The perceived greatness of any political leader has more to do with the challenges faced by that leader than with any of his or her inherent skills and abilities

Perceptions of greatness in national and political leaders are largely determined by the seriousness of the problems they faced during their incumbency. As a matter of fact, most national histories highlight prominent figures for their role in the context of historically significant events. It goes without saying that all leaders must possess premiere skills and abilities to achieve such influential positions in the first place. However, history has proven time and time again that leaders during significant event are remembered more vividly, for better or worse. Examples of this are numerous and include Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, and Adolf Hitler.
Abraham Lincoln is often considered the greatest of all Americans; his large monument in Washington, D.C. and his omnipresent face in American currency attests to such claim. Lincoln led the country during one of the most infamous events in American history, successfully managing to win the Civil War, uniting the country and abolishing slavery forever. Lincoln is regarded as one of the greatest to ever step foot in the White House not because of his eloquent oratorical skills, his conscientious nature, or his adroitness as a lawyer, but rather because Lincoln emerged victorious from a challenge that changed the course of history. Another president, James Buchanan, was a skillful orator, lawyer and benevolent person, having also been born in a wood cabin like Lincoln. Yet, there are no monuments dedicated to Buchanan or pictures of his face on American currency.
Woodrow Wilson is another American figure which history perceives favorably. Certainly not commemorated for his intelligence, oratorical speech, or judicious tendencies, Wilson had the misfortune, or rather fortune from the standpoint of historical remembrance, of having been drawn into World War I. Few remember that Wilson was rather unpopular at the time, receiving little support in Congress and facing the imminent threat of losing the support of his own party. As the war unfolded itself, America emerged victorious and Wilson is enshrined in history as the leader who guided the nation through its largest conflict since the Civil War.
Adolf Hitler is another prominent figure in history, rather for contrasting reasons. History does not discriminate, according the right to historical immortality to many benevolent and malevolent figures alike. Historians and psychologists who have studied the life of Hitler are quick to plaudit his sharp wits, effective speech, and strategic prowess. Quite to the contrary, Hitler is remembered as possibly the most diabolical soul in human history who also failed miserably; nonetheless, he is remembered. Hitler is not remembered simply because he was an evil despot. As a matter of fact, many of them are encountered in historical books. Rather, Hitler is remembered for the significance and scale of his draconian, satanic actions, killing millions of innocent victims and single-handedly drawing the world into an international war. While Hitler and the Holocaust will forever be two sides of the same coin, other smaller genocides have occurred in recent history. The genocide of northeast and southern Albania by Yugoslavia and Greece remains under the radar of modern history, similarly to the recent genocide of Uyghur Muslims in northwestern China.
One would have a difficult time arguing that skills and abilities are more important; all leaders must possess exemplary skills to arrive at such influential roles. A rather pragmatic approach to assessing the place of a leader in history is to study the significance of challenges with which they are associated regardless of their outcome. History has proven repeatedly that time makes the man.