Making of a Great Captain

摘要

Classifying people as Great Captains is largely a subjective endeavor. What attributes, accomplishments, positions attained or battles won make one person a Great Captain and the other person something less. Herein lies the dilemma, because for ages academics have argued about what criteria should be included in such a judgement. This paper examines the hypothesis that Great Captains are a product of their families, are highly educated from an early age, possess the qualities of a genius, encounter grand life experiences compared to their contemporaries, espouse leadership from a young age, and master their cultural/national ethos via political-military accomplishments. Specifically, this paper will examine the education, life experiences, leadership development, and ethos-mastering of three great leaders: Gustavus Adolphus, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Ulysses S. Grant. The examination will be analytical in nature and will highlight those key commonalities among Great Captains. The author contends that Great Captains are not born, but are the product of a strong education and varying life experiences that give them the tools to master their national ethos.