Patton A Genius For War
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acco40
Member
It is an excellent book, one of my favorite. Enjoy it!
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He was a brilliant strategist for sure.
One of my favorite hero's of WWII was General Norman Cota who led an attack on Normandy Beach on D Day. He was 51 years old when he did it.
Here's a brief article on him.
Norman Cota, Overlooked Hero of D-Day (And the Next) - New England Historical Society
One of my favorite hero's of WWII was General Norman Cota who led an attack on Normandy Beach on D Day. He was 51 years old when he did it.
Here's a brief article on him.
Norman Cota, Overlooked Hero of D-Day (And the Next) - New England Historical Society
bigwheelzip
Absent Comrade
I liked him since George C. Scott played him.
Touring the Lorraine American Cemetery in France last summer, the superintendent there talked about Patton's controversial decision to spend two months attacking and laying seige to the fortified city of Metz. I'm curious how your book discuses that tactical decision.
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Touring the Lorraine American Cemetery in France last summer, the superintendent there talked about Patton's controversial decision to spend two months attacking and laying seige to the fortified city of Metz. I'm curious how your book discuses that tactical decision.
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I have read a few books on Patton and there is no doubt in my mind he was killed. Of course the list of potential killers went as high as Eisenhower, Bradley and the POTUS office. He was going to run for high office after he returned to the states! Some books went into much more detail about the many strange circumstances about his death. Then there were the Russians and a couple others. Patton sure knew how to make enemies.
Makes one wonder, if would have lived and not been taken down, where we might be today?
He would have made a great President or advisor to the President.
He would have made a great President or advisor to the President.
UncleEd
Member
Some gents here seem willing and
ripe for conspiracy theories.
Exactly how did an accident that
didn't kill Patton outright be
manufactured into a diabolical
way of finishing him off while doctors
and nurses attended him?
Awful lot of conspirators--the doctors
and everyone else around him. Hopefully
to keep the secret all those were
murdered to save the higher-ups
involved in getting rid of Patton.
I'm convinced.
ripe for conspiracy theories.
Exactly how did an accident that
didn't kill Patton outright be
manufactured into a diabolical
way of finishing him off while doctors
and nurses attended him?
Awful lot of conspirators--the doctors
and everyone else around him. Hopefully
to keep the secret all those were
murdered to save the higher-ups
involved in getting rid of Patton.
I'm convinced.
Some gents here seem willing and
ripe for conspiracy theories.
Exactly how did an accident that
didn't kill Patton outright be
manufactured into a diabolical
way of finishing him off while doctors
and nurses attended him?
Awful lot of conspirators--the doctors
and everyone else around him. Hopefully
to keep the secret all those were
murdered to save the higher-ups
involved in getting rid of Patton.
I'm convinced.
The books are long, to get the best out of them you will have to read them, Killing Patton by Bill O'Reilly is good there are others!
Its not so much about his actual death in the hospital(he was hurt bad) it was all the strange events that put him there.
One of my favorites as well. Warlord is another of his books. About Winston Churchill.
Rick Atkinson is another good WWII historian.
Rick Atkinson is another good WWII historian.
acco40
Member
When you are done with Patton, you should read about his counterpart.
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OP
Ghost Magnum
Member
When you are done with Patton, you should read about his counterpart.
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Oh, I am! I also ordered a book about Hannibal the Great.
There is a lot of people in my family that believe Patton was assassinated. I don't believe one way or the other.
This book has a lot of details I never knew before. I didn't know the Patton family fought for the CSA. I know now.
The Last Standing Knight
Member
Patton was one of history's greatest Generals and arguably the greatest American General.
Yet he was a complicated and enigmatic man who had as many faults as virtues just like all of us.
To really know Patton, you have to READ Patton and by that, I mean his journal "War As I Knew It". It gives monumental insight to the man and his beliefs and thinking. He was literally a man out of his time whose true home was a battlefield and NOT a political office. He'd have been great alongside Alexander or David or Caesar or Napoleon. He'd have not been in the Oval Office or the Pentagon. Like his cousin Chesty Puller, he was forged for war in a time of war.
I also believe he was seen as a definate threat to the status quo and was dealt with accordingly. My suspicions would lead to Eisenhower and I believe that truth is buried deep in the archives of the Pentagon and will never see the light of day despite all of the actors involved have now moved off this Earth.
A final movie starring George C. Scott was made called "The Last Days Of Patton". I watched it once and never again. Patton is a personal hero and watching that had me weeping like a baby. He did not deserve to go out that way.
I met a man who was promoted by and served directly under Patton during the war. I asked him what kind of man was he. He told me he was a soldier's soldier and the type of General we will probably never see again. He spoke very highly of him.
Yet he was a complicated and enigmatic man who had as many faults as virtues just like all of us.
To really know Patton, you have to READ Patton and by that, I mean his journal "War As I Knew It". It gives monumental insight to the man and his beliefs and thinking. He was literally a man out of his time whose true home was a battlefield and NOT a political office. He'd have been great alongside Alexander or David or Caesar or Napoleon. He'd have not been in the Oval Office or the Pentagon. Like his cousin Chesty Puller, he was forged for war in a time of war.
I also believe he was seen as a definate threat to the status quo and was dealt with accordingly. My suspicions would lead to Eisenhower and I believe that truth is buried deep in the archives of the Pentagon and will never see the light of day despite all of the actors involved have now moved off this Earth.
A final movie starring George C. Scott was made called "The Last Days Of Patton". I watched it once and never again. Patton is a personal hero and watching that had me weeping like a baby. He did not deserve to go out that way.
I met a man who was promoted by and served directly under Patton during the war. I asked him what kind of man was he. He told me he was a soldier's soldier and the type of General we will probably never see again. He spoke very highly of him.
In research I'm doing on the Confederate LeMat revolver, I discovered that Patton's father, Col. George S. Patton senior, carried one. It was a fearsome handgun, with nine .42 caliber shots in the cylinder, and a central 18 gauge shotgun barrel.
Here's a pic of one.
John
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Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Americans love conspiracies, especially when larger-than-life heroes die utterly mundane deaths.
At least the JFK thing started right after Dallas because it was indeed a very complex and confusing situation involving hundreds of people even without any conspiracies.
The Patton accident was so obvious in its cause and circumstances that it never occured to anyone to try to make money off people's gullibility until about 30 years later. Of course, the fact that the assassinated victim actually survived the accident and didn't die until later made constructing some nefarious sequence of events even harder.
Most accounts of a Patton murder conspiracy go back to the tales spun by a former MP Lt. and later Virginia state senator named Peter Babalas, who lied about his role investigating the accident (he didn't), and an embittered OSS agent named Douglas Bazata, who needed cash and made up stuff without any substantiation, often so inaccurate or factually impossible you could disprove it with a high school history textbook.
In addition, none of the convoluted explanations who was behind it and why make the least bit of sense, or only to those who know little of the historical Patton. At the time of his death, Patton was headed for retirement and hoping to maybe get to command the Army War College for a bit first. His time was over. His antics had sidelined him within the Army, and he certainly was no threat that would justify any elaborate plot.
hoosierone
Member
Several years ago the car he died in was on display at the Chicago auto show. I started a conversation with the curator and when he knew I was more than a casual observer of Patton he really opened up to me. Lots of details on the car and accident. A highlight of the day for me.
UncleEd
Member
Absalom,
Oh pish-posh and fiddle-dee-dee.
You're no fun at all.
Oh pish-posh and fiddle-dee-dee.
You're no fun at all.
acco40
Member
There are a lot of amazing books about WWII to read, but if I was to recommend just one book out of all of them, then I would pick the following:
A story of 18 soldiers from an I&R platoon who held off a German battalion, under Joachim Peiper, of more than 500 men for nearly an entire day at the start of the Battle of The Bulge. The actions of 20 y/o Lyle Bouck and his men significantly delayed the German advance giving the allies an opportunity to prepare their defense.
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A story of 18 soldiers from an I&R platoon who held off a German battalion, under Joachim Peiper, of more than 500 men for nearly an entire day at the start of the Battle of The Bulge. The actions of 20 y/o Lyle Bouck and his men significantly delayed the German advance giving the allies an opportunity to prepare their defense.
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Being a retired military officer, I can say that the required course for advancement offered by the military are structured to "weed out" Patton-type officers. Bold, non-conforming types are not traits looked for any more. As a friend said of the required military courses "Teach you which end of the sword to present when you surrender."
lawandorder
Member
Wouldn't it be nice if General Patton was here with us today and placed in charge of stopping civil unrest.
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UncleEd
Member
Patton's concept of tank warfare in WWII
was dated. He saw tanks as infantry
support with anti-personnel firepower.
In fact, a lot of the Army's thinking ignored
the concept of tank against tank
warfare where anti-armor firepower was
needed.
The British modification of the Sherman
in their "Firefly" concept seemed to elude
the thinking of some U.S. Army leaders
including Patton.
Thankfully the U.S. started to arm its
Shermans with the 76mm rather than
the old standby 75mm cannons near the
end of WWII.
was dated. He saw tanks as infantry
support with anti-personnel firepower.
In fact, a lot of the Army's thinking ignored
the concept of tank against tank
warfare where anti-armor firepower was
needed.
The British modification of the Sherman
in their "Firefly" concept seemed to elude
the thinking of some U.S. Army leaders
including Patton.
Thankfully the U.S. started to arm its
Shermans with the 76mm rather than
the old standby 75mm cannons near the
end of WWII.
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Right you are, the Brits did pretty good after we saved their butts again.
Disclosure, My mother was English which makes me half English.
UncleEd
Member
Your mother should have spanked you more.
She never did and I sure deserved it a few times. She did worse
she made me sit on a chair and not move. Considering she was a descendant of Brit General Thomas Gage she could have been much harsher!
OP
Ghost Magnum
Member
Patton's writing style is just like mine. I make almost the same exact mistakes he does.
Reading when I was younger was extremely hard for me. I was home schooled. I can only imagine how Patton felt in his days.
Reading when I was younger was extremely hard for me. I was home schooled. I can only imagine how Patton felt in his days.
Another interesting book is "Patton on Leadership: Strategic Lessons for Corporate Warfare", by Alan Axlerod, 1999. This book covers the wisdom ofPatton, first giving quotations, then information on how to apply these extended quotes in a business setting. Not a biography, but it gives great insight to Patton's leadership style.
akoda
Member
I haven't seen it mentioned but I recall reading many years ago when I researched Patton that he was believed to be dyslexic. He couldn't read until he was 12 and was kicked out of VMI, apparently horses don't go down stairs well?
mrmike7189
Member
I read "Killing Patton" and it was a quick read. Enjoyed it. General patton lived for a while in Hamilton,MA about 4 miles from my home. There is a Patton homestead,and a public park named after him , and a big green sherman tank . Patton was an equestrain,as are many in Hamilton. It is a " horse town". The Myopia Hunt Club runs polo matches every Sunday open to the public. if ever north of Boston,check it out. The tank in photo below
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One of my uncles was a tank commander under Patton, he had great respect for him. He was fearless, took good care of his men & was brilliant in battle. He was also very strange... believed he was Alexander the Great reincarnated. :? Other generals & politicians were scared to death of him... they couldn't control him. Was he assassinated? Eisenhower got what became the CIA going to eliminate those who couldn't be controlled or convicted, think about it. Other uncle was a paratrooper in Ardennes forest who Patton rescued, say anything bad about Patton in either uncles (both highly decorated) presence & your life was in danger.
akoda
Member
My father was chasing him across Europe trying to keep them supplied
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