Best Army?

Discussion in 'Historiography' started by Fireman, Jul 11, 2010.

  1. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    I think it shouldn't be "Best Army" as this is more dictated by the Government of the day with funding etc.
    A more accurate way would be to ask which country has the best soldiers.

    In which case (And I AM biased here!) The British Soldier gets my vote.
    I've seen the British Squaddie do amazing things with next to no kit, where Americans in a similar situation just sat down and waited for support and kit to arrive.
    This is based on my experiences serving with, or as a contractor/advisor, with several modern Armies ranging from the US, Canada, NZ, Germany, Greece, France, Albania (Long Story!) Turkey, Saudi, Kuwait, Chile, and finally the Russian Federation.

    The basic training in the UK is no harder than many others but the indoctrination and "Can Do" attitude instilled is what sets us apart (Or is that sheer stubbornness?)

    Hi Algee,

    I am disappointed - No Australians.

    Cheers

    Geoff
     
  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I vote for The Salvation Army.
    [​IMG]



    See they supporting some of Ron's mob.
    [​IMG]

    Soldiers from the 78th Division enjoying tea and cakes served by a Salvation Army van in the forward area, 28 November 1943.



    [​IMG]
     
    britman and von Poop like this.
  3. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    Surprised no one spoke about the Red Army yet.
     
  4. Surprised no one spoke about the Red Army yet.

    is there even anyone around here who knows the materia good enough to make a significant statement??

    in my opinion there has to be seperated between the masses of cannon foddder, encouraged by political commissars, and the well trained soldiers of the red army.

    Political commissar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
  5. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    Clearly you didn't look into my link... ;)
     
  6. arkrite

    arkrite Senior Member

    Forum Member Ropi spoke up for the Red Army in Post #2.

    My opinion is that the best army is the one still standing at the end of the battle/ war.
    Quality of training, equipment ,manpower come to nought if ,at the end of the day, you cannot defeat your enemy. Maybe that is simplistic but it is realistic. An Army exists for either defence or attack.If it succeeds in either it is the best on the day.
    The Axis Forces had quality and bravery by the bucketful but all to no end because they were defeated.
    Pick your battle/ war, look who won and there you have your Best Army
     
  7. Clearly you didn't look into my link... :wink:


    got me
     
  8. 17thDYRCH

    17thDYRCH Senior Member

    Canuck's words are well written and well chosen. I am the son of a WW2 vet. When asked why he volunteered, the reply was " it was the right thing to do".

    Canada had a million men and women in uniform during WW2 from a population over just over 11 million citizens. Each Veteran that I talk to always has that 'aw shucks, it was nothing' humility about them.
     
  9. Rule.303

    Rule.303 Member

    The 'Best' is a pretty insufficient term in my opinion and even most successfull wouldn't suffice because in the case of the Allies most of the major successes were due to inter-allied cooperation. Asking which army was the 'best' is kind of like asking 'who is the deadliest warrior' which may be a viable question to some but it falls flat as a non-starter to me.

    Best at what exactly? Armoured spearheads? Rearguard actions? Orderly withdrawls? Rates of fire for small arms? Best Calibre cartridge or artillery round? there are way too many variables to just ask "who was the best" each army/formation had their own strengths and weaknesses, good leaders and bad same go's for uniforms and equipment.
     
  10. Algee

    Algee Very Insignificant Member

    Hi Algee,

    I am disappointed - No Australians.

    Cheers

    Geoff

    Sorry Geoff, I never had the privilege of working with Aussies in the Army. I've worked with a lot since, but in a totally different environment.

    :ausflag[1]::ukflag[1]:
     
  11. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Canuck's words are well written and well chosen. I am the son of a WW2 vet. When asked why he volunteered, the reply was " it was the right thing to do".

    Canada had a million men and women in uniform during WW2 from a population over just over 11 million citizens. Each Veteran that I talk to always has that 'aw shucks, it was nothing' humility about them.

    That is why the Commonwealth was so important. Australia had 950,000 out of a population of 7,000,000 with over 70% serving outside Australia. The New Zealand ratio was a little higher than Australia's with 70% of them serving outside of New Zealand as well.

    Cheers

    Geoff
     
  12. Algee

    Algee Very Insignificant Member

    That is why the Commonwealth was so important. Australia had 950,000 out of a population of 7,000,000 with over 70% serving outside Australia. The New Zealand ratio was a little higher than Australia's with 70% of them serving outside of New Zealand as well.

    Cheers

    Geoff

    Exactly right, the "British Army" was in fact a Commonwealth Army, something a lot of people tend to gloss over in the history books. The Aussies in the far east, on Crete and in Tobruk, the Canadians in Dieppe in 1942 and the Normandy landings.. the list goes on

    It was very much a team effort
    :cheers:
     
  13. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    The 'Best' is a pretty insufficient term in my opinion and even most successfull wouldn't suffice because in the case of the Allies most of the major successes were due to inter-allied cooperation. Asking which army was the 'best' is kind of like asking 'who is the deadliest warrior' which may be a viable question to some but it falls flat as a non-starter to me.

    Best at what exactly? Armoured spearheads? Rearguard actions? Orderly withdrawls? Rates of fire for small arms? Best Calibre cartridge or artillery round? there are way too many variables to just ask "who was the best" each army/formation had their own strengths and weaknesses, good leaders and bad same go's for uniforms and equipment.

    Exactly.

    Apologies to the British veterans here, but I could ask any number of veterans here in the States their opinions and get a different answer than the one y'all posited. The same would hold true for veterans of any nation. I would not expect a different answer from them-they believed in what they were doing, as you all did. Not believing in your own military superiority could have detrimental outcomes, as was evident early in the war on many fronts and then later in the war as the end was drawing near.
     
  14. Fireman

    Fireman Discharged

    When I posed the question I wasn't trying to get anyone to turn 'traitor'! But the equivocation is quite strong from several comments. Which battle, which branch, even which bullet!!! Is it too difficult to actually form an opinion based on all of these parameters? I'm not going to argue with anyone or suggest they are wrong or even report them to the 'Thought Police'. As for the suggestion that the British Army was in fact a Commonwealth one is quite mind boggling and I'm surprised no one has 'pounced' on it. C'mon chaps, all armies have guns, tanks, retreated, won battles, lost battles, more bullets, better political leaders and Generals, better kit, bigger water bottles, believed in what they were doing and even plenty of deserters, anything you like but surely you have an opinion which of all the second war armies were the best?
     
  15. arkrite

    arkrite Senior Member

    I doubt if you could find a more knowledgeable group on WW2 matters than the members here. The question you ask has no cut and dried answer which the posters here seem to be saying. Please forgive me if this is wrong but that how it appears to me.

    Fireman , I believe you are flogging a dead horse with your question.It is far to broad in context to have any real meaning.
     
    L J likes this.
  16. Fireman

    Fireman Discharged

    Arkrite;
    Your'e right sir, I'm flogging a dead horse. Normally opinions fly around like bullets but on this one...... No matter, some interesting comments non the less.
     
  17. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    Fireman, excuse me if I my replies were on the flippant side, but your question is an old one and one that on other forums has generated a lot of hot air. Some people here may have gone through unpleasant experiences elsewhere - and herewhere in the past as well - and therefore there is some understandable reluctance.

    Saying "which is the best" is really defining how long is a piece of string. There is a method in von Poop's reply above in #14 where he itemises a number of points that by themselves may be answerable. Otherwise this is so subjective as being unanswerable.

    No thought police involved, though.
     
  18. Algee

    Algee Very Insignificant Member

    No thought police involved, though.

    Are you sure about that Za? Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me!

    :peepwalla:
     
  19. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    Seen any black helicopters lately?
     
  20. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Exactly right, the "British Army" was in fact a Commonwealth Army, something a lot of people tend to gloss over in the history books. The Aussies in the far east, on Crete and in Tobruk, the Canadians in Dieppe in 1942 and the Normandy landings.. the list goes on

    It was very much a team effort


    Indians , West Africans, East Africans, South Africans, Cypriots, Maltese, etc etc etc
     

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