8 of the Worst Military Leaders in History

7/25/2019 8 of the Worst Military Leaders in History

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8 Of The Worst Military Leaders InHistory


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Arthur Percival

[Via]
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lieutenant_General_Arthur_Percival.jpghttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lieutenant_General_Arthur_Percival.jpg


3/16

Arthur Percival built a successful ilitary career durin! the inter"ar #eriod but is ost

noted for his defeat in World War II$ "hen he coanded the forces of the %ritish

&oon"ealth durin! the 'a#anese Malayan &a#ai!n and the subse(uent %attle of

)in!a#ore*

On 8 +eceber ,-., the 'a#anese /0th Ary launched an a#hibious assault on the

Malay Peninsula* The 'a#anese advanced ra#idly$ and on /1 'anuary ,-./ Percival

ordered a !eneral retreat across the 'ohore )trait to the island of )in!a#ore and

or!anised a defence alon! the len!th of the island2s 134ile coast line* %ut the 'a#anese

did not da"dle$ and on 8 5ebruary 'a#anese troo#s landed on the north"est corner of

)in!a#ore island* After a "ee6 of fi!htin! on the island$ Percival held his final coand

conference at - a on ,0 5ebruary in the %attle %o7 of 5ort &annin!* The 'a#anese had

already occu#ied a##ro7iately half of )in!a#ore and it "as clear that the island "ould

soon fall* Havin! been told that aunition and "ater "ould both run out by the

follo"in! day$ Percival a!reed to surrender* The 'a#anese at this #oint "ere runnin! lo"

on artillery shells$ but Percival did not 6no" this*

The 'a#anese insisted that Percival hiself arch under a "hite fla! to the Old 5ord

Motor 5actory in %u6it Tiah to ne!otiate the surrender*It "as a!reed at 9,3 # that the

%ritish :#ire troo#s "ould lay do"n their ars and cease resistance at 89;3 #* This

"as in s#ite of instructions fro Prie Minister Winston &hurchill for #rolon!ed

resistance*

A coon vie" holds that ,;8$138 Allied #ersonnel surrendered or "ere 6illed by fe"er

than ;3$333 'a#anese* Ho"ever$ the forer fi!ure includes nearly 03$333 troo#s

ca#tured or 6illed durin! the %attle of Malaya$ and #erha#s ,0$333 base troo#s* Many of

the other troo#s "ere tired and under4e(ui##ed follo"in! their retreat fro the Malayan

#eninsula* &onversely$ the latter nuber re#resents only the front4line troo#s available

for the invasion of )in!a#ore* %ritish :#ire battle casualties since 8 +eceber

aounted to 1$033 6illed and ,,$333 "ounded* 'a#anese losses totaled around ;$033

6illed and $,33 "ounded*


4/16

+arius III

[Via]

In the s#rin! of ;;. %& Ale7ander invaded Asia Minor at the head of an ary of

Macedonian and other >ree6 soldiers* This invasion$ "hich ar6ed the be!innin! of the

Wars of Ale7ander the >reat$ "as follo"ed alost iediately by the victory of

Ale7ander over the Persians at %attle of the >ranicus* +arius never sho"ed u# for the

battle$ because there "as no reason for hi to su##ose that Ale7ander intended to

con(uer the "hole of Asia$ and +arius ay "ell have su##osed that the satra#s of the

?lo"er2 satra#ies could deal "ith the crisis$ so he instead decided to reain at hoe in

Perse#olis and let his satra#s handle it*

+arius did not actually ta6e the field a!ainst Ale7ander2s ary until a year and a half after

>ranicus$ at the %attle of Issus in ;;; %&* His forces outnubered Ale7ander2s soldiers

by at least a / to , ratio$ but +arius "as still outflan6ed$ defeated$ and forced to flee* It is

told by Arrian that at the %attle of Issus the oent the Persian left "ent to #ieces under

Ale7ander2s attac6 and +arius$ in his "ar4chariot$ sa" that it "as cut off$ he incontinently

fled @ indeed$ he led the race for safety* On the "ay$ he left behind his chariot$ his bo"$

and his royal antle$ all of "hich "ere later #ic6ed u# by Ale7ander*
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Darius_III.jpghttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Darius_III.jpg


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+arius fled so far so fast that Ale7ander "as able to ca#ture +arius2s head(uarters and

ta6e +arius2s faily as #risoners in the #rocess* +arius #etitioned to Ale7ander throu!h

letters several ties to !et his faily bac6$ but Ale7ander refused to do so unless +arius

"ould ac6no"led!e hi as the ne" e#eror of Persia*

&ircustances "ere ore in +arius2s favor at the %attle of >au!aela in ;;, %&* He

had a !ood nuber of troo#s "ho had been or!anied on the battlefield #ro#erly$ he had

the su##ort of the aries of several of his satra#s$ and the !round on the battlefield "as

alost #erfectly even$ so as not to i#ede oveent of his scythed chariots* +es#ite all

these beneficial factors$ he still fled the battle before any victor had been decided and

deserted his e7#erienced coanders as "ell as one of the lar!est aries ever

assebled*

After ore failed battles and setbac6s$ +arius "as 6illed at the hands of his o"n en*


6/16

Arthur Percival

[Via]
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lieutenant_General_Arthur_Percival.jpghttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lieutenant_General_Arthur_Percival.jpg


7/16

Arthur Percival built a successful ilitary career durin! the inter"ar #eriod but is ost

noted for his defeat in World War II$ "hen he coanded the forces of the %ritish

&oon"ealth durin! the 'a#anese Malayan &a#ai!n and the subse(uent %attle of

)in!a#ore*

On 8 +eceber ,-., the 'a#anese /0th Ary launched an a#hibious assault on the

Malay Peninsula* The 'a#anese advanced ra#idly$ and on /1 'anuary ,-./ Percival

ordered a !eneral retreat across the 'ohore )trait to the island of )in!a#ore and

or!anised a defence alon! the len!th of the island2s 134ile coast line* %ut the 'a#anese

did not da"dle$ and on 8 5ebruary 'a#anese troo#s landed on the north"est corner of

)in!a#ore island* After a "ee6 of fi!htin! on the island$ Percival held his final coand

conference at - a on ,0 5ebruary in the %attle %o7 of 5ort &annin!* The 'a#anese had

already occu#ied a##ro7iately half of )in!a#ore and it "as clear that the island "ould

soon fall* Havin! been told that aunition and "ater "ould both run out by the

follo"in! day$ Percival a!reed to surrender* The 'a#anese at this #oint "ere runnin! lo"

on artillery shells$ but Percival did not 6no" this*

The 'a#anese insisted that Percival hiself arch under a "hite fla! to the Old 5ord

Motor 5actory in %u6it Tiah to ne!otiate the surrender*It "as a!reed at 9,3 # that the

%ritish :#ire troo#s "ould lay do"n their ars and cease resistance at 89;3 #* This

"as in s#ite of instructions fro Prie Minister Winston &hurchill for #rolon!ed

resistance*

A coon vie" holds that ,;8$138 Allied #ersonnel surrendered or "ere 6illed by fe"er

than ;3$333 'a#anese* Ho"ever$ the forer fi!ure includes nearly 03$333 troo#s

ca#tured or 6illed durin! the %attle of Malaya$ and #erha#s ,0$333 base troo#s* Many of

the other troo#s "ere tired and under4e(ui##ed follo"in! their retreat fro the Malayan

#eninsula* &onversely$ the latter nuber re#resents only the front4line troo#s available

for the invasion of )in!a#ore* %ritish :#ire battle casualties since 8 +eceber

aounted to 1$033 6illed and ,,$333 "ounded* 'a#anese losses totaled around ;$033

6illed and $,33 "ounded*


8/16

+arius III

[Via]

In the s#rin! of ;;. %& Ale7ander invaded Asia Minor at the head of an ary of

Macedonian and other >ree6 soldiers* This invasion$ "hich ar6ed the be!innin! of the

Wars of Ale7ander the >reat$ "as follo"ed alost iediately by the victory of

Ale7ander over the Persians at %attle of the >ranicus* +arius never sho"ed u# for the

battle$ because there "as no reason for hi to su##ose that Ale7ander intended to

con(uer the "hole of Asia$ and +arius ay "ell have su##osed that the satra#s of the

?lo"er2 satra#ies could deal "ith the crisis$ so he instead decided to reain at hoe in

Perse#olis and let his satra#s handle it*

+arius did not actually ta6e the field a!ainst Ale7ander2s ary until a year and a half after

>ranicus$ at the %attle of Issus in ;;; %&* His forces outnubered Ale7ander2s soldiers

by at least a / to , ratio$ but +arius "as still outflan6ed$ defeated$ and forced to flee* It is

told by Arrian that at the %attle of Issus the oent the Persian left "ent to #ieces under

Ale7ander2s attac6 and +arius$ in his "ar4chariot$ sa" that it "as cut off$ he incontinently

fled @ indeed$ he led the race for safety* On the "ay$ he left behind his chariot$ his bo"$

and his royal antle$ all of "hich "ere later #ic6ed u# by Ale7ander*
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Darius_III.jpghttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Darius_III.jpg


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+arius fled so far so fast that Ale7ander "as able to ca#ture +arius2s head(uarters and

ta6e +arius2s faily as #risoners in the #rocess* +arius #etitioned to Ale7ander throu!h

letters several ties to !et his faily bac6$ but Ale7ander refused to do so unless +arius

"ould ac6no"led!e hi as the ne" e#eror of Persia*

&ircustances "ere ore in +arius2s favor at the %attle of >au!aela in ;;, %&* He

had a !ood nuber of troo#s "ho had been or!anied on the battlefield #ro#erly$ he had

the su##ort of the aries of several of his satra#s$ and the !round on the battlefield "as

alost #erfectly even$ so as not to i#ede oveent of his scythed chariots* +es#ite all

these beneficial factors$ he still fled the battle before any victor had been decided and

deserted his e7#erienced coanders as "ell as one of the lar!est aries ever

assebled*

After ore failed battles and setbac6s$ +arius "as 6illed at the hands of his o"n en*


10/16

Pavel >rachev

[Via]

5or a #eriod of tie$ in the early4to4id4,--3s$ >rachev "as a close friend of the

President of Bussia %oris Celtsin$ and held the #ost of the Minister of +efence of the

Bussian 5ederation fro May ,--/ to 'une ,--* >rachev too6 #art in the )oviet cou#

atte#t of ,--, and the events of the Bussian constitutional crisis of ,--;$ durin! "hichhe su##orted Celtsin* In Doveber ,--. Celtsin called >rachev Ethe best defense

inister of the decade*F

In late ,--. throu!h ,--$ >rachev #layed a 6ey role in initiatin! and leadin! the 5irst

&hechen War* He "as one of authors of the idea to use force to Erestore constitutional

orderF in the brea6a"ay re#ublic of &hechnya and #ublicly #roised to s"iftly crush the

&hechen se#aratist forces Ein a cou#le of hours "ith a sin!le airborne re!ient*F He "as

ruoured to have launched the disastrous storin! of >rony "hile drun6 durin! the

celebrations of his , 'anuary birthday* As TIM: coented in ,--09 E>rachev hadrear6ed recently that only an ?inco#etent coander2 "ould order tan6s into the
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Evstafiev-pavel-grachev-1994w.jpghttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Evstafiev-pavel-grachev-1994w.jpg


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streets of central >rony$ "here they "ould be vulnerable


12/16

On the outbrea6 of the )econd %oer War$ Bedvers %uller "as sent as coander of the

Datal 5ield 5orce in ,8--* On seein! the list of troo#s "hich "ould a6e u# his &or#s

%uller is said to have rear6ed E"ell$ if I can2t "in "ith these$ I ou!ht to be 6ic6ed*F %y

early )e#teber ,8-- he had serious doubts that the %oers could not easily be

bro"beaten$ and that White2s forces in Datal i!ht receive soe #unishent if they

de#loyed too far for"ard* He arrived at the end of October*

He "as defeated at the %attle of &olenso$ durin! "hat "as later to becoe 6no"n as

%lac6 Wee6*

+efeats at the %attle of Ma!ersfontein and %attle of )torber! also involved forces

under his coand* %ecause of concerns about his #erforance and ne!ative re#orts

fro the field he "as re#laced in 'anuary ,-33 as overall coander in )outh Africa by

Lord Boberts* +efeats and (uestionable ability as coander soon earned hi the

nic6nae EBeverse %ullerF aon! troo#s* He reained as second4in4coand and

suffered t"o ore setbac6s in his atte#ts to relieve Ladysith at the battles of )#ion

o# and Vaal rant* On his fourth atte#t$ %uller "as victorious in the %attle of the

Tu!ela Hei!hts$ liftin! the sie!e on /8 5ebruary ,-33$ the day after &rone at last

surrendered to Boberts at Paardeber!*

:ven thou!h an unsuccessful coander in the %oer War$ there are any #ublic

e7#ressions of sy#athy for %uller$ es#ecially in the West &ountry$ there is a statue of

hi on a horse in :7eter and a cha#el dedicated in &rediton to hi*


13/16

Bodolfo >raiani

[Via]

At the start of World War II$ >raiani "as still &oander4in4&hief of the Be!io :sercito

Js >eneral )taff* After the death of Marshal Italo %albo in a friendly fire incident on /8
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marshal_Graziani_1940.jpghttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marshal_Graziani_1940.jpg


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'une ,-.3$ >raiani too6 his #lace as &oander4in4&hief of Italian Dorth Africa and as

>overnor >eneral of Libya*

The Italian dictator %enito Mussolini had !iven >raiani a deadline of 8 Au!ust ,-.3 to

start to invade :!y#t "ith the ,3th Ary* >raiani e7#ressed doubts about the ability ofhis lar!ely un4echanied force to defeat the %ritish and #ut off the invasion for as lon!

as he could*

Ho"ever$ faced "ith deotion$ >raiani ultiately follo"ed orders and eleents of the

,3th Ary invaded :!y#t on - )e#teber* The Italians achieved only odest !ains in

:!y#t and then #re#ared a series of fortified ca#s to defend their #ositions* In

Doveber ,-.3 the %ritish counterattac6ed and co#letely defeated the ,3th Ary

durin! O#eration &o#ass$ after "hich >raiani resi!ned his coission* On /0 March

,-.,$ >raiani "as re#laced by >eneral Italo >ariboldi$ and >raiani reained inactive

for the ne7t t"o years*


15/16

Willia Westoreland

[Via]

>eneral Westoreland "as a Knited )tates Ary four4star !eneral* He "as in coand

of all K) ilitary o#erations in the Vietna War fro ,-. to ,-8$ includin! durin! the

,-8 Tet Offensive*

Westoreland "as convinced that the Vietnaese counists could be destroyed by

fi!htin! a "ar of attrition that$ theoretically$ "ould render the Vietna Peo#le2s Aryunable to fi!ht* His "ar strate!y "as ar6ed by heavy use of artillery and air#o"er and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Westmoreland#/media/File:Gen_William_C_Westmoreland.jpghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Westmoreland#/media/File:Gen_William_C_Westmoreland.jpg


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re#eated atte#ts to en!a!e the counists in lar!e4unit battles$ and thereby e7#loit

the K)2s vastly su#erior fire#o"er and technolo!y* Ho"ever$ the Dorth Vietnaese "ere

able to dictate the #ace of attrition to fit their o"n !oals9 by continuin! to fi!ht a !uerrilla

"ar and avoidin! lar!e4unit battles$ they denied the Aericans the chance to fi!ht the

6ind of "ar they "ere best at$ and they ensured that attrition "ould "ear do"n the

Aerican #ublic2s su##ort for the "ar faster than they*

He focused on E#ositive indicators$F "hich ultiately turned "orthless "hen the Tet

Offensive occurred$ since all his #ronounceents of E#ositive indicatorsF didn2t hint at the

#ossibility of such a last4!as# draatic event* Tet outaneuvered all of Westoreland2s

#ronounceents on E#ositive indicatorsF in the inds of the Aerican #ublic* Althou!h

the counists "ere severely de#leted by the heavy fi!htin! at he )anh "hen their

conventional assaults "ere battered by Aerican fire#o"er$ as "ell as tens of thousands

of deaths in the Tet Offensive$ Aerican #olitical o#inion and the #anic en!endered by

the counist sur#rise sa##ed K*)* su##ort for the "ar$ even thou!h the events of early

,-8 #ut the Knited )tates and )outh Vietna into a uch stron!er ilitary #osition*

Westoreland "as re#laced by >eneral &rei!hton Abras in 'une ,-8$ the decision

bein! announced shortly after the Tet Offensive* Althou!h the decision had been ade in

late ,-1$ it "as "idely seen in the edia as a #unishent for bein! cau!ht off !uard by

the counist assault*

8 of the Worst Military Leaders in History

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