Which Captain retreated the most?

[Ragitsu]

Good morning.

Here is a fairly straightforward question: of the TOS to ENT Captains, who - above the rest - tended to play it safe by engaging in "tactical withdrawals"?, Yes, there is something of a difference between a "retreat" and the wordier "tactical withdrawal", but I am essentially wondering which Captain was the most cautious.

 

[BillJ]

Iunno? Never really cared. Plus the unequal number of episodes from show-to-show makes situations even harder to compare.

I’d guess Archer, because he was largely outgunned in the 22nd century.

 

[XCV330]

Good question. If we count the opening of every season of LD as a separate canon instance, Captain Freeman. Nobody nopes away from battle like Freeman. Actually now I think of it, I don't think she actually retreated in episodes. Archer definately retreated a few times.

 

[BillJ]

Also, are we talking about complete withdrawal from a situation or are we talking about backing off to analyze the situation and then reengaging?

 

[XCV330]

Also, are we talking about complete withdrawal from a situation or are we talking about backing off to analyze the situation and then reengaging?

If so, the Sisko's giving up an entire space station is definitely a big one.

 

[Sketcher]

Kirk. What a coward.

 

[FederationHistorian]

I think it's Sisko, followed by Picard and Pike.

Archer and Janeway don't do a lot of retreating. And Kirk retreated only once.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I believe it was Captain Brave Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot.

 

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[Roundabout]

If so, the Sisko's giving up an entire space station is definitely a big one.

Yes, that was a major retreat. But Sisko did return to DS9.

One of the things that I found memorable about Sisko's retreat was the stirring departing speech that he gave to those DS9 folks who were staying behind. Star Trek captains are adept at speechifying.

The line in his speech, "And I promise, I will not rest until I stand with you again ... here ... in this place where I belong" was reminiscent of General Douglas MacArthur's, "I shall return" declaration, after MacArthur retreated from the Philippines during WW2.

According to Ron Moore, the writer(s) who wrote Sisko's speech were "definitely inspired by it in concept".

But, unlike the fictional Sisko retreat, where all Starfleet personnel and their families, except for Jake, successfully withdrew from DS9, only a very small number of MacArthur's people got out of the Philippines with him. The rest of the soldiers under MacArthur's command could not escape, and they were forced to surrender to the Japanese. And those men were treated brutally while in captivity.

Of course, MacArthur, like Sisko, did return triumphantly. He led Allied forces in retaking the islands from Japanese control. That's my boring history lesson of the day.

Kirk. What a coward.

Was Kirk a coward?

(image from Trekcore)

Well, in this scene in "Spectre of the Gun", Kirk knowingly walked into a lion's den, and he wound up sheepishly putting his hands up.

Kirk refused to draw his gun when challenged. Kirk retreated from a potential gun fight with Wyatt Earp. Was he being wise or cowardly?

This is what Morgan Earp had to say about Kirk, aka Clanton, "I always said you was yellow". And Morgan wasn't referring to the color of Kirk's shirt.

 

[XCV330]

Of course, MacArthur, like Sisko, did return triumphantly. He led Allied forces in retaking the islands from Japanese control. That's my boring history lesson of the day.

I had a great uncle who had gone in ahead of the return to the Phillipines and try to work with local leaders to further and assist the resistance. I was pretty young when I met him so I was never clear on the details. It had to be after 42 and probably more like 44. I wish I had known what questions to ask him at the time, because he died not long after and I never got to meet him again.

When I met him he owned a heavy machinery company, and his house was this underground thing dug into the side of a canyon in Utah, as I recall. He had this really weird sword/ax thing which in retrospect was a panabas, among other odd relics in his home.

I asked him about the sword and he said that while he was making contacts, one local king (his words) had taken a liking to him and offered him a daughter to marry. He saw she chewed betel and he couldn't really get around her black teeth so he diplomatically arranged to get the sword instead. Anyway, not related to this read. Just a memory.

 

[Roundabout]

^ Thanks for sharing that.

It is a privilege to hear a vet share his experiences. Oftentimes, real life experiences are more interesting or weirder than fiction.

 

[Farscape One]

If so, the Sisko's giving up an entire space station is definitely a big one.

It should be noted that there is a real possibility Sisko was ordered to leave. Note he already had the program to sabotage the station all ready to go long before the battle occured. That battle also allowed the Federation/Klingon fleet to destroy a Dominion shipyard. Once the last mine was in place and the field was activated, the wormhole was more or less secure for the medium term.

Also, his leaving his baseball, I think, was not just telling Dukat he'll be back, but that the evacuation was part of the plan.

 

[Frontis]

I think none of them retreated, otherwise they wouldn't be Star Trek captains

 

[F. King Daniel]

I read "which captain retweeted the most" and opened this thread sleepy and confused