What is your favorite military battle of all time?

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 09:45:23 -0400

There are so many possible answers to this question. Pick one battle that intrigues you the most. It doesn't have to be from OIF/OEF.

for those of you who don't know, the oldest recorded war in history occurred in c. 2700 B.C. It was between Sumer (in modern Iraq) and Elam (a region that is now part of Iran), and was fought in the area around Basra (just like the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s). Of course, tribes, cities, etc., had been fighting each other for thousands of years before that, but there are no records of these earlier conflicts as writing wasn't invented until a little before 3000 B.C.

And now you know!

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Mar 26 at 2014 9:52 AM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 09:52:19 -0400

I enjoyed the battle of the bulge in WWII, it showed that the 101st Airborne, was as tough as a fighting eagle against insurmountable forces. I think it is the best, then Stalingrad in a close second.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 26 at 2014 9:56 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 09:56:34 -0400

As a Bradley mechanic and having served under LG H.R. Mcmasters when he was a LTC I would have to vote for the batlle of 73 easting. It has been documented as the best tank battle of that century. If you have never seen it it is availble on netflix (or was) as well as on youtube. It was a battle fought during Desert Storm

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 26 at 2014 3:09 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 15:09:13 -0400

Operation Overlord, the planning and implementation of the invasion of Normandy.

Response by SGT William B. made Mar 26 at 2014 3:18 PM

SGT William B. — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 15:18:29 -0400

1. Battle of Tours, 732 AD. Famous for Charles Martel, "The Hammer", and Frankish troops stopping an Islamic army's advance in Gaul, which really cemented European power for centuries to come.

2. Battle of Crecy, 1340 AD. Famous in that English troops beat a much larger French military through heavy use of the longbow and a willingness to adapt to new tactics, instead of adhering to the massed heavy cavalry core that comprised feudal tactics of the time.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 26 at 2014 5:04 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 17:04:09 -0400

Thermopalae. Frankly, the whole Peleponesian War was pretty amazing.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 26 at 2014 5:16 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 17:16:56 -0400

One of my favorites is the Battle of Stalingrad. I did my SLC Battle Analysis paper on it.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 26 at 2014 5:36 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 17:36:03 -0400

What appeals to me is the battle of the bulge (or anything dealing with WWII). I think the Battle of the Bulge is one of the worst strategic failures or history. This is also a battle that should make logisticians proud of what they do each and every day!

Response by SPC Charles Brown made Mar 26 at 2014 6:16 PM

SPC Charles Brown — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:16:59 -0400

I would have to say that my "favorite military battle" would have to be the battle for Bastogne during WWII. The 101st was surrounded by German soldiers and when the Germans requested the surrender of the division General McAullife's reply was classic, "Nuts". It was unfortunate that the Germans had them surrounded because the 101st had the Germans right where they wanted them.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Mar 26 at 2014 6:26 PM

SGM Matthew Quick — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:26:42 -0400

IWO JIMA! OORAH!!!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2014 6:46 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 06:46:55 -0400

I'm surprised no one has referenced an OIF/OEF battle as of yet.

Response by MSG Tim Waychoff made Mar 28 at 2014 8:38 AM

MSG Tim Waychoff — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 08:38:43 -0400

I mentioned it in response to SFC Watkins, but my personal favorite is the Battle of Gaugamela.

Alexander and his army vs King Darius III and his. Outnumbered nearly 5 to 1 by all estimates, and meeting the enemy on his turf and terms, Alexander utilized what can best be viewed as "modern" Cavalry techniques to turn the tides of the battle which ultimately led to the fall of the Persian Empire.

The story would make for an awesome movie, quite frankly (Not the one already made, with Colin Farrell, either). You just can't write stuff like the situation surrounding that battle.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 13 at 2014 4:00 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 04:00:26 -0400

Any battle I am not involved in.

Response by PFC Zanie Young made Aug 14 at 2014 8:57 AM

PFC Zanie Young — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 08:57:39 -0400

The Revolutionary War. Our America would not exist without it.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Aug 15 at 2014 7:25 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 19:25:34 -0400

The Battle of Mogadishu 3-4 Oct 1993. Its the one battle I can truly relate to because 7 months earlier I was BOG at most of the places and had driven some of the streets made famous by the battle - the stadium, the airport, and the Bakara market. Scary in retrospective.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Aug 15 at 2014 7:59 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 19:59:24 -0400

Cannae and Zama. Cannae because it is the classic example of how to execute a double envelopment resulting in the absolute destruction of your opponent. Zama because it showed how an army can learn from it's mistakes (at Cannae) and actually turn the tactical tables on the enemy that originally defeated them.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 16 at 2014 12:14 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 00:14:11 -0400

I would have to say the battle of New Orleans. Not only did Old Hickory himself fight along side pirates to defend America but they also made a song about it.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 16 at 2014 4:50 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 04:50:37 -0400

My divorce. 3 years of intense hand-to-hand paperwork combat in close quarters. The horror.......the horror.......the horror.

Response by CW3 John Wescott made Aug 16 at 2014 9:58 AM

CW3 John Wescott — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 09:58:38 -0400

GEN George S. Patton in Northern Africa .....

The Battle of El Guettar (Tunisia) - It was the first battle in which U.S. forces were able to defeat the experienced German tank units

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 16 at 2014 12:11 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 12:11:33 -0400

Since my uncle was involved in the Guadalcanal Campaign. I would say that would be the one. Guadalcanal became a major turning point in the war as it stopped Japanese expansion. After six months of fighting the Japanese ceased contesting the control of the island. They finally evacuated the island at Cape Esperance on the north west coast in February 1943. It was one of the bloodiest campaigns in WW2.

Response by MAJ Joseph Parker made Aug 17 at 2014 3:00 PM

MAJ Joseph Parker — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 15:00:40 -0400

The Battle of Trenton on 26 December 1776 is one of my favorites. George Washington and the Continental Army was on the verge of collapse, having suffered a series of defeats and severe losses in personnel and materiel in New York. Morale was extremely low. During the evening of 25 December Washington and 2400 troops crossed the Delaware River in very poor weather, then marched all night a distance of 14 km to Trenton and attacked the Hessian garrison at dawn, catching them completely by surprise. They captured 900 of them, killed or wounded another 100, and 400 got away. Washington also captured all the vitally need military stores. Then Washington marched everybody back and re-crossed the river. The outcome of this battle essentially saved the Continental Army and buoyed the cause of the Revolution just as it was failing in the colonies.

The reason this is my favorite battle is because it shows the tenacity, daring, intrepidity, courage, and ingenuity of the American soldier and his leadership. The poster below sort of sums it up. This isn't a massive battle, but it's a brilliant one. FYI, the American side had 2 dead (from exposure) and 5 WIA, one of them was James Monroe, who later became the 5th President.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2014 11:09 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 11:09:15 -0400

Breaking the Siege of Troy in the Trojan War (12 or 13th century BC?). Achilles and Hector going at it was epic and Odysseus led the original Special Forces mission with his Trojan Horse infiltration. And when you supposedly have divine intervention by the ancient Greek gods on both sides, all bets are off. A lot of lessons to be learned by Soldiers and leaders about hubris, ethics, honor and deceit in that conflict.

Response by PFC Stephen Eric Serati made Aug 25 at 2014 9:08 PM

PFC Stephen Eric Serati — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 21:08:13 -0400

The battle for Waterloo.

Response by SPC Christopher Cramer made Sep 30 at 2014 4:56 AM

SPC Christopher Cramer — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 04:56:54 -0400

the battle the interests me the most and I have studied for years was the final siege of Constantinople in apr 6 to may 29 1453. 7-10 thousand greeks and genoans led by emperor Constantine 11th holding out against 50-80 thousand ottoman turks led by sultan mehmed 2nd. the defenders held out for a little over a month but the guns of a Hungarian cannon maker named orban and a careless greek who left a sally port open caused the city and it's defenders to fall and finally end the centuries old Byzantine empire. there is a great book simply called "1453" out there. I cannot remember the authors name though.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Sep 30 at 2014 5:58 AM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 05:58:27 -0400

The Army-Navy football game.

Response by SGT Richard H. made Sep 30 at 2014 9:09 AM

SGT Richard H. — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 09:09:20 -0400

Ragnarok. If you read it with an open mind, it kind of fits with the story of Noah in the bible.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Sep 30 at 2014 9:11 AM

MSG Brad Sand — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 09:11:43 -0400

First battle of Thermopylae (480 B.C)

The Siege of Rhodes (1522 A.D.)

I guess I have a pension for overwhelming odds and lost causes?

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2014 12:43 PM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 12:43:39 -0400

The Battle of Crecy, 26 August 1346 Part of the hundreds years war which saw the use of success of English Long Bows against and overwhelming force of knights. This was the beginning of artillery and its effectiveness in battle.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2014 7:56 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 19:56:05 -0400

Battle of 73 Easting - Desert Storm - Iraq - February 1991
Battle of Ia Drang - Vietnam - November 1965
Battle of Red Cliff - China - 208 AD

Response by PO3 Anthony Farhner made Oct 1 at 2014 10:46 PM

PO3 Anthony Farhner — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 22:46:52 -0400

The great Mariannas Turkey Shoot in the Southwest Pacific during the Island hopping campaign of World War Two. Combined the ultimate in Naval, Air and amphibious tactics.

Response by SGT Mark Sullivan made Jan 2 at 2015 7:06 PM

SGT Mark Sullivan — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 19:06:37 -0500

There are several, one of which is Battle of Thermopylae, Another is Bastogne, and the Battle of the Bulge. Seems I am fascinated with Battles when one group is smaller and totally kicks the larger forces ass

Response by SGT Michael Glenn made Jan 2 at 2015 7:57 PM

SGT Michael Glenn — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 19:57:07 -0500

When Luke defeats the Empire...did I win anything?????

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 3 at 2015 12:53 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Jan 2015 00:53:01 -0500

Would be a toss up between The Little Big Horn, LZ X-Ray and The Battle of Phase Line Bullet.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 8 at 2015 10:29 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 10:29:22 -0500

The Battle of Sekigahara, in Feudal Japan.