George S. Patton

Lore & Background

Patton attended the Virginia Military Institute and the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1909. He studied fencing, designed the M1913 Cavalry Saber, and competed in the modern pentathlon at the 1912 Summer Olympics, finishing fifth. He first saw combat during the Pancho Villa Expedition of 1916 and served in World War I with the Tank Corps, commanding the U.S. tank school in France and leading tanks into combat before being wounded. In the interwar period, he held numerous staff positions and became a key figure in armored warfare development. At the start of World War II, he commanded the 2nd Armored Division and later led U.S. troops in the invasion of Casablanca during Operation Torch. He commanded the Seventh Army in Sicily, where he was the first Allied commander to reach Messina, but was temporarily removed after slapping two shell-shocked soldiers. He played a role in Operation Fortitude, the deception campaign for Operation Overlord, and then commanded the Third Army during the rapid armored drive across France. His forces relieved American troops at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge and drove into Nazi Germany. After the war, he was military governor of Bavaria but was relieved for aggressive statements toward the Soviet Union and questioning denazification. He also held antisemitic views and made derogatory statements about Jewish people. He died in Germany twelve days after a severe auto accident.

Reader's Guide

Patton's significance lies in his role as a highly effective combat commander whose emphasis on rapid, aggressive offensive action proved decisive in the European theater of World War II. His leadership of the Third Army's armored drive across France and his relief of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge are considered major military achievements. However, his legacy is complicated by his controversial public statements, including antisemitic remarks, and incidents such as slapping two shell-shocked soldiers, which led to his temporary removal from command. His philosophy of leading from the front and his ability to inspire troops with vulgarity-laden speeches were received favorably by his troops but sharply divided the Allied high command. The 1970 Oscar-winning biographical film Patton helped popularize his image. His contributions to armored warfare doctrine and his mixed record of personal conduct continue to be studied and debated.

Did You Know?

• Patton designed the M1913 Cavalry Saber, commonly known as the 'Patton Saber.'
• He competed in the modern pentathlon at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, finishing fifth.
• He was the first Allied commander to reach Messina during the Allied invasion of Sicily.
• Patton believed in reincarnation and stated he had fought in previous battles before his time.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"I have fought with gun and cutlass On the red and slippery deck With all Hell aflame within me And a rope around my neck." — George S. Patton "Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory." — George S. Patton "Sometimes I think your life and mine are under the protection of some supreme being or fate, because, after many years of parallel thought, we find ourselves in the positions we now occupy." — George S. Patton "I finished the Koran – a good book and interesting." — George S. Patton