Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Adolf Hitler

The problem is, Gustavus Adolphus is on topic. The original post said Genghis was the best, and we are meant to be discussing these four conquerors. The problem was, GA was being an utter imbecile about Napoleon and Alexander.

Anyway, I think I've said all that an A-Level (which didn't focus on his wars at all) and some minor research allows me to say about Napoleon, really. Good general, did some important reforms, spread the French Revolution's ideas (possibly by accident), was somewhat authoritarian with secret police and his centralization and his old fashioned law code, careers open to talent. That's about it, unless GA keeps spouting twaddle. I'm sure there are people who can discuss his military stuff in greater detail than I can, so, ah... well, I don't know, really.
 
The problem is, Gustavus Adolphus is on topic. The original post said Genghis was the best, and we are meant to be discussing these four conquerors. The problem was, GA was being an utter imbecile about Napoleon and Alexander.

Anyway, I think I've said all that an A-Level (which didn't focus on his wars at all) and some minor research allows me to say about Napoleon, really. Good general, did some important reforms, spread the French Revolution's ideas (possibly by accident), was somewhat authoritarian with secret police and his centralization and his old fashioned law code, careers open to talent. That's about it, unless GA keeps spouting twaddle. I'm sure there are people who can discuss his military stuff in greater detail than I can, so, ah... well, I don't know, really.
I see. Well you see honestly most of what I said came from War and Peace you know the book by Leo tolstoy, at the end of the book he explained a lot of faults Napoleon bad, so I based most of my criticismsof him, frankly I too adored Napoleon before War and Peace and that book changed my perspective.:)
 
In terms of truly *global* significance Hitler is first, followed by Genghis Khan, then Napoleon, then Alexander the Great Last. Hitler failed, to be certain. His failure coming when and how it did dramatically accelerated the end of imperialism and of open racism. The mere fear of his possessing the atomic bomb led the USA and Britain to start research with it, and his failure led to a cold war between capitalism and communism. He was significant for being a murderous bastard in excess to anyone before or after him, as 22 million dead in 2 years is more nightmarish than any fictional bad guys because Hitler was a real man who killed real people.

In terms of success I'd think Genghis Khan would be first. Unlike the other three he died old and at the height of his power, and his successors pretty much dominated all of Eurasia for quite some time. His "multi-ethnic" armies helped push Turkish confederations eastward, he influenced Timur and the Mughal Empire, and he also brought the Black Death to Europe. And he had some 16 million living descendants, and I don't think that could be said of any of the rest of them.

:D

OTOH I should note that when I use significance to refer to Hitler it's not in a positive sense. Hitler's significance was entirely a negative both for Germany and everywhere else, but by the same token it's still there.
 
I don't mean to intrude upon your heated discussion, but I feel as though I should put my two cents in.

Genghis Khan accidentally caused the greatest biological catastrophe of Human times, collapsed the fuedal system, impregnated thousands of women with his genetic code, and closed the 'gap' between Middle East and China.

Alexander 'united' the Hellenistic states, spread Greek mnemes, and gave The Western world a place in the East.

I feel Genghis Khan was more influential in the long run, but Alexander was truly Great.

The other two had a short golden year, then collapsed into failure.

And upon Alexander's death it all went to shit. And it got even worse from there, to the point that the Jews were able to fight a successful secession war from the Seleucid Empire and keep an independent kingdom between the Ptolemies and the Seleucids.

And in his own lifetime the man was as murderous as any other conqueror, and he actually (depending on what Cyrus II meant by the abolition of slavery) could have brought slavery back to parts of the world it was abolished in. And to judge by the endless cities named after himself he was an egotist par excellence.

And Hitler's big fuck-ups started once he decided to invade Russia and move on to Moscow (though it did look like the USSR would fall apart in 1941, to be blunt). Prior to that he ended Versailles and was the only Axis leader to expand without starting wars to do so.

And unlike Hitler Napoleon actually got to Moscow and if anything ruled more of Europe than Hitler did directly. :eek:

Of course he wasn't a ruthless mass-murdering SOB like Hitler was, which was one reason his empire lasted slightly longer.

Having read the source closely-what the Hell's it doing citing phrenology like that means anything?
 
Last edited:
Oh, I don't know, you're riding around the world, got to found yet another new city at some vital location...

"You know, guys, sod it. I can't think of any more names." *plants banner* "Right, Alexandria, I pronounce this a city. If you've got to name something, name it after yourself. What, there's another one in Asia Minor I've got to build? Dammit, Alexandria number 2, I really should stop spamming Settlers. Hey, this method is so easy-I should use it more often!"

"Indeed, your majesty."
 
EUIII has too steep of a learning curve for my taste. I suppose one day I will figure it out but until I'm sticking with Civ IV and M2TW.
 
I suppose I'm the only who saw "Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Adolf Hitler" and thought "walk into a bar..."
And Alexandar asks everyone what they want to drink.

Genghis Khan says, "Make it a brandy, Alexander."

Napoleon say, "Did you know there is a brandy named after me?"

Hitler says, "Is that what they mean by a short one?"

Then everyone then looks at Hitler's ashtray and realizes that it's disgusting even though he doesn't smoke.


Sorry, I know Napoleon jokes are Corse humor but I can't resist.
 
Last edited:
And Alexandar asks everyone what they want to drink.

Genghis Khan says, "Make it a brandy, Alexander."

Napoleon say, "Did you know, there is a brandy named after me?"

Hitler says, "Is that what they mean by a short one?"

Then everyone then looks at Hitler's ashtray and realizes that it's disgusting even though he doesn't smoke.


Sorry, I know Napoleon jokes are Corse humor but I can't resist.

Corse... ican? :D
 
And Alexandar asks everyone what they want to drink.

Genghis Khan says, "Make it a brandy, Alexander."

Napoleon say, "Did you know, there is a brandy named after me?"

Hitler says, "Is that what they mean by a short one?"

Then everyone then looks at Hitler's ashtray and realizes that it's disgusting even though he doesn't smoke.

Sorry, I know Napoleon jokes are Corse humor but I can't resist.


Awesome. :)
 
Ghenghis Khan-Alexander-Napoleon-Hitler.

A point for Alexander:
Without him then Napoleon and Hitler would have never happened.
While if you believe in a tighter butterfly net, Temujin still would have crushed most of Eurasia.
 
Top