Posted on 08/15/2014 4:29:23 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
I like to look at it as, he was the right person at the time, for the job he had.
When I was in the UK a few years ago, I asked my British guides what they thought of Churchill. Rather than saying whether they like him or not, they said he was the right person for that time. So British, wouldn't you say?
I was wondering if that’s why they had to stop at Argentan. I guess the only political component in that scenario might be who would get the limited supplies, Paton or Monty.
I saw something about the Russian approach: get limited support and supplies to the more successful fronts. That may or may not have worked for Ike who was always trying to keep the Allied coalition together. I wonder if Ike would have successfully justified getting Patton his supplies by adopting the Russian approach, at least here. If so, maybe the Falaise encirclement trap would have been completed.
It’s a good answer.
Reminds me of a funny story that Steve McQueen says in “The Magnificent Seven,” when asked why someone took off all his clothes and jumped into the water. McQueen’s answer: “Because it seemed like the thing to do at the time.”
Russian truckers had a guy in the cab with them....with a pistol pointing at them.
Joe Kennedy's tragic death was reported today. He was flying a secret mission to fly a "robot" Liberator packed with explosives. The technology was too primitive to take off by remote control, so the idea was two pilots would take off and once the autopilot was in control, they armed the explosives and bailed out. No one knows why this one blew prematurely, although someone told Kennedy the day before he thought there was a design defect in the wiring harness.
Joe was on a path to touch all the right bases so the old man could promote him for President. Now, his younger playboy brother will have to pick up the family torch.
If so it all ends tomorrow. Look for a great photo of Patton, Bradley and Montgomery on page 7 of the August 16 edition.
I’m sorry Kennedy had to die, but the Kennedy brothers had the seeds of moral and political ambivalence, opportunism, and big government socialism as demonstrated by the only brother around long enough to manifest those traits: Ted, maybe singly one of the most destructive forces in America in the 80’s and 90’s until his death.
So did Joe die from a malfunction in his own plane? Wow, that’s almost like being killed by friendly fire.
Wouldn’t be a bit surprised. Stalin was famously paranoid as was his totalitarian state. Without a gun pointed at him, the driver might very well have joined the Nazis who might have looked pretty good to him at some point.
Be interesting to compare between the Nazis and the Soviets, how much of drain on forces they used to guard and watch their own troops who, in totalitarian regimes along with all its citizens, are also considered a potential enemy.
Interesting. The “phantom general” leading the Third Army until August 16th.
Seems like the Germans knew earlier than this they were up against Patton in that region though.
Tragic news about Joe Kennedy, Jr.. His father endorsed FDR in 1940, reportedly in exchange for promised support for young Joe for Lt. Governor of Massachusetts in 1942.
The loss of his son may have driven old Joe half insane and had very negative effects on US political history.
My Dad, who passed in April of last year, was with the 45th ID and this was his 4th and last amphibious landing of WW2. In 1994, he was one of 6 US Veterans that were officially invited by the government of France to their 50th Anniversary Celebrations of this landing. The French regard this as THEIR liberation invasion as they had a lot more troops for this than at Normandy! According to him, the 1994 trip was a lot less stressful than the one 50 years earlier. Gee, what a surprise!
Were the other three Sicily, Salerno and Anzio?
Go Thunderbirds!
Your dad an Okie?
Yepper, those were the ones. He has several entries in Flint Whitlock's "Rock of Anzio" about the 45th ID in WW2. He joined the Division in 1938 for, as he put it, the money they got for drills and Summer Camp. Joined as a unranked recruit, got to Master Sergeant, got busted to 2nd LT in Oct.'41 ended WW2 as Major. He saw "the Elephant" all of the way through!
Why does Monty look so glum standing opposite Patton? (The more I learn about Monty, the more I don’t like him. They’re both primadonnas but at least Patton gets the job done without all the sniveling.)
They disliked each other. Also, Monty might have had a toothache.
I read a biography of Montgomery within the last decade. He’s not as bad as Patton thought. His troops admired him because he made sure they were adequately supplied, and he rarely threw them into battle recklessly. Those qualities, of course, made him less of a full-charging general than Patton was.
Apparently Eisenhower and Bradly didn’t care for Monty either.
All these prima donnas. Ike had his hands full, and did an admirable job under the circumstances.
On top of that, having to deal with DeGaulle.
All the English-speaking leaders detested DeGaulle. One can see why, while at the same time recognizing DeGaulle’s success in keeping France from being irrelevant both during the European campaign and after the war.
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