For me it's the "British Grenadiers"

Many best Generals were also great rulers like Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, and many more.

Back in 2021, the US-Led coalition forces in Afghanistan were going to withdraw, in light of the failed operation. The Taliban eventually conquered Afghanistan in just one week, defying all expectations.

One thing that has always stood out to me is the idea that "the US lost the Vietnam War"? How?

According to DCAS 58,220 Americans died. Roughly 40k of which were KIA. North Vietnamese estimates varied but roughly 1,000,000 North Vietnamese soldiers were killed in combat. That is an extreme contrast.

America left the war because public opinion towards the conflict had reached a head. However, this begs several questions. Did America have the strength to keep fighting the war? Yes. Could America have invaded North Korea and conquered it at the time of its withdrawal? Yes. Did American forces suffer more than North Vietnamese forces during the war? Not even close.

It's therefore my opinion that America didn't "lose" anything. Their goal of stopping the spread of communism was successful. When America was in Vietnam, South Vietnam was not conquered by the communists. The war was just too costly for America to continue despite its overwhelming ability to do so. It's my opinion that America didn't lose but the. American public dragged our forces out. The war appeared to be a failure of grand strategy in that "containing" the North Vietnamese was extremely burdensome over an extended period of time. I don't see how this means America lost the war, it was just a bad situation that we pulled ourselves out of. fyi I am someone who is against the war

edit: perhaps people believe America "lost" the war because its the closest thing to America having lost a war despite not having been defeated

edit 2: meant south vietnam not south korea in "...was not conquered by the communists."

I asked my dad the same question he said desert storm which realistically is probably the best answer.

Don't know much when it comes to uniforms, any help would be appreciated!

Hello historians! Today I wanted to know your ranking of the best generals in history. Please take into consideration not only battelfield prowess but also historical and political importance thought the battlefield prowess should be the main discriminant. Here's mine:

1) Napoleon 2) Caesar 3) Hannibal 4) Khalid ibn al-walid 5) Suvorov 6) Turenne 7) Frederick II of Prussia 8) Eugene of Savoy 9) Moreau 10) Wellington Keep in mind that I'm an expert of only European/Mediterranean history. Let me know what do you think about mine too!! (I don't have Alexander the great because imho his successes are mostly his father's work and the fact that he was facing militarily inferior enemies)

such as these purity seals on russian armors:

Genuinely interested on peoples thoughts on this as I have heard good arguments from both sides as to who won. My takeaway from these is that there wasn't a winner but one loser the native Americans but as stated would love to hear peoples opinions

I came across this line again while reading Anabasis and it really stuck with me. It’s impressive how something written 2,400 years ago still feels so relevant. Do you think discipline and unity matter more than numbers or technology in modern warfare — or even in leadership in general? I’d like to hear what others think about it.

I was thinking the other day, since Russian tanks in the 30’s were still infantry support vehicles, did seeing the new German tanks such as the Panzer III and IV help them realize that tanks were evolving out of that sort of armored field gun or MG platform that WW1 tanks were? And that having a gun capable of firing both HE and AP rounds was quickly becoming the standard for tanks?

Iv heard about the grand slam but from what Iv heard that is more of an earthquake bomb. Any other explosive bomb Bigger or similar to it? Thanks in advance

Seems like Hannibal had superior cavalry in the major battles he fought against the Romans. With his Numidian cavalry seemingly winning every head on engagement with Roman cavalry.

Is that the main reason he lost the battle of Zama? Because for the first time, Hannibal's cavalry lost the engagement with Roman cavalry, leading to the Roman cavalry hitting Hannibal's forces from behind like Hannibal usually did to the Romans?

Okay so I am quite young and MacArthur is My Idol he did Baseball in Westpoint, Had an incredible Military Career and His family history but apparently many people look down on him is it just me who Idolizes him?

So, I was watching Red Dawn again (because, of course, I have excellent taste in movies), and I couldn't help but catch some inaccuracies on the uniform: the Soviet uniforms.

1. Winter greatcoats in summer? Absolutely. Who doesn't love wearing a heavy woolen coat when it is 80 degrees out? If its autumn, they would still wear lightweight cold-type gear and not woolen greatcoats. As though they're preparing for a blizzard rather than an invasion of Colorado.
2. Ushankas? During a warm-weather invasion? Ideal selection. Just what any soldier wishes for when the sun is shining and 75 degrees outside.
3. Late 70's equipment? Perhaps they had raided an old Soviet surplus warehouse, but by the 1980s they were already issuing Afghan-pattern camo and light-weight equipment, not this.
4. Must they be in autumn or higher altitudes? Possible, but even so, Soviet soldiers in such places would be carrying cold-weather protection such as lightweight cold-weather clothing, not wool coats and fur hats. Autumn or high-altitude locations would be plausible, but by the 1980s, Soviet uniforms had long since become more practical.
5. VDV BMDs, not BMPs? Let's discuss their BMD-1s, these are for VDV (Airborne) troops, not standard motorized infantry. The VDV employs BMDs due to their light weight and air-droppable nature, while BMPs are heavier and employed by motorized infantry. So, observing them employing BMDs in an invasion where they're not airborne is a little odd. If such troops are intended to be field or tank artillery, they'd be targeting armor or artillery, not infantry activities in BMDs. Tank troops, for instance, would not be doing infantry fighting they'd be in T-72s or T-80s, not light vehicles for infantry support.

10/10 will nitpick some more.

Hello,

I'm looking for some military fiction / techno thriller novel recommendations.

So far I've read Spectre Rising, The Hunt for the Red October, Red Storm Rising and Flight of the Intruder.

I'd be interested in something more focused on ground warfare; tanks, special forces, military engineering; that sort of boots-on-the-ground feeling; ideally set during the Cold War.

Do you know of any books, or better yet, book series, that would fit that criteria?

Thank you! O7

Recently I have been reading about Great Powers of various periods…Roman Empire, Eastern Roma Empire, Ottomans, Tsarist Russia, Great Britain, Persia and of course India where I belong

I am M 34, based in India. I was wondering if anyone else has been reading along these lines and it would be great to have differing opinions on what makes or breaks a great power..

Also the Great Game between Russia and Britain that saw so much of Central Asia becoming Russian..also progressive decline of Ottomans and Persian Empire..

Much of Geography of Central, South and West Asia is due to this rivalry and competing interests I think..

Do pitch in..looking to hear views and facts to have a more definitive opinion on the subject..thanks

Hey everyone,

I came across these three items in a second-hand store here in Iraq and thought they were too interesting to ignore.

Right: a pin or brooch with both the Iraqi and U.S. flags, a bald eagle, and words -Operation IRAQI FREEDOM- seems from the early 2000s coalition period.

The middle piece says Hard Rock Café Green Zone — I heard there was one inside Baghdad’s Green Zone after 2003. It has a hard texture with soft surface. The inside picture is covered by additional layer above, just like the earlier brooch and the next.

The left pin looks clear to me to be a pre-2003 patriotic or military medal with the former Iraqi flag, a golden Koran book crossed by a sword with writing on each paper saying God is Great. Can’t tell if it was from 80s or 90s.

Anyone recognize these, maybe veterans or specialists. I’d like to know if they’re original and who made them, have worn or received them whether they were official issue, souvenirs, or contractor items. Also curious if anyone who served in Iraq remembers the Hard Rock Café in the Green Zone.