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The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 1:35 pm
by Mikethehack
The worst general in American history?
Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Wednesday, June 2, 2010

That was the discussion I was having yesterday with several friends. Here is my ranking of their nominees:

1. Douglas MacArthur
2. Benedict Arnold
3. Ned Almond
4. Tommy R. Franks
5. William Westmoreland
6. George McClellan
7. Ambrose Burnside
8. Horatio Gates

It was my contest, so I declared MacArthur the No. 1 loser, because of his unique record of being insubordinate to three presidents (Hoover, Roosevelt and Truman) as well as screwing up the Korean War. Plus additional negative points for his role in the gassing and suppression of the Bonus Marchers in 1932. You can't defend a country by undermining it.

It really is extraordinary how the Army has extirpated his memory. The influence of Marshall, Eisenhower and Bradley lives on, while MacArthur has been treated as a historical dead end. Kind of amazing, considering he was a general for 26 years, was the Army chief of staff, received the Medal of Honor, fought in three wars and was a senior commander in two.

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Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:59 am
by AztecDave
if you could ask my dad (he died 3 yrs ago), it would be dugout doug, hands down. he got to spend 3 1/2 yrs in jap POW camps as a result of dougie.

modern era has to be westmoreland and franks. with the edge going to westmoreland only because his befuddled incompetance resulted in more US casualties than franks'. but both were conventionally minded to a fault who didn't know that they didn't know that they were outta their element, fighting the types of war beyond their ken (defined as "knowledge, understanding, or cognizance; mental perception.").

benedict arnold was actually a very good general. he just also happened to be a traitor.

Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:58 pm
by nowonmai
Wot no Sanchez?

Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 1:07 am
by gnaruki
7. Ambrose Burnside

What a nutjob

Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 7:59 am
by Ultra Swain
Why is General Malaise not on this list. Fail.

Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:55 am
by Mikethehack
Ultra Swain wrote:Why is General Malaise not on this list. Fail.


Because his team members failed him, including Major Woody and Private Parts.

Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:05 am
by Ultra Swain
Mikethehack wrote:
Ultra Swain wrote:Why is General Malaise not on this list. Fail.


Because his team members failed him, including Major Woody and Private Parts.


And corporal punishment.

Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 3:43 pm
by Royal
If MacArthur hadn't secured Hokkaido for Japan I would have been taking a Russian spunk bag to Habana? (No bad thing)
She's now back home in Sapporo.

NO. I'm glad you asked.

Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 6:08 am
by gnaruki
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6UlXZxch-A[/youtube]

Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 11:26 am
by Royal
My old aunt ethal loves the Ramones.
How did you know?

Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 9:08 am
by gnaruki
No idea. Sapporo has a nice brewery and that song is a great theme song when heading South.

Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 1:26 am
by Spartan Actual
No serious list can be without Stormin Norman Schwartzkoph

Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 12:44 am
by Ultra Swain
Spartan Actual wrote:No serious list can be without Stormin Norman Schwartzkoph


Why? for not starting the Iraq clusterfuck 12 years early?

Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 4:45 am
by Detroit_Pierogi
Westmoreland goes to the top.

And McClellan was almost without peer as an incompetent dumbass.

Benedict Arnold doesn't belong within a mile of this list. He was a very, very good general.

Re: The worst general in American history?

PostPosted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 10:14 pm
by Spartan Actual
Why? for not starting the Iraq clusterfuck 12 years early?[/quote]

No, while his Hail Mary pass worked out as a tactical operation, his battlefield was relatively unprepared. He had an lingering and unsubstantiated fear of JSOC, their motivations, and their abilities.

He was proven wrong. Often, fatally.