Worst and Best American General?

[Charon]

Wow.

That's just... Wow.

It's one thing to be an incompetent commander, we've had those. But to stay back 70 miles from the front, demand special treatment like you are the president of the United States, and to completely disregard all of your training concerning giving clear and concise orders? We have ourselves a new contender I believe.

[General Havoc]

Fredenhall was a rare idiot, who seems to have been a follower of the the John Bell Hood school of generalship wherein the proper technique of command is to refuse to gain any personal knowledge of the situation your army is in, and then to ridicule anyone who does have such knowledge by telling them that they are womanly, cowards, or homosexuals. After all, if you yell at your subordinates enough, the situation at the front will magically alter to reflect your wishes. Earnest Harmon (Commander of the US 2nd Armored Division) famously called Fredenhall a "Son of a Bitch" in an official after-action report (ouch), and later told the press that he was both a moral and physical coward (which he was).

The only reason I didn't throw Fredenhall on my list was his length of service. After Kasserine, Eisenhower took the advice of largely everyone associated with the North African campaign and threw him out in favor of Patton. He therefore did not have the opportunity to fuck up as gloriously as some of the others on here.

[Josh]

The shame of it was that he got a cush gig in training after his relief, and an automatic bump in rank when he was due.

[Cynical Cat]

The shame of it was that he got a cush gig in training after his relief, and an automatic bump in rank when he was due.

He was, according to some sources, good at training which was one of the reasons (along with powerful political connections) that he made it as high as general. Just shows that Ike knew how to make a lemonade.

[Sunhawk]

One thing I need to point out. Benedict Arnold was *not* in command at the capture of Fort Ticonderoga, Ethan Allen was, and Allen's refusal to mention Arnold in his report absolutely infuriated him. In addition, Arnold was not involved at all in the transport of the cannon and supplies from Ticonderoga to Boston, that was all Knox.

For worst general? J.C.H. Lee should win hands down. Nicknamed 'Jesus Christ Himself', while CO of ComZ under Eisenhower he proved to be the single most vain and petty idiot in the entire theater. When Paris was liberated he devoted well over half of *all* available transport to move himself and his staff to Paris in the 'appropriate' luxury for one of his oh so exalted position, the resultant snare in logistics that caused was what led to Patton's 3rd Army running out of fuel. While in Paris he would send hunting parties to various exotic locales to procure suitable viands for his gourmet tastes (including sending a daily flight down to Morocco for fresh mutton). ComZ itself consumed more supplies than it delivered, most of which went to supporting the senior staff and J.C.H. Lee.