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The following is a work of fiction. Lee and Sherman never fought, this is just my opinion on what would happen should these men clash.Robert E. Lee was a General of maneuverability, always working to expose his enemy’s flanks, and a master at reading his enemy’s mind. At the 7 Day’s Battles Campaign, he knew Union General McClellan was timid and would not counterattack. So Lee, being outnumbered attacked a numerically superior force, and won. If it was any other General, Lee would have been more defensive. But Lee knew that McClellan was an idiot, and he used that to his advantage. At Second Manassas, he knew Pope was often over aggressive and prone to launching useless attacks. So, he counterattacks using James Longstreet’s corps, smashing the Union line. Even at Antietam, Lee preformed well, defending against McClellan rather well, and keeping McClellan afraid of what Lee was up to. But Lee suffered from his success. He notoriously failed at Antietam and Gettysburg in his thrusts up north. He couldn’t beat General Grant in the Overland Campaign, and failed at Petersburg, and couldn’t stop the Union from destroying his supply railroads. I think this quote best describes Lee“Ultimately, Lee will destroy his army with high casualty rates, and he does not recognize that war must be practiced to win.”Image credit: HISTORY | Watch Full Episodes of Your Favorite ShowsOn the Battlefield, Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia receive a 10/10. In the war, Lee receives a 7/10.William T. Sherman was a master at maneuverability, he was great at working his 100,000 man army around his opponents, and kept his enemies guessing where he would be. General Johnston of the CSA often could not guess where Sherman was, he kept being pushed back further and further towards Atlanta. Sherman was great at annoying his enemies, and pushing them further towards where he wanted to go. On the battlefield, we know he was cool under pressure and never panicked. He also could see if a situation was really bad or not. When General Hood took 60,000 men to attack Tennessee, Sherman just shrugged and sent half his army to destroy Hood. Most other generals would have shit their pants and sent their whole army to fight Hood, but Sherman realized marching and destroying Georgia’s infrastructure was more important that taking on 60,000 starving Confederates. On the Battlefield, Sherman receives a 8/10. In the war, Sherman gets a 10/10.Image credit: HISTORY | Watch Full Episodes of Your Favorite ShowsBattle scenarioIn Northern Georgia, Sherman must burn and destroy Atlanta, whilst fighting Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Sherman’s army is taken right from April 1864, right before the Atlanta Campaign. Lee’s Army is also taken right from April 1864, right before the Overland Campaign. Sherman has 112,000 men, whilst Lee has 75,000. Sherman immediately sends out cavalry under General Kilpatrick to scout out Lee’s forces.Lee has set up defenses near Dalton, Calhou, and north of Rome. Any and all roads are blocked and Lee realizes Sherman and how he will attempt to outflank his army. He places telegraph wires to communicate with his corps commanders. Defenders at Dalton, Calhoun and Rome dig in, building trenches and artillery emplacements. Lee’s cavalry under J.E.B Stuart moves East, trying to plug any gaps Sherman’s Army might use.General Kilpatrick informs Sherman of the stout defenses that Lee has built. Sherman sends one corps on infantry to march on Rome, to fool Lee into focusing there. The infantry corps under Schofield march on Rome, Georgia. They encounter stiff Confederate resistance, but alert Lee to Sherman’s attack. Lee thinks Sherman will attack on the west and north, but orders he eastern corps to move East to prod Sherman’s left flank. Sherman, wary to engage Lee in direct battle, adopts a plan, wherever Lee is, avoid him. Wherever Lee is not, attack.Sherman decides to take his cavalry and the rest of his army on a wide swing to the East, marching down the Marietta.General Kilpatrick meets General Stuart, and in the woods and hills of Northern Georgia, sabers and revolvers mean little. General Kilpatrick’s men retreat to the woods, and fire upon General Stuart’s men with carbines, tearing holes through the Southern ranks.Jeb Stuart disengages, and harasses Kilpatrick’s men, tying up Sherman’s cavalry for days. Undeterred, Sherman marches his 90,000 men south, quickly through the Georgian brush. He is near Marietta when two Confederate corps stand to stop him. Positioned near thick woods, Sherman simply bypasses them. However, one Confederate corps moves to cut his supply lines, under orders from Robert E. Lee. Sherman disregards this and orders his men to loot from the countryside. Two confederate corps blocks his advance into Marietta, and Robert E. Lee is now heading south, determined to catch Sherman and destroy him. Sherman decides to destroy the isolated Confederates corps before Lee can link up with him. Lee’s spread out defense is working against him, and now his corps are isolated, spread out and vulnerable.Sherman strikes the two Confederate corps, and for a days long battle 90,000 men fight 24,000. The Southern defenders hold out, but are utterly routed by Sherman’s attack. However, 4 Confederate regiments hold out near a wood, and repel attack after attack. Sherman launches a final assault, which fails. Despite his subordinates worry for enemy counterattacks in the rear, Sherman simply bombards the surviving Confederates and continues his march to Atlanta, moving faster to outpace Robert E. Lee.Confederate losses were 6,000 killed or wounded, compared to 10,000 for the Union. Sherman occupies Marietta for the rest of the week, and he receives news that General Jeb Stuart was ambushed and his cavalry wiped out by Union cavalry under Kilpatrick. Lee orders attacks on the isolated Union corps under Schofield, near Rome. The Union troops, outnumbered 2–1, are beat back and retreat to Tennessee. With Lee having consolidated his forces, and Sherman at the crossroads, Sherman and Lee prepare to brawl it out. But Sherman doesn’t want to fight. So he moves East, into a new road, and fights Confederate militia and home guard, and moves into Atlanta proper.Lee is shocked, but reacts quickly. In the close confines of Atlanta, Sherman is forced to fight it out with Lee. Lee’s Army of 65,000 is attacked by Sherman’s force of 104,000. Heavy fighting erupts along the birthing edge of the city, as Sherman launches heavy assaults against Lee’s Army. General Longstreet’s Confederate corps holds strong against a Union force three times its number, holding Lee’s left flank. Lee’s artillery and engineers build trenches and bombard Union troops. Sherman controls the city, but now is engaged in a urban battle where his numbers often mean little. Sherman orders a corps to outflank Lee’s right, but orders fail to reach the commander in time. Sherman keeps his cool, and personally leads a corps to outflank Lee. The corps smashes along Lee’s line, and heavy fighting takes place. Only nightfall saves more Union and Confederates troops from further bloodshed.Image credit: http://Pinterest.comAlthough Sherman had taken Atlanta, Lee had reacted well, and drawn Sherman into an urban brawl, taking away his numbers advantage. Sherman had taken 18,000 losses, for Lee’s 9,700. Sherman was cut off from his supply line, but had his cavalry intact. Lee could be supplied from Alabama, but had no cavalry. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia have control over 1/4 of the city, but were bled badly during the fighting. Lee plans to launch attacks on Sherman’s rear and flanks, and his troops to encircle Sherman. Sherman plans to launch an assault with both infantry and cavalry to the south of Lee’s Army, to convince him to retreat to Alabama. A new Union Army, the Army of Kentucky, with 45,000 new men goes south, under orders from Ulysses S. Grant to reinforce Sherman and blast through Lee. Lee must prevent these reinforcements from linking up with Sherman. Leaving General Longstreets corps to defend Atlanta, Lee races forty to destroy this new army. Sherman, realizing Lee’s plans, marches onto his defenses.Sherman hopes to pin Lee’s army against the Army of Kentucky, to smash Lee’s Army. But Lee has moved quickly, and has already engaged the Army of Kentucky. Fighting is fierce but the green Union recruits rout after taking 5,000 losses, with 6,000 prisoners. Lee turns south, but Sherman has already attacked Longstreet. If Sherman can break through, he can smash Lee’s Army in open ground. Longstreet, a skilled defensive commander, fights well, but is outnumbered and fights a delaying retreat. Sherman marches a corps around his flanks, and Longstreet can retreat no further.Image Credit: http://Pinterest.comLongstreet has been outmaneuvered by Sherman. Heavy fighting at several angles open holes in Longstreet’s line. Longstreet pulls back many of his regiments but many others disintegrate, as Sherman had beaten the war’s best defensive commander. Longstreet’s Corps is torn apart, but furious counterattacks prevent its complete annihilation. 8,000 Union and 4,500 Confederates fall on the first day. The next day, a massed Union charge followed with devastating artillery crushed the Confederate lines. Entire Confederate regiments surrender or flee in panic, and Longstreet’s corps takes 10,000 losses, whilst the Union takes 12,000. Lee, realizing the odds, considers his options.He has lost Atlanta. He is outnumbered with 40,000 against 80,000. He will probably be outflanked and has no cavalry wing. His men are exhausted from days of combat and are filled in with conscripts and militia, and Lee knows that Alabama offers food, replacements, and areas for training. So, Lee leaves for Alabama, and surrenders Northern Georgia to Sherman. Sherman, now in control of Atlanta, warily rebuilds rail lines using his cavalry, and ships supplies into Atlanta. Sherman had fought his toughest opponent in the war. But he had more men, better cavalry, and superior mobility. But his men are exhausted, and starved from lack of supplies. So Sherman waits, and embarks on his March to the Sea, where he will face Lee again.Casualties70,000 killed, wounded, or captured on the Union side.40,000 killed, wounded, or captured on the Confederate side.Length of campaign: May to September 1864.ConclusionSherman, with superior numbers and cavalry, would scout out his opponents and outflank them time and time again. In chaotic environments he reacted well, and never lost hope. While he would make blunders against Lee, like leaving Schofield’s corps exposed and vulnerable, he would outmaneuver Lee and hit Lee where it hurt. If Lee exposed a corps to defend a large area, Sherman would strike that corps. Although Lee would bog Sherman down in environments where his maneuverability and numbers did not count, like what he did at the Wilderness, Sherman would continue the fight. The only way Lee could beat Sherman would be to knock him out in one blow, and inflict such heavy losses that Sherman would be forced to go on the defensive, and keep striking Sherman. This would however destroy Lee’s smaller army.How to beat ShermanSherman’s success was his mastery of mobility. He was great at outflanking opponents and keeping his enemies guessing. Your best chance of beating Sherman is to A. Presume defensive fortifications with near equal numbers to sherman, and deceive him to be weaker than you actually are. Allow him to launch attacks against you, then counterattack in his weak areas, and overwhelm him. This of course requires you to have large amounts of numbers and have great corps and division commanders, to overwhelm Sherman. With that, you can inflict heavy losses on Sherman’s force, but have heavy losses yourself. Or B. Attack Sherman aggressively and put him on the defensive. An army with Lee and Jackson would be great at this, attack Sherman heavily and force him to be defensive. That way he wouldn’t be able to outflank you. But, he would still be stoic and not be wary or afraid. To work against this, you’ll have to attack locally where division or corps commanders are in charge. That way they are in charge, and if they panic, holes can be opened up in Sherman’s line. When fighting Sherman, attack his army, not Sherman.How to beat LeeLee’s strengths were his ability to read his opponents, his great subordinates, and ability to know when and where to be defensive or aggressive. To fight Lee you’ll need to have superior numbers, better supply lines, experienced and well trained men and subordinates, and ability to outflank and put pressure on Lee. If you have a bigger army, and bigger logistics, you can still win. Lee fought against men like that many times. He often grew to be overconfident. Take the Battle of the Wilderness. After defeating Union General after General, Lee thought Grant would be like the others. So he attacked at the Wilderness, and suffered heavy losses, but at least he forced Grant to fall back right? Well… not exactly. Lee would hope big attacks with high casualties would convince Grant to fall back, but Grant wouldn’t fall back. All Lee did was waste 12,000 of his men. To beat Lee you must make him attack and underestimate you, and allow his overconfidence to bleed him out. After he learns his mistakes, counterattack and put constant pressure on Lee, and make sure your subordinates are well trained and experienced. They’ll make the war shorter if they can outcompete Lee’s own generals. In short, make Lee attack you, then counterattack with better numbers, logistics, and subordinates.

Churchill Crocodile supporting US infantry, 1944The Churchill was designed for another war, the First World War, and as such was not really suited to mobile armoured warfare. By the time it entered service the British were aware of this and so did not issue them to regular armoured divisions but rather used them to back up infantry units. This was the same role as the German Stug III.Churchill tanks in the Appenines, Italy 1944.Apart from an abortive baptism by fire at Dieppe in 1942, the Churchill was first deployed in numbers in North Africa and Tunisia, where it also showed another atrribute - it could climb like a mountain goat. This made the Churchill a favourite in Italy where it could be used in terrain inaccessible to Shermans.Reflecting this assault gun role the main late war production variant, the Mk VII, could switch out its hull MG for a flamethrower, the famous Crocodile. When used properly as assault tanks, expecially in hill country, Churchills were an infantryman’s best friend.

Very good.The Churchill had amazing hill climbing ability and was able to cross the muddy ground and force through the forests of the Reichswald in 1944. A contemporary report expressed the belief that no other tank could have managed the same conditions. There is a story of a large queue of tanks waiting to cross a bridge over an anti-tank ditch. The Churchill simply drove into and out of the ditch, much to the other tanker’s amazement. The Churchill could keep going even if it had three wheels on the same side blown off.The Churchill served not only in WW2 but many American Units were extremely glad of its amazing hill climbing ability in Korea when is could get to place Sherman and Pershing could not dream of.Its failing was the slow engine - two bus engines mated and laid flat (which did give a lower centre of gravity). No attempt was made to insert the RR Meteor engine. It was to be discontinued but performed well at El Alemein so was kept on. It was also the basis of the Hobart 'Funnies'.In the fighting in late 1944 the Germans flooded the area so badly that resupply could only be carried out by using DUKW’s. Even the roads were impassable to trucks. Yet the 6th Guards tank brigade equipped with Churchill’s, fought and continued the advance. Apparently, Churchill’s crossed an underwater bridge on the Dneiper river, and operated without problem along side T-34′s in a swamp.It could turn on its own length thanks to the innovative Merrit-Brown transmission. It could climb mountains as they found in Tunisia as it had a long chassis designed for trench warfare in climbing over obstacle and wide ditches. It was a highly versatile tank. During trials the Australians found it a better tank for jungle warfare than even the Matilda II.The hill climbing ability of the Churchill is legendary. Many times in Italy and Tunisia the Churchill’s would climb hills the Germans thought were utterly tank proof. On one occasion a Colonel Koch of the Herman Goering regiment, transmitted this radio message:“… been attacked by a mad tank battalion which had scaled impossible heights and forced me to withdraw!”It had ridiculous amount of armour, which was neigh penetrable except by the most powerful of guns. It had initially 102mm in front, which was then upgraded to 152mm for the later models. That’s more than the Tiger I!And it’s larger chassis also allows it to use larger turrets and subsequently larger guns such as the 6-pounder and the QF 75mm, which were the same guns used on the Cromwell. Churchill’s were adequately armed for the job they were meant to do. It was roomy by WW2 standards and the crews liked it. The 4th Grenadier Guards in Churchill’s were the unit that set the record for fastest advance of any armoured unit in Europe.After WWII a study was carried out on all armoured units in 21st army group. The 4th Grenadiers had the lowest casualty rate of all of them. There’s reports from Italy of a single Churchill getting hit over 100 times by enemy AT weapons. There’s a report from Normandy where a Churchill crested a ridge line and an enemy ATG opened fire, the first round hit the Drivers periscope and concussed the Driver. The Germans then shot at it until darkness. The only effect was to shoot off the Churchill’s external fittings, and at night fall the Crew were able to escape unharmed apart from headaches from the impacts of shells all day. The Churchill itself was recovered and repaired.The best all round tank of the war, a tank generals would prefer in their arsenal, was probably the antiquated looking Churchill. As an army moves forward, tanks have to do a multitude of tasks. Tank v tank engagements were rare. No other tank accomplished the various tasks better and more comprehensively than the Churchill.It was heavily armoured could match most tanks in the 6pdr gun version and with APDS ammunition could penetrate a Tiger. It could turn on its own axis and could even climb mountains, as it did in Tunisia. At Dieppe it was the only tank in the world that could get off those pebble beaches. And half got over the sea wall. Attributes that went un-noticed to the Germans.After Dieppe the Germans tested a Panzer IV on a beach, and got the following results. To quote David Fletcher:“This showed that on beaches with a slope between 15 and 20 degrees the German tank could manage quite well but where the slope increased to between 30 and 40 degrees the tank started to slip then dug itself in until the tracks ceased to function.”The Beaches at Dieppe are made of surface called “Chert” which is lots of tiny stones. It’s like driving on ball bearings, and they get into the running gear and cause thrown tracks. But you won’t be able to dig yourself in. The Germans tested on a nice sandy beach. Despite the Chert at Dieppe 15 of the Churchill’s managed get across the beach and clamber over the seawall.Battle of Longstop Hill, Tunisia. Wikipedia:The Churchill tanks descended the gully between Djebel Ahmera and Djebel Rhar and with the Buffs appeared on the north-west slopes; the tanks had remarkably traversed the steep southern slopes.[11] With tanks and infantry working together, they were heavily engaged with mortars and small arms fire.[10] The tanks then reached the defensive rim, eliminating the surprised German strong points one-by-one with BESA machine-gun and 6-pounder fire. A tank led by sergeant O'Hare was the first to reach the summit, breaching the headquarters and capturing fifty prisoners; three more tanks followed having finished their extraordinary drive, getting up inclines that were so steep that in places they had gradients of 1:3.[10] The rest of the regiment arrived and headed up the slopes and with the Buffs eliminated more strong points and cut off escape routes, completing the capture of Longstop and by 11:00 am the battle was over.[1]One of the German officers noted that when he saw the tanks coming over the summit, "I knew all was over". Other prisoners simply could not believe that tanks had played a role in the capture of the position until they were shown; another called the Churchill tanks "metal mules".Towed 6-pdrs in Tunisia took out two Tigers plus their supporting Pz III’s using standard AP (no APDS was around then) with penetrations starting at 800 yards to the turrets. Churchill tanks also took out four more Tigers in Tunisia, with no loss, 48 Royal Tank Regiment and Northern Irish Horse- two each, still only armed with 6-pdrs firing standard AP. They also got the first Panther kills by the western allies, 48 Royal Tank Regiment, with 6-pdr armed Churchills.On D-Day the extreme western flank was at a place called La Hamel. The Germans had a huge fortress there, which withstood the assault. Although the British had gotten ashore the Fortress was dominating the beach. By the afternoon this position remained. If you can’t resupply the troops ashore on this beach, then the beach would fail. If Gold Beach had failed then the Germans could roll up both landings from the flank with ease. The Fortress had been pounded by battleships and shrugged off their attentions. Then a single Churchill AVRE appeared. Its shots breached the walls allowing the capture of the fortress.Churchills took Hill 309 in Normandy. Bocage was no problem to them. They moved into Caen supporting infantry.See this short video about another remarkable feat by the Churchill, the Battle for Steamroller FarmThe Churchill had the highest survivability in any tank of WW2. A much ignored tank.