History: Greatest Leader and Why
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genghis khan
genghis khan, hands down. far ahead of his time in war tactics, leadership, and moral beliefs. he practised laws in the 1200's that some places in this world down even consider today. he gave women rights, stopped brutal mutilation, drafted scholars and engineers into his army, developed trade routes, allowed any religion beliefs to exist as long the people conformed to his laws and fought for his people. someone wrote that jesus was the only man willing to die for his cause.... thats exactly what this man did himself and not related to jesus in any means. mongols consider him a god and one day believe he will be resurrected (sound familiar).
hands down with out a doubt this was the greatest leader of all time, only argument would be jesus christ
genghis khan, hands down. far ahead of his time in war tactics, leadership, and moral beliefs. he practised laws in the 1200's that some places in this world down even consider today. he gave women rights, stopped brutal mutilation, drafted scholars and engineers into his army, developed trade routes, allowed any religion beliefs to exist as long the people conformed to his laws and fought for his people. someone wrote that jesus was the only man willing to die for his cause.... thats exactly what this man did himself and not related to jesus in any means. mongols consider him a god and one day believe he will be resurrected (sound familiar).
hands down with out a doubt this was the greatest leader of all time, only argument would be jesus christ
ok. Earlier I said the greatest warrior type leader, IMO, was Timujin. And the greatest peaceful leader was Mahatma Ghandi. Now I want to add the greatest live leader, IMO: Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. 
Yeah. Despite the fact Hitler killed 6 millions Jews (not 3 million), and many gypsies, homosexuals, physically and mentally handicapped, Jehovah's Witnesses, Neopagans, Adventists, trade unionists and 17 million civilians in total, hated women's rights (the Nazi regime wanted a patriarchial society in which German women would recognize the "world is her husband, her family, her children, and her home), conquered huge swathes of Europe and attempted to conquer Britain, left British cities in rubble, tried to create an empire where everyone would have blond hair and blue eyes, giving him the dubious record as one of the biggest, if not the biggest, mass murderers of all time, he was still a "great" leader because he gave everyone jobs? I suppose that's the most important thing, eh? Let's just forget about the rest.
And the Nazis reducing unemployment is also a dubious claim. The German economy was starting to recover from the Great depression before the Nazis came to power.
I know you're trying to rattle our chain, but that was probably the most ignorant thing you've ever posted. Canada was a country during both world wars and our contribution per capita was greater than that of the U.S.
I'd say he was one of the greatest exterminators of the world, but I'm not sure if extermnating falls under the job description of a leader, but, if so, maybe Stalin was the greatest.
A lot of interesting opinions here... not sure I agree with a lot of them, but interesting none the less. I think the major WWII leaders get a lot of recognition because of the event and its impact on the world but they're not necessarily the greatest ever
Hitler - whatever else you want to say about him, he was charismatic and able to resonate with a lot of Germans. His economic recovery was remarkable when you consider Germany was still reeling under the WWI/treaty of Versailles reparations (and on the verge of dissolving into pre-Bismarck style city states/duchies) but Blackleaf did a pretty nice list of his shortcomings
Stalin - I see him as having most of Hitler's negativity without having to do as much to get into power (he was already part of the hierarchy in a one party state). I remember him most for exterminating his own people, initially colloborating with Hitler (the Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement), throwing millions of undertrained and underequipped conscripts at the German war machine and then occupying Eastern Europe.
Churchill - was a beacon for the free world before the US came into WWII
FDR - probably most underestimated of the WWII leaders: before the US entry he was already sending large amounts of arms/supplies to the USSR and UK through the lend-lease programs.
Away from WWII
Ghandi - India is a huge place, with a lot of ethnic and religious diversity. That he was able to galvanize the different groups in a mostly peaceful manner speaks volumes about his leadership ability.
Attaturk - as mentioned, his leadership of the Turks in WWI and after to achieve their independance
Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington - people think of him as the man who stood against Napolean at Waterloo, but his fight against Bonaparte's France went back into the Iberian Peninsula, where he kept Portugal free of the French occupation and led the liberation of Spain. After the Napoleanic wars he was a tremendously influential Brittish PM and diplomat. Some refer to Napolean as a genius, but what about the man who defeated him, and whose influence extended longer and more widely?
Elizabeth I and Isabella of Spain - powerful women who molded their countries into powers for centuries to come
Ghengis Khan - was there a more fierce or able conqueror since the fall of Rome? I doubt it.
Julius Caesar - "criticized" for bringing down the republic in Rome (although he didn't really himself), he was a brilliant politician and general (although some of his claims like "conquering" Brittania are exagerated).
Alexander the Great - his empire was enormous, especially considering his youth and the technology available.
Hitler - whatever else you want to say about him, he was charismatic and able to resonate with a lot of Germans. His economic recovery was remarkable when you consider Germany was still reeling under the WWI/treaty of Versailles reparations (and on the verge of dissolving into pre-Bismarck style city states/duchies) but Blackleaf did a pretty nice list of his shortcomings
Stalin - I see him as having most of Hitler's negativity without having to do as much to get into power (he was already part of the hierarchy in a one party state). I remember him most for exterminating his own people, initially colloborating with Hitler (the Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement), throwing millions of undertrained and underequipped conscripts at the German war machine and then occupying Eastern Europe.
Churchill - was a beacon for the free world before the US came into WWII
FDR - probably most underestimated of the WWII leaders: before the US entry he was already sending large amounts of arms/supplies to the USSR and UK through the lend-lease programs.
Away from WWII
Ghandi - India is a huge place, with a lot of ethnic and religious diversity. That he was able to galvanize the different groups in a mostly peaceful manner speaks volumes about his leadership ability.
Attaturk - as mentioned, his leadership of the Turks in WWI and after to achieve their independance
Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington - people think of him as the man who stood against Napolean at Waterloo, but his fight against Bonaparte's France went back into the Iberian Peninsula, where he kept Portugal free of the French occupation and led the liberation of Spain. After the Napoleanic wars he was a tremendously influential Brittish PM and diplomat. Some refer to Napolean as a genius, but what about the man who defeated him, and whose influence extended longer and more widely?
Elizabeth I and Isabella of Spain - powerful women who molded their countries into powers for centuries to come
Ghengis Khan - was there a more fierce or able conqueror since the fall of Rome? I doubt it.
Julius Caesar - "criticized" for bringing down the republic in Rome (although he didn't really himself), he was a brilliant politician and general (although some of his claims like "conquering" Brittania are exagerated).
Alexander the Great - his empire was enormous, especially considering his youth and the technology available.
Hey Blackleaf, Queen Victoria's reign saw the murder of a conservatively estimated two-hundred million of the colonized peoples. You obviuosly like history but have no real appreciation for it.
Hey Y.J. There's HELP available for guys like you in the Yellow Pages under "M".
David Lange, the late Prime Minister Of New Zealand who told the us of g where to stick their nuclear powered warships. And back in March '85, he got a standing ovation from both sides of the debate.......... YouTube - david lange Oxford Union Debate, 1 March 1985