The Patton Legend: How It Started and Grew

Army Magazine ^ | July 04 | Martin Blumenson

[Publius]

Robert Heinlein's "Future History", which he started in the 1940's, had Patton serving two terms as president.

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[xzins]

I'd say a part of it was that the European theater had both Hollywood and the British film industry feeding more information to the American public.

[xzins]

Thanks for the visit, George. :>)

[AlaninSA]

Thanks for posting something on my hero - and the guy who served as my motivation to push for assignment to the Second Armored Division.

HOW

[The Bandit]

Shame Patton wasn't allowed to kick the Russians ass......

[lainde]

bump for later!

[July 4th]

Sent to purchase corn, Patton, traveling in command of three automobiles and nine men, trapped and killed three Villista soldiers in a striking gunfight. Patton’s men strapped the bodies across the hoods of their cars and returned to camp with their trophies. In the absence of anything else resembling news, the correspondents with Pershing played up the incident. For two weeks, the newspapers across the nation featured Patton’s photograph and exuberant remarks, as well as Pershing’s satisfaction.

No way this would fly today... Although it's a pretty good idea for the Iraqi insurgents.

[Happy2BMe]

Ping on #21 - all my sentiments - EXACTLY - ping.

"Like $hi! through a goose!"

[Romulus]

Here's something to add to the warrior's legend:

from the NYT Book Review, December 10, 1995:
PATTON: A Genius for War. By Carlo D'Este.

"As important was his marriage to Beatrice Banning Ayer, described here with sensitivity. Though Patton was no pauper, it was her money that gave him the horses and life style, and the stability, he so badly needed. Clearly something of a saint, she bore the brunt of his ''ever-present dyslexic mood swings and depression.'' Before the war Patton began an affair with a 21-year-old niece of Beatrice's, Jean Gordon, which then resumed behind the front lines of wartime Europe. Mr. D'Este is discreet in retelling the story, but his account of the terrible curse Beatrice hurled at Jean shortly after Patton's death is shocking. Days later, Jean stuck her head in a gas oven."

[Snuffington]

In the Battle of France the only success they had against the Panzers was when DeGaulle, also a tank commander, was allowed to cut loose on them.

Sort of. Though all he could do at that point was mass available French armor into a single unit (unlike the Germans, the French dispersed their armor through infantry divisions, considering their role to be infantry support) and mount a strike to attempt to break the German lines. But the French tank crews weren't trained for that, and the communications equipment was vastly inferior to that of the German tanks so the attack bogged down quickly once in contact with the enemy. It was a brief counter-attack that was of little significance, other than letting De Gaul get a symbolic "told-you-so" moment.

[lavrenti]

Which of course explains why the Germans kicked their ass four ways from Sunday.

[Victor]

bump

[Happy2BMe]

""Our glorious march from the Normandy Beach across France to where we stand, before and beyond the Siegfried Line, with the wreckage of the German Army behind us should convince the most skeptical soldier that God has ridden with our banner. Pestilence and famine have not touched us. We have continued in unity of purpose. We have had no quitters; and our leadership has been masterful. The Third Army has no roster of Retreats. None of Defeats. We have no memory of a lost battle to hand on to our children from this great campaign."

_________________________________

This letter needs to be sent to every commander in our armed forces again - today - including their Commander-In-Chief, George W. Bush.

Let it remind him never, never again must we ever have another Fallujah.

God bless and keep our troops and grant George W. Bush the wisdom to lead them into victory over Islamic terror.

Amen.

[RinaseaofDs]

Don't forget Churchill in that group. Cigars and brandy no doubt.

[Snuffington]

Actually, the Patton/Montgomery feud is myth. They weren't friends, but they were not the bitter rivals portrayed in the film. They actually had as much respect for one another as 2 men with egos that large could.

True. Monty's real feud was with Eisenhower. And that was actually quite civil.

Funny thing, though. Contrary to the film, General Bradley seems to have earnestly disliked Patton - though Patton seemed to have been as fond of Bradley as the film depicts. General Bradley was the chief military advisor to the movie, so one assumes he later relented, or at least thought it wise not to air his dislike in such a public way. But Patton biographer Calos D'Este discovered some pretty solid evidence that Bradley was no fan of Patton's during the war.

[devolve]

Tasteless

Insensitive

Perfect

[BluH2o]

Patton was a great combat leader, however, inspite of this glowing biography ... I've known soldiers who served with him and their impression of Patton aren't quite so glowing.
Patton was an egotist, first and foremost, achieving an objective was priority one ... especially if headlines were involved. The term "blood and guts" Patton had a very real meaning to his troops ... they were the ones spilling the "blood and guts" ... thus the ambivalence on the part of soldiers I've known who served under him. In todays touchy feely, PC military, anyone resembling a General Patton wouldn't stand a snowballs chance in hell of advancing as an officer.