Top 10 Generals of Western History

In our modernized, mechanized age of warfare, where decisions are made by civilians, officers far from any line of combat, congressional committees, and unknown military strategists in committee, an army is a faceless thing. For the last six decades, the idea of massed armies doing battle has been considered a curiosity of the past, and warfare is often viewed more as an endemic state of some sort rather than a series of events.

 

Once, however, responsibility and consequence were not so diffused. Brilliant strategic, tactical, and logistical minds had immediate and total control of large armies, and those armies became victorious or defeated because of one man’s ability. In our attempt to survey the great generals of history, we must limit ourselves, or at least agree to common terms. For the purposes of this list, those eligible for inclusion must have been field commanders, with undeniable autonomy in their battles; no armchair generals or errand boys here.

 

10. Attila the Hun

 

Leader of the Hunnish empire that stretched from the borders of modern day France to the steppes of Russia, this thorn in the side of both Roman and Byzantine empires assembled a massive force of all the tribes and nations traditionally viewed as provincial savages – Huns, Goths, Ostrogoths, Vandals, and many more, and nearly conquered mainland Europe. In the template of other “barbarian” conquerors to come after him, like Genghis Khan, he showed the lie of assumed Western superiority; and whenever your enemies names you “the Scourge of God”, you can assume you’ve proved yourself a respected threat. More images after the break...

 

9. Frederick the Great

 

Frederick II of Prussia was a student of modern warfare, and later its guiding voice in the late 18th century. He modernized the army of his disjointed pseudo-German kingdom, and fought continuous wars against Austria, the dominating power of the Holy Roman Empire at the time. Known for both his books and treatises on warfare, as well as leading troops into battle personally (he had six horses shot from under him), Frederick was a force to be reckoned with

 

8. George S. Patton

 

The most controversial figure of the Allied forces in WWII, Patton himself may have believed himself to be reincarnated from more ancient warriors, carrying their bravery and experience into his battles. A promising early career helping Pershing hunt Pancho Villa jumpstarted Patton into the armored corps, where he became a mentor to Eisenhower (later promoted over his head). In WWII, he gladly used the Germans’ blitzkrieg against them, using the maneuverability of American armored units to out maneuver German lines and gaining large amounts of ground over short periods of time. His infamous incidents, including troops under his command executing more than one massacre, and Patton’s slapping of a supposedly cowardly soldier in a field hospital, contributed to his decline, but more than anyone else, he led the Allies to victory in Europe.

 

Notable contemporaries: Benard Montgomery, British general and competitior; Erwin Rommel, Nazi tank commander and adversary

warfare

7. Joan of Arc

 

The maid of Orleans is the only commander on this list to have had to share command in even her finest moments of victory, but as she is also the only woman, one feels an exception is in order. A French peasant girl who claimed visions from God, she traveled to Charles II, the French king losing the war to the English. Though she was hampered by skepticism at first, Joan influenced several important French victories, leading charges personally, and inspiring French troops to renewed fervor. Tried and executed by an English court for witchcraft, she was later exonerated, beatified, and made the patron saint of France

 

6. Julius Caesar

 

The famed consul of Rome was perhaps the ablest of the late Republic’s military leaders, vying with his co-consul, Pompey for glory in subjugating territory to Rome’s expansionist will. His campaign against the Gauls is still required reading in many military academies, and his defeat of Pompey nearly granted him the kingship of firmly republican Rome. The political and personal treachery that ended his life and provided the opportunity for his nephew, Octavian, to become emperor, is legendary, but Caesar’s successes were more reliant on the loyalty and victory of his armies than political maneuvering.

 

Notable contemporaries: Pompey the Great (adversary), Marc Antony (protégé)

 

5. George Washington

 

Washington was the pivotal, and probably most successful, leader of the American revolutionary forces vying for independence from the British Empire. Though ably assisted by several subordinates (including Benedict Arnold, whose military acumen has been overshadowed by his famous betrayal), Washington proved the uniting force of the Continental Army, leading it to victory at Trenton and Yorktown, and holding the piecemeal forces together in the hard winter at Valley Forge. Being elected President twice without serious opposition seemed the least Americans could do for their war leader

4. Robert E. Lee

 

Lee, perhaps the most successful commander in history against numerically and materially superior forces, was the gentle genius in charge of the Army of Northern Virginia and most Confederate forces during the Civil War. He developed a reputation of near omniscience among both enemies and allies, and soundly thrashed Union forces soundly on numerous occasions. His losses, few as they were, were generally more devastating to his opponents than himself, and Ulysses S. Grant, the only general to successfully corner Lee, was forced to adopt a strategy of attrition, rather than any attempt to outfight Lee.

 

3. Salah ad Din

 

Saladin, as he is known in our language, was the most outstanding leader of the Crusades, hampering the fledgling crusader states and European invasions with equal aplomb. Known for his calm and rationality, his lack of fanaticism, and his respect for his opponents, he conquered Syria, Egypt, and most of modern day Israel steadily and without great difficulty. He was enormously respected by nearly all of his rivals, and maintained an epistolary friendship with Richard the Lionheart, sending him gifts, horses, and his own physician.

 

2. Hannibal Barca

 

The most feared opponent Rome ever faced, this Carthaginian general was raised to the task of defeating the Romans from early childhood by his father, Hasdrubal. Hannibal abandoned previous Carthaginian tactics of passive naval superiority, and marched a force on elephants over the Italian Alps. Defeating the Romans at nearly every battle he fought, he made a Roman general, Quintus Fabius Maximus, famous merely for being able to delay Hannibal’s advance without enormous loss of life (Fabius was granted the title “Cunctator”, or delayer, by the Roman senate). At Cannae, Hannibal’s forces, cobbled together and suffering from losses, routed an enormous Roman army, killing or capturing upwards of fifty thousand enemies. Eventually defeated by Scipio Africanus and deserted by his government, he remained a scourge the Romans invoked to justify razing Carthage.

1. Napoleon Bonaparte

 

Born a Corsican, Napoleon became by far the most able general of the modern age, rising from obscurity during the Revolution to Consul and Emperor of the French Empire which spanned from Madrid to Moscow and from Oslo to Cairo. Originally an artilleryman, he led campaigns that conquered the Italian States, Austria, Egypt, Prussia, Spain, the Netherlands, Swedish Pomerania, parts of the Caribbean, and large swathes of Russia. Leading brilliant campaigns, using concentrated force in lightning strikes on the field, developing independent and complete army corps (a system still modeled today), installing puppet rulers, conscripting troops from each nation he subdued, and inspiring a host of marshals who were all able tacticians themselves (Murat, Massena, Bernadotte, Ney, and many others), Napoleon revolutionized warfare. No less than four international alliances of powers were required to bring his empire to its knees, and without the simultaneous pressure or Russian winter, British naval domination, Spanish guerillas, and Wellington’s stolid and unbreakable Anglo-Spanish-Portuguese Army, very likely Bonaparte would have sat astride the his European conquests for years to come.

 

Sadly, this list cannot be exhaustive; our knowledge comes to us through dubious historians, and a mythos that may deny some great leaders their due. Notables who missed the top ten by a hair: Alexander the Great, who conquered most of Southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, and large parts of India in a single sweeping campaign, before dying in tears that “there were no more worlds to conquer”; Genghis Khan, whose horde took most of China and Russia; Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor, who took Western Europe in the late Dark Ages, defeating native tribes, isolated kingdoms, and Moorish conquerors alike; and of course, contemporaries and rivals of those in the top ten. Wellington, Jackson, Pericles, Leonidas, Grant, Pompey, Garibaldi, and Tokugawa all played their roles, and should not be underestimated lightly. But the ten we have inscribed are perhaps the most iconic, representative, and beloved (or feared) of conquerors, a breed of men that knew the direst times of human history, and thrived in them. We shall not see their like again.

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Japanese Surrender

1945 - Japanese surrender - a keeper*




*This film is believed to have never been seen before, only shots of the

surrender were known.*



*If you are a history buff you will enjoy this. General McArthur's voice is

a rarity in these old film clips*



*Japanese Surrender- Amazing Footage Sept 2, 1945.*

*This is a 'must see' for the WWII history buff or anyone interested in history.*



*Interesting the other signers to the document, from New Zealand/Australia

to Europe/Russia.*



*This is an actual film made of the surrender ceremony of the Japanese to

McArthur in Tokyo Bay in September 1945.*



*Actual voice of the General. Never been shown to the general public before.

*We always saw the "stills" but never the film itself*

*Click here: Japanese Surrender

Kate on Royal tour in Solomon Islands

Kate on Royal tour in Solomon Islands

How funny: Kate stifles a giggle as she and William are garlanded by a gaggle of bare-chested women after they arrive on Marau in the Solomon Islands Baring all: It was a world away from the storm that has engulfed the couple because of topless pictures of Kate published by a french magazine Closer last week

Intricate: The colourful necklaces, worth up to £150 each, took three months to make Hello! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge receive a traditional welcome from locals when they land in Mara. Royal entrance: Kate steps off the plane for the next leg of her and William's South Pacific tour.

Welcome - Marau style: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are traditionally welcomed to Marau ‘


On our way: Prince William chats with an islander as he makes his way through a path of brightly coloured flowers at the Marau landing strip. Pit stop: The Royal couple stop midway along a walk way to watch a group of bare chested women perform a water dance.

Canoe to paradise: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge then enjoyed the scenic route to Tavanipupu Island in a traditional war canoe. Outfit change: Kate swapped her yellow Jaeger day dress for a navy blue Mulberry frock for evening while the Duke chose an eye-popping pink shirt...but what's that behind them?

The barefoot Royals: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived barefoot in Tavanipupu, Solomon Islands, during the latest leg of their South Pacific tour. Rough Ground: The Duchess of Cambridge chats with John Sullivan as she walks barefoot over some quite rough ground onTavanipupu Island.


 Tradition: The couple had enjoyed watching a group of nine women perform a traditional water dance involving splashing themselves with water before setting off for the neighbouring islands Water dance: The women performed as Kate and William made their way downtheir way to Marapa and Tavanipupu by boat and canoe. A quick wave and they're off: The Duke and Duchess head off by boat to Tavanipupu Out in force: The Royal visit caused great excitement among the islanders, some had trekked up to six hours just to see Kate and Wills.

On her own: Earlier in the day the Duchess had left William's side to attend a Women's Reception at the Leaf House, Commonwealth Youth South Pacific Centre Family: Kate revealed how family life was very important to her especially now she was married during a half hour chat with about 40 women from the Young Women's Parliamentary Group For me? Kate had moved round the group, spending several minutes with each woman, telling them their cause was 'important'.

Newly-crowned: The Duchess, wearing a £180 bright yellow dress from Jaeger, proudly sports the decorative headpiece given to her by well-wishers. Crowning glory: The Duchess of Cambridge happily paraded her new headwear, given to her by well-wishers in Honiara and made from exotic fresh flowers

Heading into the rain: After calling on the Solomon Islands' Prime Minister,the Duke and Duchess visited a cultural village in Honiara. Resplendent in yellow: Dressed in the bright yellow sleeves dress and her trusty beige LK Bennett heels, Kate cut a colourful figure. Royal welcome: Hundreds of people gathered to welcome the young couple as they toured the cultural centre during their nine day tour of the Far East. Display:

The Duke listens intently while the Duchess smiles as a tribal war dance is performed in front of her Pan pipe moods: At one hut, a group of traditionally dressed musicians from the Isabel Province played God Save The Queen on their pan pipes. It's a bit like Morris dancing...

The Duke shares a joke with his wife as they watch locals in Honiara perform during their visit. ...But there's always time for a quick joke: The young Royals share a joke during the tribal war dance Pleasure to meet you:

William listens intently as he and Kate chat to a tribal warrior at a cultural village in Honiara. Special performance: Fearsome spear and shield-wielding warrior-like men showed off a number of dances for the Duke and Duchess in the Cultural Village.

 Matching outfits: Kate beams as a group of young dancers perform for her and William - did they know she was going to wear yellow? Taking it all in: Fearsome bare-chested men performed a ceremonial dance for Kate, along with a 'levu' dance normally reserved for 'big men' or very important guests.

Concentrating: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge watch as the group of tribal dancers brandish rather fearars Looks painful:

The Duke appears to wince as the dancers mock spear their enemy during the display Come together: The royal couple are introduced to a group who provided them with a traditional chorus in the Cultural Village.

Local culture: The Duchess talks to a woman in traditional costume while stopping to get to know villagers who came out to greet her and The Duke Craft: The Duke and Duchess chat to women during their visit to a cultural village in Honiara in the Solomon Islands.

 Interested: The Duchess bends down to chat to a local in the cultural village Joking: The Duchess shares a joke with one of the women making crafts in the cultural village

Intricate: The Duke and Duchess looked suitably impressed by the work of carvers in the Cultural Village, who were fashioning detailed models by hand.

 Pleased to meet you: Kate took time to chat with a wood carver during her daytime walkabout in the Cultural Village, after which The Duke gave a speech to 40 young people

All smiles: Traditionally-dressed local villagers were in a friendly mood during the day as they happily chatted to the Duchess of Cambridge.

Vanessa Hudgens

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Irish Whiskey

5 Facts About Irish Whiskey You've Been Getting Wrong

Although now overshadowed by its Scottish counterpart, Ireland still produces some very fine whiskeys indeed.

1- It’s Irish “whiskey,” with an “e”

Irish whiskey differs from Scotch primarily in the fact that it is predominantly made using barley, which is dry malted without the use of peat. This results in a finished product that allows more of the natural flavors of the grain to appear on the palate as opposed to some of the slightly smoky elements that many people associate with Scotch whisky.

As well as single malt whiskeys, Ireland also has a tradition of making excellent blended whiskey. A blended Irish whiskey is one made from a blend of the spirit and other grains, like maize.

Irish distillers, like their U.S. counterparts, spell their finished product with an “e” whereas, Scotland, Canada and Japan spell the name as “whisky.” There is no definitive answer as to why this might be the case, but there are those who suggest that it dates back to the late 1800s when the distillers of Irish whiskey wanted to differentiate their high-quality product from poorer Scottish examples.

2- Ireland claims to have the oldest legal whiskey distillery in the world

The first commercial license to distill whiskey was granted by James I of England in 1608. It was granted in the town of Bushmills to local landowner Sir Thomas Phillips and is still the site of fine Irish whiskey making today, as the home of the Old Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland.

3- Most Irish Whiskey is triple distilled while double distillation is used in Scotland

Each distillation removes impurities from the spirit as it passes through the stills, arguably producing a lighter and smoother spirit with a crisp, clean finish on the palate. Although there are still a handful of Scotch whiskys that are tripled distilled, it is a process very much associated with the production of Irish Whiskey.

We bring to light two more things you might not know about Irish whiskey…

4- Monks brought whiskey to Ireland… and Scotland?

Irish whiskey can trace its roots to the departure of the Romans and the arrival of monastic missionaries, who used the spirits for medicinal purposes. There is even evidence that the skill of distilling malted barley into spirit was taken by the missionaries from Ireland to Scotland. Given the proximity of the two countries, this is entirely feasible, if not something the Scots would ever like to acknowledge.

5- Water helps you taste the uniqueness of Irish whiskey

To carry the name “Irish whiskey,” the spirit has to be made entirely from native grains and then stored in wooden casks for three years or more. Colum Egan, master distiller of Bushmills Irish Whiskey, recommends adding a drop of water to bring out the flavors and scents of whiskey (like his own Black Bush) to reveal the light, clean and fruity taste of the whiskey that is its signature. Further flavors come from the barrels in which the whiskey has been aged, like Oloroso sherry casks, which add color and sweetness, and bourbon barrels, which add a note of vanilla.

Read more: http://www.askmen.com/entertainment/special_feature_400/491b_irish-whiskey-5-things-you-didnt-know.html#ixzz25kzkkp9l