PLEASE! Think about it- who was most successful, who's achievements are more recognized by the world? FAlexander and Khan both had large Empires, are legendary figures, are quite possibly the best two military leaders of all-time. Alexander's Empire laid the foundations for a Hellenistic West- combine that with Roman law and politics and Judeo-Christian morals, and you have the Western Hemisphere today. Khan built the eastern version of Alexander's empire 1,500 years after the Great One (easier opponents and more technology, but more land), and helped shape the borders of modern day world power China and introduced tactics that bear a striking resemblence to the Bitzkrieg in many ways (large amounts of troops rush in, cavalry for Khan over Hitler's Panzers, total war). And both were tolerant men- Alexander bowed before the Jewish High Priest and showed respect to his God (even if he did not necessarily agree with the montheistic themes), and so "Alexander" is a popular Jewish name today. Khan was smart enough keep a good thing when he saw it, and so kept the Chinese beuracracy alive after his conquest.
And what did BISMARK do?
True, he helped stabilize the German nation, but was only one (albeit a significant one) of many to slowly unite the Prussian-Germanic States. But he is not in the category of Alexander, Caesar, Khan, Washington, or even Napoleon, whose presence, abilities and charisma united a people (the Hellenistic peoples for Alexander and the Mongol Clans for Khan), forged a radical and important new regime (Caesar in effect began Imperial Rome, while Napoleon's Empire temporarily destroyed the French Monarchy and gave peasants and Jews freedom), or BOTH- Washington united the American ethnicities AND played a key role in uniting the Colonies themselves.
In my opinion, WASHINGTON would have played a mean game of diplomacy, but, alas, he was not on the list...................
Alexander and Khan were both men whose names are spoken whith reverence by even commen men. Bismark is of note, but mostly to scholars, as Wilhelm and then Hitler were the ones who came closest to achieving his dreams (of German power, this is not to say he was an Anti-Semite.)
So- Khan or Alexander? It can be argues that Alexander came first and therefore set the template, or that Khan ruled more than Alexander in as such is supreme. If the two had been in the same cultural region, East or West, these might be valid, but because the two Hemispheres were sperated (not counting India for Alexander or the Middle East for Khan), neither arguement works. So the only true measure is what GREW from the ashes. Who took on the mantle and ideals of the two, who carried on their legacy? Certainly Rome was profoundly infuenced by Alexander's stlye of fighting- a Legion is really an upgraded, more manuverabvle and organized phalanx. And just as Alexander tolerated the Jews, so two did Rome tolerate, for the most part, tolerate other religions- the Egyptian, Greek, and Briton cultures all were respected, some even with "cult" fillowings in Rome itself. The Jews were intially enslaved, but were released nearly a century later, as was the case with the Christians, persecution then acceptance. From Rome springs Europe and the Western World, and from Alexander's Empire springs Roman inspiration. Khan infuenced the world more by destroying and reshaping than by inspiration. The Mongols gave us the miltary examples ofmhow cavalry, and later on tanks, could be used to overwhelm swarms of infantry and citizenry. The siege operations of the Mongols are also regarded as some of the most successful in the world. Certainly China owes him a certain debt- his methods and dynasty established their borders and would prove to serve as a precursor of what was to come. But still, Khan's major achievement is the destruction of the Chinese Dynasty in rule at the time, the Islamic Empires of the time, the early Russia steppe warlords, the Southeast Asians- essentially the entire East's governments destroyed at the time, with the exception being Japan. And so, though Khan ruled more, he did less to "fertilize the ashes" of his empire, so to speak, and so while the Mongols fell apart with limited long-term infuence, Alexander's led to another, longer lasting empire- The fabled Roman Empire, whose laws and ways would go on to shape America, Napoleonic France, and, unfortunately, Nazi Germany to a degree. These three regimes have shaped the world in measures so extreme they go without saying, and all trace back to Rome- immensly infuential itself, and itself inspired by Alexander the Great.
And so, I vote, and urge you to do the same:
+1 Alexander the Great
-1 Bismark
last minute to play at turquoise days!!!
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