Who is your favorite WWII era flag officer

Question

Why did you choose who you did?

Thanks!

Answer 1

General of the Armies George C. Marshall is my favorite.  No other military officer had as much impact on the war as Marshall did.  He built up the United States Army in the years before American entry in the war, often going before Congress and demanding the funding to greatly expand the American military in terms of men and equipment.  Marshall also promoted the careers of officers that were instrumental in the Allied victory; Bradley, Patton, Ridgeway, and Collins were proteges of Marshall.  General Eisenhower did not serve under Marshall until 1941, but the Army Chief of Staff ensured that Eisenhower was rapidly promoted to higher positions, ultimately as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.

Marshall was an extremely capable officer, but not a prima donna like Patton or MacArthur.  Though he worked with Congress and the president, he did not become a political general; he refused to let FDR call him by his first name, telling the president to address him as "General".  Marshall was offered the position that Eisenhower was given, but he turned it down.  Although Marshall did want to position of Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, FDR knew he was needed more in Washington than in Europe.

While other generals and admirals garnered more fame during the war, Marshall should be given more credit for the Allied victory.  British historian John Keegan summed it up best: "Marshall was a magnificent military manager, and the successful mobilization and higher direction of the American army and army air forces owed almost everything to him."

Answer 2

Vice Admiral William B. Halsey, Jr., USN because he was all about getting to it and getting the war won. He was a sailior, which is the greatest title a person can be given in the Navy.

Answer 3

On the Navy side it would be Admiral Chester Nimitz in the Pacific and on the Army side Dwight David Eisenhower in the European and North African Theaters.

Partly because of what they did in the early part of their careers. Nimitz was one of the officers who perfected the technique of underway replenishment and refueling when he was a junior officer. Something which made a vital contribution in meeting the logistics demands in the Pacific. Eisenhower for leading an army convoy across the road network of the U.S (via the Lincoln Highway) only to find out that we were woefully unprepared to use road transport for moving troops, equipment and supplies across the country. That sort of revelation today would produce endless "expert" discussions on cable TV news outlets and endless Congressional hearings, with the accompanying finger pointing exercises.

Both men used their early career experiences as "lessons learned" which helped both to refine logistics to accomplish victory in their respective theaters of operation.  

Answer 4

Army- Patton he scared the enemy and thats all that counts, When the enemy watches you and you're not even in the fight, your doing it right.

Navy- Bull Halsy- He was that smart.

USMC- Chesty Puller- see patton

Brittis Gen Horex was a soldiers general always on the line.

Guidarian was the faterh of Blitzkreig

I forget  the Japanese commanders name but he was nicknamed the tiger of Malaysia

Answer 5

1. George S. Patton, because Patton was aggressive and he was the kind of general we needed,

2. Admiral Chester Nimitz, because he was a great strategist.

3. Fiel Marshall Erwin Rommel a.k.a. "the desert fox" because, he was one of the best german commanders in WWII, also had something to do with the plot to kill hitler.

4. Großadmiral Karl Donitz, great Unterseeboot (U-boat) commander, his fleet of u-boats controlled the waters of the Atlantic at the beginning of the war.

and so many more

Answer 6

Grossadmiral Karl Dönitz... his U-boats nearly brought the Allied Powers to their knees.  If he'd have had another 100 boats at the start of the war things might have come out a lot different.