The Greatest Military Leader Who Lost?

[The Super Drogs]

Pyrrhus of Epirus, Hannibal Barca, Napoleon, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and Erwin Rommel. They all have two things in common. They were all defeated in the end. But despite that they are all widely recognized as being among the greatest generals in history. Who do you think was the greatest and why did he lose? Feel free to mention any others I don't know about.

[Imperium Nova Roma]

Rommel was killed for being a traitor
Stonewall was killed by his own men
Pyrrhus got K.O'd by the tag team of a old lady with a roofing tile and a normal soldier
Napoleon got stomped at Waterloo and died living alone like an emo on a tiny island
Lee died of pneumonia while in retirement
Barca killed himself

All of them died in shitty ways, Lee probably was the safest out of all of them. I will add my own, Marcus Brutus, whom defeated Octavian, before killing himself after hearing that his best friend had lost and killed himself.

[Globexanter]

Napoleon got stomped at Waterloo and died living alone like an emo on a tiny island

He wasn't exactly on that Island on a holiday choice, you know, and he wasn't exactly alone either...

[Casta Nal]

Rommel was one of the best strategists of WWII, Hitler was a fucking moron.

[Legionica]

Rommel was killed for being a traitor
Stonewall was killed by his own men
Pyrrhus got K.O'd by the tag team of a old lady with a roofing tile and a normal soldier
Napoleon got stomped at Waterloo and died living alone like an emo on a tiny island
Lee died of pneumonia while in retirement
Barca killed himself

All of them died in shitty ways, Lee probably was the safest out of all of them. I will add my own, Marcus Brutus, whom defeated Octavian, before killing himself after hearing that his best friend had lost and killed himself.

Marcus Brutus defeated Octavian?

[Casta Nal]

Brutus lost, epically.

[Samuraikoku]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobunaga

Enough said.

[Legionica]

Rommel was one of the best strategists of WWII, Hitler was a fucking moron.

I agree with you, wholly.

[Coltarin]

You forgot patton who with our his 3rd army the allies could of lost WWII

[Globexanter]

You forgot patton who with our his 3rd army the allies could of lost WWII

Oh great...
Now you're about to start a thread war about if the Allies could of have won without the U.S. (or vice versa) which will eventually lead into a full scale battle about how the Soviets made the Allied victory of WWII possible contrary to American beliefs (or vice versa).
Thanks.

[Legionica]

You forgot patton who with our his 3rd army the allies could of lost WWII

Oh great...
Now you're about to start a thread war about if the Allies could of have won without the U.S. (or vice versa) which will eventually lead into a full scale battle about how the Soviets made the Allied victory of WWII possible contrary to American beliefs (or vice versa).
Thanks.

You brought it up.

[Globexanter]

Oh great...
Now you're about to start a thread war about if the Allies could of have won without the U.S. (or vice versa) which will eventually lead into a full scale battle about how the Soviets made the Allied victory of WWII possible contrary to American beliefs (or vice versa).
Thanks.

You brought it up.

"He started it Miss/Sir".

[Tryhearts]

You forgot patton who with our his 3rd army the allies could of lost WWII

do explain further please

[Legionica]

You brought it up.

"He started it Miss/Sir".

I forgive you both (if I had to say it).

[Timurid Empire]

I would have to say that above all else, Alexander the Great failed the most in the end. Conquering all that land and having it all crumble after his death, I would count that as total loss.

[Venezuelu]

Hitler. "Blitzkreig-ed" through Europe too fast, without thinking twice. Leaving supply lines thin and vulnerable. Italy was more of a lukewarm ally, just so it could prevent an invasion from the Father-Land.

[Dododecapod]

Hannibal. He damn well beat Rome, not once but about five times, every opportunity the Romans took to put an army in the field, he trashed it. Italy was his stomping ground.
But he'd lost his siege equipment. Unable to brek into Rome or the other fortress cities, he eventually had to return to Carthage - and that set the scene for Zama.

[The Murtunian Tribes]

You forgot patton who with our his 3rd army the allies could of lost WWII

do explain further please

ANyone who answers this question will have to eat the recently removed and well blended vodka/Tryheart intestines cocktail I'm working on.

[Judea City States Ally]

General Heinz Guderian, he may not be the best general who lost but he is up there.

[Legionica]

Hannibal. He damn well beat Rome, not once but about five times, every opportunity the Romans took to put an army in the field, he trashed it. Italy was his stomping ground.
But he'd lost his siege equipment. Unable to brek into Rome or the other fortress cities, he eventually had to return to Carthage - and that set the scene for Zama.

That's just it though, he didn't win. In the end, the Romans had the last laugh. Until the barbarians that actually trashed Rome, that is.

[Imperium Nova Roma]

Rommel was killed for being a traitor
Stonewall was killed by his own men
Pyrrhus got K.O'd by the tag team of a old lady with a roofing tile and a normal soldier
Napoleon got stomped at Waterloo and died living alone like an emo on a tiny island
Lee died of pneumonia while in retirement
Barca killed himself

All of them died in shitty ways, Lee probably was the safest out of all of them. I will add my own, Marcus Brutus, whom defeated Octavian, before killing himself after hearing that his best friend had lost and killed himself.

Marcus Brutus defeated Octavian?

Yes, he did. Brutus fought Octavian and won, while Cassius lost to Antony. With Antonys nearly full force and Octavians remnants, Brutus lost at the second battle of Philipi.

[The Murtunian Tribes]

I would have to say that above all else, Alexander the Great failed the most in the end. Conquering all that land and having it all crumble after his death, I would count that as total loss.

True, but he died of illness, which doesn't really count as losing in the actual wars, wich is what I think the OP was getting at.

I'm tenatively going for Napolean, although ROmmel and Lee are up there.

[Pag-Aalisa]

I have a deep admiration for Napoleon. Especially because he returned from exile(the first time) to start another period of French imperialism.. heh. It's also sort of weird how the progression of the French Revolution ended up with him as the dictator of France.

[Legionica]

Marcus Brutus defeated Octavian?

Yes, he did. Brutus fought Octavian and won, while Cassius lost to Antony. With Antonys nearly full force and Octavians remnants, Brutus lost at the second battle of Philipi.

Which Marcus Brutus are you talking about? Could you provide a link?

[Tryhearts]

Hannibal. He damn well beat Rome, not once but about five times, every opportunity the Romans took to put an army in the field, he trashed it. Italy was his stomping ground.
But he'd lost his siege equipment. Unable to brek into Rome or the other fortress cities, he eventually had to return to Carthage - and that set the scene for Zama.

I dont believe that Carthage could have gotten the materials needed to him by sea and taking the same route that Hannabil had wasnt really open either
though it was a shame that Hannabil wasnt able to press his advantages