Famous Military Leaders - List of Famous Military Leaders - page 7

Military Leaders are the leaders of the military forces—armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine—of a nation. Military leaders influence others by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission, and have the legal authority to lawfully exercise control over subordinates by virtue of their rank or position. Warlords who exercise absolute civil power and individual autonomy in regions where the government is weak are also considered to be military leaders. History is replete with the legends of military leaders and revolutionaries who left their indelible marks on human civilization. Alexander the Great, who established one of the largest empires of the ancient world, is undoubtedly one of the best known military leaders. Ancient China’s Sun Tzu was not just a brilliant military leader, but also the author of ‘The Art of War’, an ancient Chinese text on military strategy. While Saladin, William the Conqueror and Henry V were the famous military leaders who lived during the Middle Ages, Oliver Cromwell, Shivaji and Peter the Great were courageous warriors of the Early Modern Period. Even though a majority of military leaders throughout history have been men, brave ladies like Joan of Arc, Boudicca, Laskarina Bouboulina, and Lakshmibai have proven that women too can be powerful military leaders. Read on to discover about the life and works of various famous military leaders from all over the world.

The Most Famous Military Leaders

NameBirthdayNationalityBio
William Wallace1270ScottishWilliam Wallace was a Scottish knight who was a central figure in the Wars of Scottish Independence
Reinhard HeydrichMarch 7, 1904GermanReinhard Heydrich was a high-ranking German Nazi official during the World War II
Heinrich HimmlerOctober 7, 1900GermanHeinrich Himmler was a German Nazi military commander and a close associate of Adolf Hitler
Che GuevaraJune 14, 1928ArgentinianChe Guevara is one of the most revered and legendary political figures in world history
Vasili ArkhipovJanuary 30, 1926RussianVasili Arkhipov was a Soviet Navy officer who is credited for 'saving the world' from a nuclear war by casting the decisive vote that prevented a Soviet nuclear strike on U.S
Herbert SobelJanuary 26, 1912AmericanHerbert Sobel was a commissioned officer in the U.S
Joan of Arc1412FrenchJoan of Arc was a young woman who led the French army to victory over the British in a crucial battle during the Hundred Years' War
Ariel SharonFebruary 26, 1928IsraeliAriel Sharon was an Israeli general and politician who later on served as the eleventh Prime Minister of Israel
Crazy HorseAmericanCrazy Horse was one of the most celebrated Native American warriors to have ever lived
Ahmad Shah MassoudSeptember 2, 1953AfghanAhmad Shah Massoud, who was known in his native Afghanistan as the ‘Lion of Panjshir’, was a political and military leader
Alfred Jodl

Alfred Jodl

Alfred Jodl was a top German military commander during the World War II and one of the leaders in the Nazi movement

GermanMay 10, 1890265 views

Gaius Marius

Gaius Marius was a Roman general, politician, and military reformer

Ancient Roman157 BC185 views

Wilhelm Keitel

Wilhelm Keitel was one of the highest-ranking officials in Hitler’s ‘Nazi’ regime, during the Second World War

GermanSeptember 22, 1882286 views

Herbert Sobel

Herbert Sobel was a commissioned officer in the U.S

AmericanJanuary 26, 1912480 views

Marcus Licinius Crassus

Marcus Licinius Crassus was a renowned Roman general and politician

Ancient Roman115 BC287 views

Benjamin Tallmadge

Benjamin Tallmadge was an American military officer, politician and spymaster

AmericanFebruary 25, 1754177 views

Carwood Lipton

Carwood Lipton was a United States Army officer who served his country with honour during World War II

AmericanJanuary 30, 1920158 views

Vasili Arkhipov

Vasili Arkhipov was a Soviet Navy officer who is credited for 'saving the world' from a nuclear war by casting the decisive vote that prevented a Soviet nuclear strike on U.S

RussianJanuary 30, 1926493 views

George Patton

General George Patton was a famous US military commander who was best known for his bold and decisive actions during World War I and World War II.

GermanNovember 11, 1885168 views

Robert E. Lee

Robert E

AmericanJanuary 19, 1807284 views