Top Soldier - The Big Picture

National Archives and Records Administration
ARC Identifier 2569728 / Local Identifier 111-TV-471
Big Picture: Top Soldier
Since the creation of the National Security Act in 1947, which might be considered to coincide with the beginning of the modern Army, four men have held down the role of "top soldier"--the awesomely demanding job of Army Chief of Staff. In this episode of THE BIG PICTURE, the camera's attention is focused on the lives of these four generals and their contributions to the Army. The first of these four generals is General J. Lawton Collins who picked up the nickname "Lightning Joe" when he commanded the 25th Infantry Division in Guadalcanal in 1943. General Collins was succeeded in the Office of Chief of Staff by a West Point classmate--Class of 1917--General Matthew B. Ridgway. Ridgway's outfit during World War II was the 82nd Airborne Division. General Ridgway's successor was another officer who, like him, had emerged from World War II as a spectacular commander of airborne troops--General Maxwell D. Taylor. After General Taylor, came the man who occupies the office of "Top Soldier," General Lyman L. Lemnitzer. On film, "Top Soldier" becomes an excitingly-made and excellently written documentary about Army leadership.

Пікірлер: 7

  • @TheNoony1
    @TheNoony113 жыл бұрын

    This was great and very helpful; thanks!!!

  • @mattwesley4435
    @mattwesley44354 жыл бұрын

    The good old days when a general or admiral actually had power and authority. Today they are micromanaged too much by the Pentagon.

  • @jbjoeychic

    @jbjoeychic

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yes Matt, I agree with you, they seem to be micromanaged by the Pentagon. I guess Schwarzkopf was the last General that shone so l suppose if a battle or war happens we will see how that type A personality emerges or not. I do not think we will ever see someone as narcissistic as MacArthur. At any rate l am so proud of all those Generals that served us in the past. Sherman was unique in that he preferred to make those Southerners who agitated for Civil War pay for it. So rather than kill them he destroyed as many plantations as he could so he gets a reputation as a total warrior. He did not kill as many as Grant but he destroyed a lot of property of wealthy Cavalier types.

  • @mattwesley4435

    @mattwesley4435

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@jbjoeychic you are correct sir, we will never see a General MacArthur, or George Patton. The Pentagon does not promote free thinking anymore.

  • @thunderbird1921

    @thunderbird1921

    2 жыл бұрын

    One of the last generals to truly stand up to the DOD and ALSO the warmongerers was Matthew Ridgway. One of America's greatest warriors had to endure constant disrespect and sabotage by bureaucrats, even in the 1950s (the European powers treated him better from what I've read). Thankfully Eisenhower at least was willing to listen to him.

  • @navblue20

    @navblue20

    2 күн бұрын

    They've micromanaged since at least Vietnam

  • @PSchearer
    @PSchearer Жыл бұрын

    "The Army's Explorer became the first rocket to successfully launch a satellite around the earth"??? So what was Sputnik, chopped liver?