Portraits of 10 military genius generals who changed the world order. Here is a list of the greatest generals compiled by Scimyst.com for your reference.
The Greatest Military Geniuses in History
War is a part of history. Many see it as a disaster that causes death, but war is also the cradle that produces heroes – the commanding generals who change the world.
Let’s explore the lives of some of the most renowned generals in history.
Alexander the Great
Most of us know that during his 12-year reign, Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) led the Macedonian Empire (336 – 323 BC), conquering almost the entire known world at that time.
The greatness of Alexander was evident from the moment of his birth. The emperor of Macedonia cried out on a Friday in June, coinciding with the burning of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Many legends claim he was the son of a serpent god, and ancient prophets predicted he would have a future of “unending victories.”
From a young age, Alexander was known for his courage.
The truth confirmed the accuracy of that prophecy. Throughout his reign, Alexander the Great frequently led his army into battles, achieving nearly constant victories, most notably in the campaign to conquer the Persian Empire – his first campaign at the age of 20.
Portrait of Alexander leading his army to conquer Persia, woven into a tapestry.
The battle that showcased Alexander the Great’s military talent was the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC, where he fought against Emperor Darius III of the Achaemenid Empire, who was then ruling Persia.
According to ancient historical sources, it is estimated that over 40,000 Macedonian troops defeated tens of thousands of Persian soldiers. During the battle, Alexander observed keenly, recognizing the mistakes of the Persian army to adjust his attack strategy. Ultimately, Alexander forced the enemy commander Darius III to flee, leading to a disorganized and shattered Persian army.
Sculpture commemorating Alexander’s great victory at Gaugamela.
After the battle, Alexander’s forces lost only a few hundred men compared to nearly 40,000 Persian soldiers. Just three years after the Battle of Gaugamela, Alexander unified Persia.
Genghis Khan
Among Asian heroes, Genghis Khan (1162-1227) is regarded as one of the most ambitious and talented conquerors. Under his reign, he unified the Mongolian tribes and expanded his territory from Asia to Europe.
Majestic and imposing statue of Genghis Khan.
His military talent is highly regarded by researchers. Genghis Khan organized his army into groups based on the decimal system (tens, hundreds, thousands, and ten-thousands) and primarily used highly skilled light cavalry archers. This organization allowed his legions to launch overwhelming attacks, easily encircle enemies and lead them into ambushes.
Additionally, Genghis Khan was a master of psychological warfare. Before attacking enemy fortifications, he often spread threatening messages to instill fear, declaring that if they did not surrender, he would annihilate the entire city. However, he would sometimes deliberately let a few survivors escape to spread fear to the next fortresses.
Genghis Khan’s light cavalry vastly outmatched the heavy and slow European cavalry.
The military philosophy that Genghis Khan adhered to throughout his life was to defeat the enemy as quickly as possible, with minimal losses through psychological warfare and the strength and agility of cavalry.
Genghis Khan was a master of psychological warfare.
Notably, in battles, even if the opponent fled, Genghis Khan would not relent. He ordered his troops to pursue and kill until he was certain the enemy was dead.
Napoleon
It is not incorrect for many to view the modern era as the period of French Emperor Napoleon (1769-1821). The world feared and admired him for his military talent and genius leadership.
Napoleon is often called the god of war, as he achieved rapid victories and employed unpredictable tactics. His most extraordinary feats were those that no other general dared to attempt.
Emperor Napoleon.
One of the victories that clearly demonstrated Napoleon’s talent was the Battle of the Three Emperors – Austerlitz in 1805. It earned this name due to the large scale of the battle, involving the three emperors of European powers: Napoleon of France, Franz II of Austria, and Tsar Alexander I of Russia.
Napoleon and his marshals discussing battle tactics.
Along with talented marshals like Lannes, Ney, Davout, and Murat, Napoleon successfully commanded 73,000 French troops to defeat over 80,000 Austrian-Russian allied forces in 1805.
Many sources record that Napoleon personally engaged in battle to assess the situation, predict the enemy’s intentions, and quietly ordered the artillery to increase firepower to seize key points, effectively supporting the battle. He also adeptly utilized the terrain by having cannons fire into frozen lakes, drowning thousands of enemy soldiers in the cold.
Hannibal Barca (247-183 BC)
Hannibal Barca – the commander whose victories weakened the Roman Empire.
Hannibal, the son of Hamilcar Barca (born 247 BC – died 183 BC), was a military general and strategist from Carthage. The name “Hannibal” means “the joy of the god Baal” (the chief deity of the Carthaginians), while his family name “Barca” means “lightning.”
Hannibal lived during a tumultuous period in the Mediterranean when the Roman Republic established supreme power over major states like Carthage, the Kingdom of Macedonia, Syracuse, and the Seleucid Empire. He is the most famous general from Carthage. His most remarkable achievement was during the Second Punic War, when Hannibal led an army, including war elephants, from Iberia across the Pyrenees and Alps into Northern Italy.
This legendary general, with a force significantly smaller and weaker than the Roman Empire, conducted unprecedented marches from Carthage (modern-day Spain) directly into Rome, achieving stunning victories that severely weakened the Roman Empire. Although Rome later counterattacked and employed Hannibal’s own strategy of sending troops directly to Carthage, leading to Hannibal’s defeat and eventual suicide, the Roman Empire never fully recovered from that setback.
Julius Caesar (100 – 44 BC)
Julius Caesar – the conqueror of nearly all of Europe at that time.
As the head of the Roman Empire, he conquered nearly all of Europe at that time, extending his reach into Egypt and Babylon. Caesar is one of the three major generals representative of ancient times.
King Tran Quoc Tuan (1228 – 1300)
King Tran Quoc Tuan – Tran Hung Dao.
Commonly known as Tran Hung Dao, he was a national hero and general of Vietnam who defeated the formidable army of the descendants of Genghis Khan.
He stands out as a prominent figure in the medieval period.
Oliver Cromwell (1599 – 1658)
Oliver Cromwell was a general of England.
Cromwell was a renowned general in English history, famous for his Iron Sides army that defeated the royalist forces during the English Civil War in the 17th century, executing King Charles I (1649), and later becoming the Lord Protector, the head of England.
Mikhail Kutuzov (1745 – 1813)
Mikhail Kutuzov – the one who halted Napoleon’s invasion of Russia.
A Russian general, he successfully defeated Napoleon, halting his invasion of Russia (1812), and later led the coalition forces of Austria and Prussia to attack Paris, completely overthrowing Napoleon’s rule. Alongside Suvorov, he is honored in history as a master of mountain warfare.
Georgy Zhukov (1896 – 1974)
Georgy Zhukov – the master strategist.
Among the many famous generals of World War II, Marshal G.K. Zhukov ranks at the top for the number of victories and the scale of battles, earning the gold medal for his campaign and strategic command skills.
Vo Nguyen Giap
The late General Vo Nguyen Giap (1911 – 2013) is hailed as the number one master of guerrilla warfare. International media have referred to him as the “Napoleon of Vietnam.”
Without formal military training, Vo Nguyen Giap became Vietnam’s first “five-star general” at just 37 years old.
Portrait of General Vo Nguyen Giap – the hero of the Vietnamese people.
One distinguishing feature of General Giap, rare among generals worldwide, is the respect and admiration he commanded from his defeated opponents. General De Castries, who was defeated by Giap in the Dien Bien Phu campaign, acknowledged: “I am honored to be the opponent of General Giap, to be the direct defeated of a talented person like General Giap. I admire and respect him.”
During a meeting with former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara in 1997, U.S. General Chester Cooper expressed his admiration for the late Vietnamese general: “Sir, I have admired you for 20 years. I still admire you today.” Even a former American soldier who fought in Vietnam, James G. Zumwalt, exclaimed: “I can only say that he is the greatest general of the greatest generation of Vietnam.”
General Vo Nguyen Giap – the master of guerrilla warfare in the world.
With his strategic brilliance, he successfully commanded the Dien Bien Phu campaign, destroying the “impregnable fortress” of the French and organized the legendary Ho Chi Minh Campaign, officially reclaiming independence for our nation.
From here, the nickname “Napoleon of Vietnam” began to emerge. Many people call him this because General Giap’s military tactics share many similarities with the French emperor.
He led campaigns that seemed impossible to win, making decisions that perhaps no other general would dare to undertake. Notably, General Giap was very skilled at organizing and arranging guerrilla battles, taking advantage of fewer troops against a larger enemy.
A prime example is during the Dien Bien Phu campaign in 1954, just before the hour of attack, he ordered all troops and artillery to withdraw from their positions, delaying the attack and shifting from a “quick strike” strategy to a “sure strike, steady advance” approach.
General Giap and leaders coordinating the plan for the Dien Bien Phu campaign in 1954.
During the resistance against the Americans, the late General commanded the opening of the Ho Chi Minh Trail – a vital and extremely important route that brought overall victory to our nation.
