10 Famous Generals of World War II

10 Famous Generals of World War II

The legendary Chinese general Sun Tzu famously wrote that ‘victorious warriors win first then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first then seek to win.’ Indeed, the art of war demands brilliant strategy and tact, in addition to the resilience and gut to face an enemy unbowed. As the world witnessed one of the most devastating conflicts in history unfold, the outcome of World War II would be majorly determined by the uniformed men in command. These war generals bore the daunting task of planning and carrying out battle plans both swiftly and strategically to advance their course against all odds.

 Careful but speedy decision-making was a core requisite skill, in addition to sheer courage and unbroken spirit in the face of grave adversity. Both the Allied and Axis forces had incredible generals in command; men whose role in the war would cement them in history’s list of iconic military figures of the 20^th century. From the aggressive leadership style of U.S General Patton, the strategic, visionary Dwight D. Eisenhower, and U.K’s Bernard Montgomery, to the tactical genius of German’s Erwin Rommel and Yamamoto of Japan, these generals go down in military history for their skill and prowess. Here’s a list of 10 famous generals of World War II. The list is not exhaustive, neither is the order in which the names appear intended to rank them. They are all however arguably considered famous, so take a look and find out why!

Most Famous Allied Generals

1. Dwight D. Eisenhower – United States

Eisenhower (1968) by Anefo. Wikimedia Commons.

Dwight ‘Ike’ Eisenhower is the man behind the overall command of the famous Operation Overlord (codename for the Battle of Normandy), and the eventual liberation of France during World War II. He was the Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe and was instrumental in strategizing a war plan to defeat Nazi Germany.

Besides his successes in the two major campaigns; the D-Day invasion of Normandy and the North Africa campaign, he is also credited for his ability to work with diverse Allied leaders as Supreme Commander. In both campaigns, he worked closely with Bernard Montgomery, who was actively involved in their planning and execution. His political leadership skills, in addition to coordinated planning abilities, played an important role in the eventual victories witnessed by the Allied forces. He went on to serve as the 34^th president of the United States (1953 to 1961).

Top 10 Facts about Dwight Eisenhower.

2. Bernard Montgomery – United Kingdom

General Montgomery (1943). Photo by War Office official photographer. Wikimedia Commons.

Known for his cautionary, steady but sure moves, Field Marshall Montgomery, or ‘The Spartan General’ is generally considered one of the most talented generals of the war, especially where slow approaches were needed. His methodical approach may have been influenced greatly by his previous experience in World War I, where he had witnessed the unnecessary loss of lives due to rash decisions. He had a steadfast and stubborn attitude, and when he was convinced that the attack was premature, it’s cited that not even Churchill could persuade him otherwise.

His leadership in the North African campaign of World War II in outwitting the famed German general, Erwin Rommel, earned him reverence. His troops respected and liked him too. However, his rivalry with Patton, his absolute opposite cost him a great deal in September 1944. Patton was an aggressive general and was well-liked by Eisenhower. In trying to win the latter’s favor, Montgomery abandoned his signature, methodical approaches and decided to take more risks in launching Operation Market Garden, an Allied operation in the Netherlands that sought to create an invasion route into Northern Germany. It ultimately failed. Although Montgomery’s brilliance as commander is contested by some historians, it’s clear that where method and tact were key, he was the man for the job.

3. Charles de Guille- France

De Gaulle. Photo by Office of War Information, Overseas Picture Division. Wikimedia Commons.

Regarded as a French hero, de Gaulle is credited for putting up sheer resistance in refusing to accept the surrender of France to Germany’s forces during World War II. He joined the army in 1901 and later fought in World War I. He had been wounded thrice and taken as a prisoner of war for thirty-two months.

When the Second World War began, he was a colonel in charge of the 4^th Armored Division. During Germany’s invasion of France in the Battle of France, he is the only French commander who managed to force the Germans to retreat. This was during the Battle of Montcornet, fought on 17 May 1940. German forces attacked the French village of Montcornet with over 200 tanks.

Although de Gaulle’s men were later overwhelmed and forced to retreat due to a lack of support, he had put up a strategic fight, achieving one of the very few victories for the French during the battle. France would soon fall in 1940, and de Guille rejected the armistice with Germany and fled to London. There, he rallied up resistance to German occupation, becoming the leader of Free French forces, who continued to fight alongside Allied troops. De Gaulle would later become the President of France from 1959 to 1969.

Read more on World War II in Paris.

4. Georgy Zhukov- Soviet Union

Zhukov by Grigory Vayl. Wikimedia Commons.

Zhukov joined the military at 19, serving in World War I and the Russian Civil War for the Bolsheviks. He also saw some action on the Mongolian-Manchurian border, fighting the Japanese from 1937 to 1939. Having achieved notable feats, he was promoted to general and chief of general staff of the Red Army in 1941. When World War II began, Zhukov sprang into action, ultimately becoming the most famous Russian commander.

His particular wins on the Eastern front of the war, successfully defending Moscow and pushing Germans westwards in a counter-attack cemented his place as one of the best generals of the war. He was instrumental in drawing up Operation Uranus, a plan to encircle the German army at Stalingrad, which was successful. His logistical skill, creativity, and strategic brilliance were critical in the Soviet Union’s decisive victory against Nazi Germany.

Read more on Top 10 Interesting Facts about Georgy Zhukov.

5. George Patton-United States

Patton. Wikimedia Commons.

It cannot be gainsaid that George Patton is one of the most controversial generals of World War II. Known for his aggressiveness in tactics, and arguably reckless speed, Patton contributed greatly to some of the most incredible advances of the Allied cause. He saw action in the Sicilian campaign, during the Allied invasion of Sicily. His advances were fast and known for his ability to leverage to his advantage, he utilized American connections with the Sicilian mafia who deterred potential objectors to the American cause. It was also during the Sicilian campaign that Patton is reported to have slapped two of his juniors who had PTSD and ordered them to go back to the frontlines. He was criticized for this and had to be relieved of duty for 11 months.

Nevertheless, his troops respected him and he was quite popular among them. Another great feat achieved was when Patton led his troops in relieving the city of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. Despite the incredulously difficult task, he managed to divert 133,000 vehicles and six divisions from the frontline in winter and wheel them back to the north to achieve the task. Patton’s aggression and speed earned him the nickname, ‘old blood and guts.’

Most Famous Axis Generals

6. Erwin Rommel-Germany

Rommel by Bundesarchiv. Wikimedia Commons.

‘Desert Fox’, as he is commonly referenced, was one of the most revered generals of World War II, highly respected even among the Allied troops. Field Marshall Rommel was in charge of the Afrika Korps in the North African campaign. With a background as a tank commander, Rommel was well prepared for the deserts in North Africa.

His swift moves and well-calculated risks came in handy as he led his troops in brilliantly outmaneuvering the Allied forces. He had a knack for capitalizing on opportunities, and his natural skills in warfare saw him hold out for long in the campaign until the cards turned against Germany. As Hitler focused on the war on the Eastern Front with the Soviet Union, diverting most of the resources there, Rommel’s troops were left outnumbered and outgunned. Rommel was later implicated in a plot to kill Hitler and was forced to commit suicide by taking poison.

Read more on Top 10  Amazing Facts about Erwin Rommel.

7. Tomoyuki Yamashita

Yamashita. Photo by Japanese Army Photographer. Wikimedia Commons.

Yamashita was a Japanese general in the Imperial Japanese Army. He had attended the Imperial Japanese Army Academy and graduated in 1905, ranking 16^th out of 920 cadets. When World War II began, he was placed in charge of the 25^th Army, tasked with the invasion of Malaya and Singapore in 1942. Needless to say, he strategically led his troops into victory over the British military forces, successfully conquering Malaya and Singapore in just 70 days. This feat earned him the nickname, ‘The Tiger of Malaya’. The then British Prime Minister, Churchill, described Japan’s capture of Singapore as the ‘largest capitulation’ in British military history. Yamashita was then tasked with defending the Philippines from the Allies, but he would eventually be defeated after a long bloody battle.

That notwithstanding, he is considered one of the most successful Japanese generals during the war, whose tact and strategy brilliance shifted the tide of the war on various fronts. However, his legacy is stained by charges of war crimes committed by his troops in the Philippines. Although he denied ordering the crimes or being aware of them, he was still found guilty of failure to discover and prevent their occurrence. He was executed in 1946.

8. Erich von Manstein

Erich v. Manstein by Bundesarchiv. Wikimedia Commons.

Field Marshall Erich von Manstein had acquired vast military experience in the First World War, having fought on both the Western and Eastern Fronts. His undeniably critical successes in World War II place him on the list of the best generals of the war. On the Western front, he was instrumental in conquering France. He drew up a plan to attack France through a weak point in the Ardennes Forest, (now termed the Manstein Plan) and though risky, it turned out to be a success.

Manstein was then stationed on the Eastern Front during the invasion of the Soviet Union. He led his troops through one of the most strongly defended bases in the Siege of Sevastopol, outwitting the Soviet forces. Although the tide of war would soon change for Germany, Manstein was able to regain significant territory for Germany at the Third Battle of Kharkiv, defeating three Soviet armies and causing three more to retreat. Unfortunately, his disagreement with Hitler’s conduct of the war got him fired in March 1944, and this has been cited by historians as one of the most fatal miscalculations that Hitler made.

9. Isoroku Yamamoto

Yamamoto. Wikimedia Commons.

This Marshal Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Army was the mastermind of the Pearl Harbor Attack, which was a critical turning point in World War II. The effect of the attack was U.S.A.’s official entry into the war, and the Pacific Theater of the war would go on to witness some of the most significant battles. Yamamoto graduated from the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1904, 11^th in his class. He went on to serve in the Russo-Japanese War between 1904 and 1905. When World War II began, he was promoted to Admiral on November 15, 1940.

It was his firm belief that Japan’s limitation in winning the upcoming war was oil and time. He thus drew up quite a daring attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor as a preventive action. Japan needed to easily advance into oil-rich areas of South East Asia without interference from the U.S. The surprise attack was devastating for the U.S., which lost three destroyers, three cruisers, more than 180 aircraft, and over 2,000 American lives. Although the attack was later declared a war crime for being conducted without a prior declaration of war, Yamamoto is credited for his gut and tactical skill in carrying out complex military plans. He also participated in the Battle of Midway. His plane was shot down in April 1943 by U.S Air Forces after code-breakers discovered his travel plans.

Check out the 10 Things to Know about Japan during World War II.

10. Heinz Guderian-Germany

Heinz Guderian. Wikimedia Commons.

Nazi Germany’s use of ‘Blitzkrieg’ tactics enabled its rapid advance in Europe in the initial years of World War. This entailed the use of surprise attacks and deploying intensely concentrated motorized formations to overwhelm the opponent. Guderian is the man who pioneered this approach, using Panzer divisions. A Panzer division was an armored tank troop in the German army. Guderian’s brilliant innovation and strategic talent saw him take part in a good deal of major German operations, including the Invasion of Poland, France, and the Soviet Union. During the invasion of France, he was in charge of the units that attacked through the Ardennes forest, dealing a heavy blow on the Allied defenses at the Battle of Sedan. He also championed the use of tank warfare and armored formations, typical of the ‘Blitzkrieg.’ After the war, he was held as a prisoner by the Allied forces until his release in 1948. He died in 1954.

Indeed, while war cannot be possibly glorified, these generals had to make difficult decisions out of necessity to overcome. Tough sacrifices were made, and although some of these were more than costly in hindsight, it’s only fair to give the devil his due.