What do you think are some of the Great Military Maneuver’s throughout history?
I would say MacArthur’s landing at Inchon was one of the best.
Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River.
Nelson’s Naval Maneuver at the Battle of Trafalgar.
Im kinda thinking more along the lines of Surprise. Where the maneuver help to change the course of the war or the victory was pretty one sided. Anyhow what are some others you all can think of?
The Spartans at Thermapolyae
The use of big wings during the Battle of Britain.
I’d have said that Nelson’s attack at the Nile was at least as good as Trafalgar, if not as absolute.
I completely agree with BDL. I believe it was only a few hundred Spartens against thousandths!
I completely agree with BDL. I believe it was only a few hundred Spartens against thousandths![/quote]
300 against 250,000 if I remember rightly (and if the legends are true)
General Lee’s 3 year repeated manouvres against the North stand out and also Napoleon (yes I know hes French!) and his truly imaginitive manouverings in various European campaigns.
While heroic in a last stand sort of way the Spartans didnt actually manouvre, they stood still against repeated attacks in a small pass where the majority of the enemy couldnt engage them, eventually the Persians found another trail that got round behind them and that was the end. Still they held tem off long enough for the other Greek states to get their act together. A legendary feat in my book.
I agree with both of your posts Firefly.
Late in the day at Waterloo, with the outcome on a knife edge, Napoleon ordered the Guard to advance under Marshall Ney.
The Middle Guard threw back the British Battalions of Halkett’s Brigade, but were stopped by Dutch and Belgian troops under Detmers and Chasse.
The First Foot Guards under Maitland famously drove back the Chasseurs facing them with a volley delivered at close range followed by a bayonet charge. (“Now Maitland, now’s your time”)
However, the 4th Chasseurs came up in support as the British withdrew over the ridge, and threatened to break the line.
Slightly to the British right flank of the advancing French was the 52nd Regiment of Light Infantry, under Sir John Colborne.
Colborne, against all current military logic, led the 52nd (later the Ox and Bucks, now the Royal Green Jackets) forward, out of the line, and had them wheel left, laying them on the left flank of the approaching Guards.
Had his maneouvre failed, the Guard would have marched through the gap left by his Regiment, and been behind the British line.
In the event, the 52nd’s volley into the flank of the column was decisive, and the Guards broke, effectively ending the battle.
Not perhaps one of the most famous and certainly not one of the largest maneouvres in warfare, but a courageous and decisive one nonetheless.
While heroic in a last stand sort of way the Spartans didnt actually manouvre, they stood still against repeated attacks in a small pass where the majority of the enemy couldnt engage them, eventually the Persians found another trail that got round behind them and that was the end. Still they held tem off long enough for the other Greek states to get their act together. A legendary feat in my book.[/quote]
ya, I suppose your right.
While heroic in a last stand sort of way the Spartans didnt actually manouvre, they stood still against repeated attacks in a small pass where the majority of the enemy couldnt engage them, eventually the Persians found another trail that got round behind them and that was the end. Still they held tem off long enough for the other Greek states to get their act together. A legendary feat in my book.[/quote]
ya, I suppose your right.[/quote]
Yea its hard to really call it a maneuver but however ill say it was one of the best strategic deployments of all time. Those 300 men. (which weret alone I might add untill the very last) did change the course of that war. Without that famous stand the Persians might have won.
The Spinwheel Turn executed by the massed bands of the Brigade of Guards during Trooping the Colour. No-one has ever been able to work out how it is done.
My how the mighty have fallen 
:lol:
Anyway, General McArthur’s landing at Incheon I think is one of the Greatest Military Manuevers
Not sure it’s quite a manouver, but the Battle of Salamis has to be in there. IMHO the most decisive battle there has ever been in the history of the world, but accounts of exactly how it was won are somewhat confused (at least, I’m confused by them ;)).
Battle of Albhuera,
1500 brits from the Fusilier brigade (1/7, 2/7, 1/23) advance uphill against 7000 french loosing 1,000 casualties defeat superior French forces.
Another, not really a military maneouvre but still rather spectacular the battle of Imijin April 22 – April 25, 1951 when the Gloster regiment (750 men) were anhiliated by a chinese 10,000 division. Although wiped out the Glosters inflicted severe casulaties on the chinese causing a check in their advance. Good effort by the glorious Glosters
The Spartans led 7000 Greeks vs 170.000 to 200.000 Persians.They put hell of a fight but in the end much of the Greek army had to retreat.Only Spartans and 600 Thespians fought to the bitter end.It was an epic battle but hardly a good manouver.
I think Jan Sobieskis charge against Turkish lines is one of the most decisive manouvers of history.
We seem to be confusing manouver with battle and tactic.
I agree. Although alot of the ones listed here are great battles in history most arent really maneuver’s. Guess it hard to see the difference sometimes. Inchon and Stalingrad are some classic ones in my opinion. They were surprising as well as a turning point in the war. These differ a bit from events like Dday. Dday was expected. It was a battle that both sides knew was coming. It was more of a straight up battle.
The range however can extend from small to grand. Although I think they are a bit harder to see on the modern battlefield. In study of ancient wars up to pre WW1 era they are a bit easier to see. IMO
Only Spartans and 600 Thespians fought to the bitter end.It was an epic battle but hardly a good manouver.
Bloody Hell! Did they hold the Persians back by putting on plays etc, or were they the Concert Party for the Spartans 
Edited by erwin schatzer (i repaired the quote)