ipl-logo

The View That British Generals Like Haig Were Incompetent?

826 Words4 Pages

“How far do you agree with the view that British Generals like Haig were incompetent?”

This essay will argue that British generals like Haig were incompetent! However, a handful of individuals might believe that British generals like Haig were war heroes and that our country is forever in debt. These people might say that Britain the war, so clearly the generals did their job well. They could also point out that these brave leaders only did what they could in such limited time and with such limited resources and that the weight of our world should not be on their shoulders. However, the better argument is clearly the one that states that British generals like Haig were incompetent as there is far more data and sources to support it. For instance, …show more content…

These generals won us the war according to sources such as Basil Liddell Hart (a Lieutenant who was invalided back to Britain), “So far during the war, our leadership has been flawless- perfect. There was an obvious genius for pure generalship which made General Haig fit to rank with any general of past or modern times”. Nonetheless, this point is clearly unthought through, as firstly Hart was pretty high up in the ranks so obviously isn’t going to talk badly about someone he works closely with; he wants to keep his job. Secondly, these generals were rarely seen by any of the soldiers they recruited; is this really a trait of good …show more content…

All he did for the war effort was lead soldiers to their death, he never changed his tactics even When he saw that it was killing so many, highlighting his share incompetence; he never tried anything new, only trying the same failing tactics again and again. John Laffin, a military historian states “Haig and other generals must be blamed for wilful blunders and wicked butchery. However stupid they might have been, however they were the product of the system which obstructed enterprises, they knew what they were doing. There can never be forgiveness for their sheer incompetence” This point is inevitably the right one, John Laffin who specialises in military history clearly agrees. Haig obviously doesn’t have the expertise required to plan ahead and protect his soldiers and

Show More
Related

MG Fredendall's Verbal Orders

1066 Words | 5 Pages

If one person can be faulted for the US loss at Kasserine Pass (and he was – he was relieved of command and sent back to the US after this battle) it was MG Fredendall. So far we have seen his vague and peculiar orders, lack of situational awareness of the battlefield, and his penchant for bypassing the chain of command. We can also add to this list his single-mined approach with other officers, both peers and subordinates. He also had a bad practice of disregarding the opinions of subordinates (particularly MG Ward’s), and discounting recommendations by those that had a better appreciation of the terrain or situation.

Read More

Who Is Gouverneur Kemble Warren A Good Leader

971 Words | 4 Pages

So it was quite obvious to everyone that he was the best possible man to lead the Union Army to victory as Brigadier General. Not only was he at his peak physically for the war he was also as sharp as a tack mentally. His quick thinking and firm and precise orders were the very nature of his natural born instinct to lead. His time that he put in as a student with a bright future at the United States Military Academy was most likely the origin of his necessary and very successful actions at Little Round Top. Plus his rising through the ranks of an army was obviously a key factor in his education and ,in a way, on the job training ( The “Hero of Little Round Top,” Gouverneur K. Warren, USACE).

Read More

Synopsis Of The Book 1776 By David Mccullough

733 Words | 3 Pages

Well known heroes of America’s past are not depicted as invincible and undaunted giants, but as actually human beings. George Washington, the leader of the revolution and the first president of the United States, was often stressed and demoralized because of the circumstances of the Continental Army. Traveling among them and observing their filth and lack of discipline enraged him. The General often thought of how much happier he could have been if “instead of accepting of a command under such circumstances…had taken my musket upon my shoulders and entered the ranks” (McCullough, p.79). But he never revealed this to anyone except his closest confidants, specifically his wife and Joseph Reed.

Read More

Reasons For The Battle Of Camden

984 Words | 4 Pages

This shows that he was never trustworthy. The battle of camden was his last chance to prove to the people that he can do right in the end he failed and he was thrown out of his job of being general and was shunned for

Read More

Summary Of Why The Allies Won By Richard Overy

1766 Words | 8 Pages

The Allied victory was far from inevitable. The author analyzes all the dynamics and all the factors that influenced the final results of the conflict. In the first chapter “Unpredictable Victory: Explaining World War II,” Overy gives an overview of the causes that brought to war. The geopolitical legacy of World War I and the economic crisis of late 1920s certainly contributed to the raise of the Nazism in Germany, and the consolidation of capitalism in the US and of communism in the Soviet Union. The clash of these ideologies quickly evolved a major confrontation in the military, industrial, and resources’ field.

Read More

The American Hero In Benedict Arnold's War

601 Words | 3 Pages

In spite of the fact that most Americans are able to share opinions of hatred for Arnold, he did a great deal for America before switching sides. Not only did he show an ample amount of leadership skills, but he was immensely known for giving the American soldiers a morale boost. These soldiers, fighting alongside him at Saratoga, claim that he was “riding on front of the lines, his eyes flashing, pointing his sword two the advancing foe, with a voice that rang clear as a trumpet and electrified the line.” Arnold was able to effectively encourage the soldiers, placing them in appropriate moods

Read More

Causes Of World War 1 Dbq

1045 Words | 5 Pages

Overall, militaristic spending among the main countries in Europe contributed greatly to the power imbalances. There was a major increase in spending but the most prominent change occurred in Germany with nearly a four hundred million dollar increase and Russia’s three hundred million dollar increase (Doc. 1). This shows the commonality of increased military spending among many of the prominent European countries and the war preparation that took place using concepts like militarization and mobilization, especially in Russia where political power shifted to the military. Additionally, an American historian by the name of Sidney Bradshaw Fay shared his unbiased view on the War. He assigned blame to every state saying that their leaders either did things that led to army mobilization for war or did not take preventive measures to stop the European friction (Doc. 6).

Read More

Summary Of A Rumor Of War By Philip Caputo

1202 Words | 5 Pages

This farthest reaching placement of responsibility on U.S. military strategy elaborates on Caputo’s description of disillusionment from the number of people dying for no evident progress and provides one focus for his observation of what might be preventable about warfare. In describing his resistance to listen to more experienced officers, Caputo recognizes that communicating the risks and trauma of warfare requires precise description and a willingness to listen; “They had already been where we were going, to that frontier between life and death, but none of us wanted to listen to them. So I guess every generation is doomed to fight its war, to endure the same old experiences, suffer the loss of the same old illusions, and learn the same old lessons on its own.” The structure of the vicarious tour of duty is an attempt to communicate the same old experiences, illusions, and lessons as they appeared for servicemen in the American War, but by Caputo’s own acknowledgement this attempt is destined to fail because its lesson cannot be fully understood without direct

Read More

Comparison Of Macarthur And General George Patton

677 Words | 3 Pages

Great Generals are not born, they are made. In the history of the United States Army there have been numerous Generals that have stood out in their own time and throughout history. World War II provided the canvas for many leaders to paint their selves in their own vision to be paraded in front of the whole world. Among these leaders were General Douglas MacArthur and General George Patton. Although they ended the war with great accomplishments, how they did it are two very different stories.

Read More

What Was The War's Best Decision Summary

677 Words | 3 Pages

The humanity article that was provided was titled "What Was the War's Best Decision?” The article is about the strategic decisions that impacted the course of World War II. This research article made me feel interested in knowing past history. I believe by knowing past history can set an example for future generations. However, according to this article, author Laurence Rees decided to challenge the best historians of the war.

Read More

General Haig Deserve To Be Remembered As The Butcher Of The Somme Analysis

648 Words | 3 Pages

Does General Haig deserve to be remembered as the "Butcher of the Somme"? By Joshua Lawrence Early life Douglas Haig was born on 19 June 1861 in a house on Charlotte Square, Edinburgh. His father, John Richard Haig, was an alcoholic and owned Haig & Haig whisky distillery.

Read More

Disaster Of The Somme Was General Hag's Fault Essay

1037 Words | 5 Pages

Haig had no control over this and couldn’t have prevented the German’s having an advantage by looking at the British troops below and being able to prepare. In conclusion, I think that the Haig contributed to many factors leading to the disaster of the Somme as despite not having adequate tools or resources he was in charge of handling them correctly and effectively. This is especially proven when it came to his strategies of shelling which actually put the German’s at an advantage by revealing where the British troops were coming

Read More

How Did The Prime Minister Lloyd George's Inaugural Address

589 Words | 3 Pages

LONDON – Prime Minister Lloyd George has made a speech to the British people exclaiming his demands for peace around the world. In his rousing speech George first explained why we are fighting this bloody war. He said, “We are not fighting a war of aggression against the German people. Their leaders have persuaded them that they are fighting a war of self-defense against a league of rival nations bent on the destruction of Germany. That is not so.

Read More

General Haig Deserve To Be Remembered As The Butcher Of The Somme Essay

843 Words | 4 Pages

This is because Haig sent thousands of men to their deaths continuously after his war efforts seemed not to be working. For instance 60,000 soldiers died in the first day alone in the battle of the Somme. The reason that so many people died was that Haig ordered his men to walk across no-man 's land. They were easy

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis: We Shall Fight On The Beaches

983 Words | 4 Pages

Rhetorical Essay Analysis World War II is a time of great struggle for humanity, especially for those within the midst of the battlegrounds. During the June of 1940 in an attempt to boost his citizen’s morale and confidence, Winston Churchill, then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK), gave his speech “We shall fight on the beaches” at the British House of Commons. The rhetorical purpose of this speech is to convince the people of the UK that they have a fighting chance against the Axis forces, even if the worst comes to show. In order to gain people’s support, Churchill employed the rhetorical strategies of historical evidence and emotional appeal.

Read More

More about The View That British Generals Like Haig Were Incompetent?

Related Topics

Open Document