Sounds like the General has a touch of Alzheimers, or some form of dementia. Age almost doesn’t matter, when someone is truly angry. My dad was about 86, and while recovering from a surgery, he became physically abusive to the nurse’s aides. He was so abusive, they had to strap him down to the bed from time to time. It was a shock for the family to hear how his condition has deteriorated so quickly. He’s at peace now.
My diminutive, elderly Alzheimer's patient, aunt, asked her 6'6" son-in-law of 40 years to help her stand on a kitchen chair, he thought it was an unusual and even dangerous request but she kept insisting, so he carefully helped her stand on the chair.
She next told him to come and stand in front of her, which he dutifully did. Then she slapped the living crap out of him. She said she did it because the shirt he was wearing was ugly.
He gently helped her down and promised her he wouldn't wear that shirt any more.
There's a moral to this true story some where but I can't find it.