From Alexander to Caesar, there have been many famous generals that have changed the way we look at military strategy. Each great military leader along the way has continued to transform the role of a general and new generals are continually adapting their strategies to optimize what has been done before. Caesar documented his campaign through Gaul during the Gallic War and his accounts show us that he has studied the generals that preceded him. His strategies incorporated those of Alexander, Marius, Hannibal, and more, but were also unique in many ways. Caesar views the major role of a general as a strategist rather than fighting on the front lines. He was able to adjust tactics like Alexander, controlled the pace of his campaign like Marius,
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It was easier for him to make tactical changes in battle while he looked on from the outside. On the other hand, Alexander led from the front lines making it slightly harder to make tactical changes during battle, but was able to earn the respect of his army in that way. Alexander was the pioneer for adjusting tactics and coming up with creative solutions. When battling the Indians, Alexander saw elephants for the first time and was able to quickly adjust his tactics and defeat the Indians by surrounding the enemy’s elephants and cavalry (Arr p. 279). Caesar was also confronted with tactics that he had not seen before and was also able to adjust to those. The British used chariots against Caesar’s cavalry, but then jump off their chariots, making it an infantry battle. This way of fighting threw off Caesar’s army because they had never seen these tactics before and they could not pursue the enemy while maintaining the close formation that Caesar directed (Caesar 5.16). The next day, Caesar adjusted his tactics and directed his army to pursue the enemy more aggressively, giving the British no chance to rally or jump off their chariots (Caesar 5.17). Caesar’s troops were able to …show more content…
The Nervii were almost able to defeat Caesar’s troops by hiding in the woods across the river from his camp (Caesar 2.18-19). Caesar did not see this coming and did not anticipate that the Nervii would know where Caesar was camping. Although he would not admit to it, Caesar was quite careless during this battle (Potter, Lecture 25 April 2016). He assumed that he was always smarter than the Gauls and did not think of the ways in which the Nervii could use the location for their advantage. As a good general, Caesar did not make this mistake again. After this battle, he never assumed that the Gauls were not capable of coming up with innovative strategic plans. The battles with the British along with the battle against the Nervii are examples that Caesar did not make the same mistake twice (Potter, Lecture 26 April 2016). Being able to adjust quickly and learning form mistakes are signs of a great general. It shows that Caesar was a strategic genius, carefully studied past generals, and considered the mistakes he had made in previous
It was easier for him to make tactical changes in battle while he looked on from the outside. On the other hand, Alexander led from the front lines making it slightly harder to make tactical changes during battle, but was able to earn the respect of his army in that way. Alexander was the pioneer for adjusting tactics and coming up with creative solutions. When battling the Indians, Alexander saw elephants for the first time and was able to quickly adjust his tactics and defeat the Indians by surrounding the enemy’s elephants and cavalry (Arr p. 279). Caesar was also confronted with tactics that he had not seen before and was also able to adjust to those. The British used chariots against Caesar’s cavalry, but then jump off their chariots, making it an infantry battle. This way of fighting threw off Caesar’s army because they had never seen these tactics before and they could not pursue the enemy while maintaining the close formation that Caesar directed (Caesar 5.16). The next day, Caesar adjusted his tactics and directed his army to pursue the enemy more aggressively, giving the British no chance to rally or jump off their chariots (Caesar 5.17). Caesar’s troops were able to …show more content…
The Nervii were almost able to defeat Caesar’s troops by hiding in the woods across the river from his camp (Caesar 2.18-19). Caesar did not see this coming and did not anticipate that the Nervii would know where Caesar was camping. Although he would not admit to it, Caesar was quite careless during this battle (Potter, Lecture 25 April 2016). He assumed that he was always smarter than the Gauls and did not think of the ways in which the Nervii could use the location for their advantage. As a good general, Caesar did not make this mistake again. After this battle, he never assumed that the Gauls were not capable of coming up with innovative strategic plans. The battles with the British along with the battle against the Nervii are examples that Caesar did not make the same mistake twice (Potter, Lecture 26 April 2016). Being able to adjust quickly and learning form mistakes are signs of a great general. It shows that Caesar was a strategic genius, carefully studied past generals, and considered the mistakes he had made in previous