nonniey Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 OK in the spirit of the top 10 Presidents list lets lump them in with other democratic or semi democratic countries leaders and list the top 5. My List is as follows #1 Winston Churchill, the real man of the 20th century (despite Time's embarrasing attempt to say otherwise, they got a well deserved black eye for that). Accomplishments - saved the world, Nobel Prize for literature; his early Cold War warning influenced US and Western policy for over 50 years; #2 Abraham Lincoln, greatest US President. Accomplishments - saved the United States, ended slavery in the United States; kept European powers at bay and undermined those powers support for the Confederacy by implementing popular (In Europe) anti-slavery policies. #3 FDR, 2d greatest US President. Accomplishments - turned the US into the worlds most powerful (by far) and influential (again by far) State. Key player in defeating Nazism and Japanese militarism; Instituted Social Security; #4 Lucius Junius Brutus, first Consul of the Roman Republic. Accomplishments led revolt that overthrew the last king of Rome and established the Roman Republic; first act was to have the people swear an oath never to allow any man again to be king in Rome; Successfully defended the early Republic against attempts to reimpose monarchy. #5 George Washington, 3rd Greatest US President. Accomplishments led Revolutionary Army that enabled the United States to break away form Great Britain; first President of the United State, Turned down opportunity of power for life and set precedent of giving up power after only two terms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rypien it Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Great to know that your list doesn't care about democratic values like protecting individual rights or the constitution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubbs Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 If you think George Washington only deserves the bronze medal for US presidents, you have a pretty bad list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnyderShrugged Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 It's the neo-con version of :greatness" GW is about the only one I can agree with and maybe Brutus as an afterthought. ---------- Post added February-26th-2011 at 11:44 AM ---------- Great to know that your list doesn't care about democratic values like protecting individual rights or the constitution. LOL, no doubt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 I am primarily a 20th century history buff, so with that in mind, here is my list: 1. Winston Churchill. Though he was overzealous in his defense of imperialism, he still wins the top prize in my book. Facing down communism and fascism with his little island and his big mouth wins it for me. 2. Abraham Lincoln. Preserved the union. Ended slavery. That trumps pretty much everything else. 3. Nelson Mandela. I would say being the first post-Apartheid president was probably a tougher job than being the first American President. His ability to effect a true reconciliation between the peoples of his country, especially after what he personally went through, was truly amazing. 4. George Washington. That said, being the first American President is not small potatoes. To be able to define the office the way he did, without grabbing power for himself and destroying our system of government before it had a chance to grow ... again, truly amazing. 5. Yitzhak Rabin. I can only imagine how different things in the Middle East would be right now if he hadn't been assassinated. One of the very few leaders in that part of the world who was able to balance the wants of his own people with the need to make peace. Well, until he was killed for it. Anyway, that's what I've got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsHokieFan Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 I have quite a bit of trouble putting Churchill in a top 5 with the way he had us botch Iran in 1953 and the blowback from that terrible move. If Churchill doesn't convince Ike to overthrow Persian democracy in 1953, we don't have many of the problems we face today in the ME Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 I have quite a bit of trouble putting Churchill in a top 5 with the way he had us botch Iran in 1953 and the blowback from that terrible move.If Churchill doesn't convince Ike to overthrow Persian democracy in 1953, we don't have many of the problems we face today in the ME If Churchill doesn't convince FDR to throw in with the Allies, none of that matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonniey Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 So I see the consensus pick is Churchill is #1 Lincoln #2 and Washington is in the top 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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