General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Gen. Robert E. Lee - Not that good at his job [View all]ThoughtCriminal
(14,047 posts)Enrico Fermi once asked Gen. Leslie Groves how many generals might be called great. Groves said about three out of every 100. Fermi asked how a general qualified for the adjective, and Groves replied that any general who had won five major battles in a row might safely be called great. Well, then, said Fermi, considering that the opposing forces in most theaters of operation are roughly equal, the odds are one of two that a general will win a battle, one of four that he will win two battles in a row, one of eight for three, one of sixteen for four, one of thirty-two for five. So you are right, general, about three out of every 100. Mathematical probability, not genius.
But then again, incompetence of your opponent can improve your odds quite a bit. That is where General Lee excelled.