Your favourite general.

Nice choices, anyway...

Very good officers all.

As well, my favourite is Gerd von Runstedt, but the best was Von Manstein...

It is all a matter of tatses, if that's the word...

 

There were many great german generals, but some were outstanding. Then it´s a question of one´s taste again.

I myself have always admired Rommel ( as well ), thanx to the DAK-thing. The british had to make an announcement for the british troops that they may not speak of Rommel as "god -like" but that he was a normal german general.That shows how much they feared and admired him.

Model was great, wherever he was. And in 1944 huge defensive battles against the allied in the west. I truly admire him.

Paul Hausser was great as well. The battle of Kharkow, Normandy etc. And he was the man to create the waffen ss teaching methods so he was kinda father to the system, I think.

One of my latest favourite is Kurt Meyer, schnellmeyer or panzermeyer as you wish. Great battling and didn´t fear a thing. Witt, Wunsche and Meyer made a great team.

I read von Bock´s memoirs just a while ago. I truly was inspired by this thoughts. Great man. between the lines it was easy to read that Guderian was a man he likes, but was quite irritated all the while as Guderian insisted on wanting " more tanks" every time thet talked over the phone!

 

My favorite is Josef Sepp Dietrich. He accomplished so much, drove his command to the limit to achieve success and had his men admire him while driving them to the bone.

Walter Model is another favorite due to his ability to go into a crisis and turn it around.

Smiling Albert Kesselring is also a favorite. Luftwaffe Field Marshal commanding land forces and successfully. I consider him and Heinrici both masters of defense.

 

I go for;

Student.
Zhukov.
Gavin.
Monty.

 

I'll break the mould here by going for non-Germans !

I must admit to a 'liking' for Gavin and Horrocks.Again, we're not talking about 'best'...

 

Martin

I think the allies do have a monopoly of likeable or repulsive eccentrics. Although the fact that Student was shot in the Head in 1940 trying to stop the SS from killing people in Rotterdam by the SS themselves wins some points from me.

Jumbo

 

I agree with many of you, really great officers there.

Above all, those defensive masters as:
GFM Wilhelm von Leeb
GFM Albert Keßelring
GFM Walter Model
GO Gotthrad Heinrici

And about Fedor von Bock. I have read his memoirs too and I admire the man a lot. He was one of the best field commanders of WWII, but I think Von Runstedt was a bit better, so I chose him. Despite that, I know Von Bock more, because my grandfather was his close friend and was his aid in 1938. I have heard many stories of the field marshall, who wanted to retire as the conqueror of Moscow. And yes, he liked Heinz Guderian, and really adapted to his armoured tactics and made them even greater (Minsk, Smoljiensk), because he combined the best of the typical old German tactics and the lighting warfare. I really admire the man a lot.

And PzJgr, agreed about Sepp too!

And Student was quite a man. And no, the men of the LSSAH in Rotterdam were not shooting civilians, they were shooting some Dutch policemen, soldiers and guards because they did not know that the city was surrendering... But Student did try to stop them and was shot in the forehead...

 

Oh, well - at least Horrocks was shot by the Germans !

 

Since when were policemen members of the military? Perhaps I am too used to bobbies in helmets...

 

Originally posted by TheRedBaron

I know this is a matter of preference, however we are free to debate and question one anothers choises. Monty, Monty. Your kidding. His 'most decisive victory' was handed to him by the codebreakers of blechley park(spelling?). Dont get me wrong , i have nothing against british generals. My 2nd favorite general is General William(?) Ironside, commander of the allied north russian expedition of 1918-20. But Monty just wasnt that good, likable maybe, but The BBC is good with propaganda/promoting generals.

Im gonna get hell for this.......

CVM

 

My understanding is that this was by accident.

 

Of course it was an accident!!!

The men of the LSSAH entered Rotterdam and saw armed Dutch men. They started firing. But inside a building there was Generalleutnant Kurt Student, who had arrived much earlier to the city with his paratroopers and was negotiating the surrender. When he heard the shots and saw the Germans in the street, he yelled them from the window to cease fire. But at distance, it was just a figure, so, someone shot him in the forehead.

I cannot imagine: "Hey, Wilhelm! Look! A German general in that window... let's shoot him!!!"

 

This man was indeed a very good officer:

 

Most excellent choice Friedrich, indeed!

 

Mannerheim

This is about favourite Generals. Mine, like yours, is in the name. I don't think anyone would say the crabby, repressed Monty was their favourite.

I have a great deal of respect for Mannerheim as a General, but he had his advantages too due to the nature of the terrain and, until 1944, the Finnish front was a secondary theater for the Soviets. When they did turn on the Finns with the mechanised forces at their disposal the Finnish army was shown up to be what it was - doctrinally outdated, defensive-minded and very well motivated.

Jumbo

 

He is not my favourite! Not at all! I just respect the man. I posted that here for all his admirors...

 

Who mentioned Ironside? Gouty old bugger he was. CIGS when the war started I think, like many old timers, he got a bit confused by all these tanks and things...now where is my horse?

Jumbo

 

Nice choice--where did you get this color shot of Mannerheim? Im not sure if I have seen this one of him or not before now.

 

It is top secret, Herr Feldmarschall. I cannot even tell it to my senior officers.

 

Mr Evans

I think I have it in a couple of books at home. I thought it was pretty well known.

Jumbo