludendorff is one of historys greatest examples of a general who can win battles but still loses the war. In reality, it is a collection of ideas, images, and information that enough people have chosen to preserve and disseminate. What myths or misperceptions surround Westmoreland that you would like to clear up, if any? 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. If Putin had hoped to weaken NATO, the very opposite has happened, with Finland and Sweden on the cusp of joining the transatlantic military alliance. In the summer of 1967, the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) initiated a series of attacks in western Kontum Province. If there was a saving grace for America, it was that he wasn't commanding an army. Although he eventually disavowed Hitler, by that point Ludendorff had become so deeply involved with mysticism that few took him seriously. 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. In 1941, Graziani resigned his commission after the British counterattacked and the Tenth Army was completely defeated during Operation Compass. Simultaneously, he contacted Maximilian to offer the young emperor his services. Is the Biden administrations China policy too hawkish? Varus trust in Arminius was an obvious and terrible misjudgment. Youre on the list! Gen. Charles Cornwallis. Many historians credit Benedict Arnold and others with being the real victors of Saratoga. He deprived the South Vietnamese of modern weaponry, giving U.S. and other allied forces priority for issue of the new M-16 rifle and other advanced military wherewithal. Indeed they are brave and proud, but their standards, tactics, and lack of command supervision throughout their ranks requires improvement in the national interest. And, he added, I would be less than frank if I did not say that I feel somewhat insecure with the situation in Quang Tri province, in view of my knowledge of their shortcomings. 1. At Yorktown, he allowed himself to be taken by surprise and outmaneuvered by Washington and the French fleet. (You May Also Like: The Five Best Generals in U.S. History). The Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File of the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Extract Files contains records of 58,220 U.S. military fatal casualties of the Vietnam War. After being taken prisoner (again) by the British, Villeneuve was released but committed suicide rather than face Napoleons wrath. But beyond the goals of one leader in Moscow, it is also clear that Ukraine has suffered horrors of a historic nature. Gamelin also chose not to disperse Frances vast number of superior tanks. During the darkest days of the rebellion, when Washington's army had been kicked out of New York and King George's star seemed ascendant, the "Conway cabal" of disgruntled officers and politicians unsuccessfully schemed to out Washington and appoint Gates. While Maximus was conducting negotiations with the Cimbri, a Germanic tribe that had invaded the Roman province of Transalpine Gaul, Caepio rashly attacked the Cimbri army on October 6, 105 BCE. Alexander went on to march halfway across Asia, creating an empire, albeit short-lived, that changed the history of three continentsnot bad for an ancient millennial. The self proclaimed Napoleon of the West didnt quite leave the same legacy as his idol. Darius quickly lost everything and became nothing but a fugitive. As the harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles crippled Germany, Ludendorff effectively sabotaged the Weimar Republic by propagating the belief that he and his armies had been undefeated on the battlefield. Explore the benefits included in your subscription. He ran as a Democrat against Lincoln in the 1864 presidential election. 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. 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.. What will another year of war look like? Antonio de Padua Mara Severino Lpez de Santa Anna. The man who appealed for Varus help was Arminius, a Romanized Germanic prince. There is no Carthage. Whatever its military wisdom or lack thereof, it was a decision that should not have been made by generals under the American political system. Varus was stationed with three of his legions, the 17th, 18th and 19th when news arrived of a revolt growing in the Rhine area. To counter these, Major General William R. Peers commenced Operation Greeley using elements of the 4th Infantry Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. This was true in matters both great and small. Lee demonstrated an immediate grasp of McClellans demeanor, and, during the Seven Days Battles (June 25July 1, 1862), Lee drove back the Union armies from Richmonds doorstep. But its not just the United States. To say that he failed in both regards is to dramatically understate the case. After occupying Jerusalem and crucifying 2,000 Jewish rebels in Judaea, Varus went off to govern Germania and tame barbarian tribes. Maximus managed to form up his men but to no avail. Cue the protests from other parts of the globe: A chorus of nations are accusing Washington of fostering unfair competition. War is an extension of politics, and if commanders dont help secure the desired political ends, they get a failing grade. Its quite exclusive: combat leaders who had the fate of their people in their hands and squandered it all. Westmorelands strategy throughout the war was to win through Attrition Warfare (pounding the enemy through greater numbers and resources) which military strategists including Sun Tzu caution against using. Of course they raised this issue, leading Westmoreland to declare vehemently that establishing MACV Forward had not a damned thing to do with my confidence in General Cushman or the Marines, not a damned thing. That again was not only false but, given the existing paper trail, reckless as well.