100-672: George S. Patton (George Smith Patton Jr., 1885–1945) was a general of the United States Army during World War II. George Patton may also refer to: George S. Patton Border War World War I World War II George Smith Patton III (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II , then
200-550: A commission as a second lieutenant in the Cavalry branch of the United States Army . At age 24, Patton married Beatrice Banning Ayer, the daughter of Boston industrialist Frederick Ayer , on May 26, 1910, in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts . They had three children, Beatrice Smith (born March 1911), Ruth Ellen (born February 1915), and George Patton IV (born December 1923). Patton's wife Beatrice died on September 30, 1953, from
300-565: A bunch of little old ladies, at an afternoon tea party, but it helps my soldiers to remember. You can't run an army without profanity, and it has to be eloquent profanity. An army without profanity couldn't fight its way out of a piss-soaked paper bag." Under Patton, the Third Army landed in Normandy during July 1944 and would go on to play an integral role in the last months of the war in Europe, closing
400-543: A child, Patton had difficulty learning to read and write, but eventually overcame this and was known in his adult life to be an avid reader. He was tutored from home until the age of eleven, when he was enrolled in Stephen Cutter Clark ' s Classical School for Boys, a private school in Pasadena, for six years. Patton was described as an intelligent boy and was widely read in classical military history , particularly
500-473: A damn about such complaints. I believe that an ounce of sweat will save a gallon of blood. The harder we push, the more Germans we kill. The more Germans we kill, the fewer of our men will be killed. Pushing harder means fewer casualties. I want you all to remember that. My men don't surrender. I don't want to hear of any soldier under my command being captured unless he is hit. Even if you are hit, you can still fight. That's not just bullshit either. I want men like
600-548: A fencing instructor. He was the first Army officer to be designated "Master of the Sword", a title denoting the school's top instructor in swordsmanship. Arriving in September 1913, he taught fencing to other cavalry officers, many of whom were senior to him in rank. Patton graduated from this school in June 1915. He was originally intended to return to the 15th Cavalry, which was bound for
700-400: A flashy, distinctive image in the belief that this would inspire his troops. He carried a trademark ivory-handled Smith & Wesson Model 27 .357 Magnum. He was usually seen wearing a highly polished helmet, riding pants, and high cavalry boots . His jeep bore oversized rank placards on the front and back, as well as a klaxon horn which would loudly announce his approach from afar. Patton
800-474: A foraging expedition, killing Julio Cárdenas and two of his guards. It was not clear if Patton personally killed any of the men, but he was known to have wounded all three. The incident garnered Patton both Pershing's good favor and widespread media attention as a "bandit killer". Shortly after, he was promoted to first lieutenant while a part of the 10th Cavalry on May 23, 1916. Patton remained in Mexico until
900-468: A goddamned thing. We're advancing constantly and we're not interested in holding anything except the enemy's balls. We're going to hold him by his balls and we're going to kick him in the ass; twist his balls and kick the living shit out of him all the time. Our plan of operation is to advance and keep on advancing. We're going to go through the enemy like shit through a tinhorn. There will be some complaints that we're pushing our people too hard. I don't give
1000-545: A high-pitched voice and worried that this would make it impossible for him to inspire his troops. For his skill in running and fencing, Patton was selected as the Army's entry for the first modern pentathlon at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm , Sweden. Patton was the only American among the 42 pentathletes, who were all officers. Patton placed twenty-first on the pistol range, seventh in swimming , fourth in fencing , sixth in
1100-504: A later bullet passed through them, but the judges decided that one of his bullets missed the target completely. Modern competitions at this level frequently now employ a moving backdrop specifically to track multiple shots through the same hole. If his assertion was correct, Patton would likely have won an Olympic medal in the event. The judges' ruling was upheld. Patton's only comment on the matter was: The high spirit of sportsmanship and generosity manifested throughout speaks volumes for
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#17328760024421200-425: A little unhealthy up there right now?' I asked. 'Yes sir, but this goddamn wire has got to be fixed.' I asked, 'Don't those planes strafing the road bother you?' And he answered, 'No sir, but you sure as hell do.' Now, there was a real soldier. A real man. A man who devoted all he had to his duty, no matter how great the odds, no matter how seemingly insignificant his duty appeared at the time. And you should have seen
1300-720: A meeting might make the headlines. George S. Patton%27s speech to the Third Army Patton's speech to the Third Army was a series of speeches given by General George S. Patton to troops of the United States Third Army in 1944, before the Allied invasion of France . The speeches were intended to motivate the inexperienced Third Army for impending combat. Patton urged his soldiers to do their duty regardless of personal fear, and he exhorted them to aggressiveness and constant offensive action. His profanity-laced speaking
1400-612: A new sword for such attacks. He was temporarily assigned to the Office of the Army Chief of Staff , and in 1913, the first 20,000 of the Model 1913 Cavalry Saber —popularly known as the "Patton saber"—were ordered. Patton then returned to Saumur to learn advanced techniques before bringing his skills to the Mounted Service School at Fort Riley , Kansas, where he would be both a student and
1500-473: A number of troops who witnessed his remarks, and so a number of iterations exist with differences in wording. Historian Terry Brighton constructed a full speech from a number of soldiers who recounted the speech in their memoirs, including Gilbert R. Cook , Hobart R. Gay , and other junior soldiers. Patton only wrote briefly of his orations in his diary, noting, "as in all of my talks, I stressed fighting and killing." The speech later became so popular that it
1600-606: A ruptured aneurysm after falling while riding her horse in a hunt with her brother and others at the Myopia Hunt Club in South Hamilton, Massachusetts . Patton was an Episcopalian . The Patton family was of English , Irish , Scots-Irish , Scottish , French and Welsh ancestry. His great-grandmother came from an aristocratic Welsh family, descended from many Welsh lords of Glamorgan , which had an extensive military background. Patton believed he had formerly lived as
1700-581: A sock full of shit. There are four hundred neatly marked graves in Sicily, all because one man went to sleep on the job—but they are German graves, because we caught the bastard asleep before his officer did. An army is a team. It lives, eats, sleeps, and fights as a team. This individual hero stuff is bullshit. The bilious bastards who write that stuff for the Saturday Evening Post don't know any more about real battle than they do about fucking. Now we have
1800-412: A soldier and took pride in mystical ties with his ancestors. Though not directly descended from George Washington , Patton traced some of his English colonial roots to George Washington's great-grandfather. He is a 1st cousin six times removed of George Washington. He was also descended from England's King Edward I through Edward's son Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent . Family belief held
1900-721: A tank in an attack on German machine guns near the town of Cheppy . His orderly, Private First Class Joe Angelo , saved Patton, for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). Patton commanded the battle from a shell hole for another hour before being evacuated. Although the 35th Division (of which Patton's tank troop was a component) eventually captured Varennes , it did so with heavy losses. Trying to move his reserve tanks forward, Patton relates that he might have killed one of his own men, stating: "Some of my reserve tanks were stuck by some trenches. So I went back and made some Americans hiding in
2000-418: A team. Without them the fight would have been lost. Sure, we all want to go home. We want to get this war over with. But you can't win a war lying down. The quickest way to get it over with is to get the bastards who started it. We want to get the hell over there and clean the goddamn thing up, and then get at those purple-pissing Japs. The quicker they are whipped, the quicker we go home. The shortest way home
2100-417: A tough guy, Patton was deeply affected by the horror of war and suffered from post-traumatic stress. What had been a high on the battlefield turned into the giant letdown that is so common to soldiers who have been in combat. Patton left France for New York City on March 2, 1919. After the war, he was assigned to Camp Meade, Maryland , and reverted to his permanent rank of captain on June 30, 1920, though he
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#17328760024422200-549: A weapon that would later become an icon of Patton's image. In March 1916, Mexican forces loyal to Pancho Villa crossed into New Mexico and raided the border town of Columbus . The violence in Columbus killed several Americans. In response, the U.S. launched the Pancho Villa Expedition into Mexico. Chagrined to discover that his unit would not participate, Patton appealed to expedition commander John J. Pershing , and
2300-501: A widow from Virginia. The wealthy Patton family resided at Lake Vineyard, built by Benjamin Wilson, on 128 acres (52 ha) in present-day San Marino, California . Patton had a younger sister, Anne, nicknamed "Nita". Nita became engaged to John J. Pershing , Patton's mentor, in 1917, but the engagement ended because of their separation during Pershing's time in France during World War I. As
2400-447: Is a bloody business, a killing business. The Nazis are the enemy. Wade into them, spill their blood or they will spill yours. Shoot them in the guts. Rip open their belly. When shells are hitting all around you and you wipe the dirt from your face and you realize that it's not dirt, it's the blood and guts of what was once your best friend, you'll know what to do. I don't want any messages saying 'I'm holding my position.' We're not holding
2500-415: Is all for a purpose—to ensure instant obedience to orders and to create constant alertness. This must be bred into every soldier. I don't give a fuck for a man who is not always on his toes. But the drilling has made veterans of all you men. You are ready! A man has to be alert all the time if he expects to keep on breathing. If not, some German son-of-a-bitch will sneak up behind him and beat him to death with
2600-603: Is base. You are not all going to die. Only two percent of you right here today would be killed in a major battle. Every man is scared in his first action. If he says he's not, he's a goddamn liar. But the real hero is the man who fights even though he's scared. Some men will get over their fright in a minute under fire, some take an hour, and for some it takes days. But the real man never lets his fear of death overpower his honor, his sense of duty to his country, and his innate manhood. All through your army career you men have bitched about what you call 'this chicken-shit drilling.' That
2700-466: Is not supposed to know what the hell they did with me. I'm not supposed to be commanding this army. I'm not even supposed to be in England. Let the first bastards to find out be the goddamned Germans. Some day, I want them to rise up on their piss-soaked hind legs and howl 'Ach! It's the goddamned Third Army and that son-of-a-bitch Patton again!' Then there's one thing you men will be able to say when this war
2800-659: Is over and you get back home. Thirty years from now when you're sitting by your fireside with your grandson on your knee and he asks, 'What did you do in the great World War Two?' You won't have to cough and say, 'Well, your granddaddy shoveled shit in Louisiana.' No sir, you can look him straight in the eye and say 'Son, your granddaddy rode with the great Third Army and a son-of-a-goddamned-bitch named George Patton!' All right, you sons of bitches. You know how I feel. I'll be proud to lead you wonderful guys in battle anytime, anywhere. That's all. The troops under Patton's command received
2900-412: Is through Berlin and Tokyo. So keep moving. And when we get to Berlin, I am personally going to shoot that paper-hanging son-of-a-bitch Hitler. When a man is lying in a shell hole, if he just stays there all day, a Boche will get him eventually. The hell with that. My men don't dig foxholes. Foxholes only slow up an offensive. Keep moving. We'll win this war, but we'll win it only by fighting and showing
3000-656: The American Revolutionary War . Patton's father, who graduated from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), became a lawyer and later the district attorney of Los Angeles County . Patton's maternal grandfather was Benjamin Davis Wilson , a merchant who had been the second Mayor of Los Angeles . His father was a wealthy rancher and lawyer who owned a one-thousand-acre (400 ha) ranch near Pasadena, California . Wilson had married into one of
3100-736: The Falaise pocket in mid-August, and playing the key role in relieving the Siege of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge in December, a feat regarded as one of the most notable achievements in the war. The rapid offensive action and speed that Patton called for in the speech became actions which brought the Third Army wide acclaim in the campaign. Historians acclaim the speech as one of Patton's best works. Author Terry Brighton called it "the greatest motivational speech of
George Patton (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3200-627: The Knickerbocker Theatre in D.C. From 1922 to mid-1923 he attended the Field Officer's Course at the Cavalry School at Fort Riley, then he attended the Command and General Staff College from mid-1923 to mid-1924, graduating 25th out of 248. In August 1923, Patton saved several children from drowning when they fell off a yacht during a boating trip off Salem, Massachusetts . He was awarded
3300-582: The Pancho Villa Expedition of 1916, the United States' first military action using motor vehicles. He fought in World War I as part of the new United States Tank Corps of the American Expeditionary Forces : he commanded the U.S. tank school in France, then led tanks into combat and was wounded near the end of the war. In the interwar period, Patton became a central figure in the development of
3400-456: The Pas de Calais . Patton frequently kept his face in a scowl he referred to as his "war face". He would arrive in a Mercedes and deliver his remarks on a raised platform surrounded by a very large audience seated around the platform and on surrounding hills. Each address was delivered to a major general-led division-sized force of 15,000 or more men. Patton began delivering speeches to his troops in
3500-679: The Third Army in France and Germany after the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Born in 1885, Patton attended the Virginia Military Institute and the United States Military Academy at West Point . He studied fencing and designed the M1913 Cavalry Saber , more commonly known as the "Patton Saber." He competed in the modern pentathlon in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm , Sweden. Patton entered combat during
3600-477: The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He also applied to several universities with military corps of cadet programs, and was accepted to Princeton , but eventually decided on Virginia Military Institute (VMI), which his father and grandfather had attended. He attended the school from 1903 to 1904, and though he struggled with reading and writing, performed exceptionally in uniform and appearance inspection, as well as military drill. While he
3700-821: The armistice of November 11, 1918 . For his actions in Cheppy, Patton received the Silver Star , later upgraded to the DSC. The citation for the medal read: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Colonel (Armor) George Smith Patton, Jr. (ASN: 0-2605), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Tank Corps, A.E.F., near Cheppy, France, 26 September 1918. Colonel Patton displayed conspicuous courage, coolness, energy, and intelligence in directing
3800-419: The equestrian competition, and third in the footrace, finishing fifth overall and first among the non-Swedish competitors. There was some controversy concerning his performance in the pistol shooting competition, in which he used a .38 caliber U.S. Army-issue pistol while most of the other competitors chose .22 caliber firearms. He claimed that the holes in the paper from his early shots were so large that
3900-623: The 304th Tank Brigade and was reassigned to Fort Myer as commander of 3rd Squadron, 3rd Cavalry . Loathing duty as a peacetime staff officer , he spent much time writing technical papers and giving speeches on his combat experiences at the General Staff College. In July 1921 Patton became a member of the American Legion Tank Corps Post No. 19. Maj. Patton led the rescue effort after the January 1922 blizzard destroyed
4000-585: The American Army. In addition, he was also awarded the Purple Heart for his combat wounds after the decoration was created in 1932. On 11 November 1918, World War I ended. In the months and years that followed Patton was haunted by his experience in the Meuse–Argonne. Although he emerged from the war with honours and acclaim, the year 1918 took its toll and the price was indeed high. Contrary to his image as
4100-461: The General Staff College. With Christie, Eisenhower, and a handful of other officers, Patton pushed for more development of armored warfare in the interwar era. These thoughts resonated with Secretary of War Dwight Davis , but the limited military budget and prevalence of already-established Infantry and Cavalry branches meant the U.S. would not develop its armored corps much until 1940. On September 30, 1920, then-Major Patton relinquished command of
George Patton (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
4200-521: The General's colorful words, and the men well knew it, but they loved the way he put it as only he could do it." A notable minority of Patton's officers were unimpressed or displeased with their commander's use of obscenities, viewing it as unprofessional conduct for a military officer. Among some officers' later recounting of the speech, 'bullshit' would be replaced by 'baloney' and 'fucking' by 'fornicating'. At least one account replaced "We're going to hold
4300-494: The Germans that we've got more guts than they have or ever will have. We're not just going to shoot the bastards, we're going to rip out their living goddamned guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks. We're going to murder those lousy Hun cocksuckers by the bushel-fucking-basket. Some of you men are wondering whether or not you'll chicken out under fire. Don't worry about it. I can assure you that you'll all do your duty. War
4400-645: The Pattons were descended from sixteen barons who had signed Magna Carta . Patton believed in reincarnation , stating that he had fought in previous battles and wars before his time, additionally, his ancestry was very important to him, forming a central part of his personal identity. The first Patton in North America was Robert Patton, born in Ayr , Scotland . He emigrated to Culpeper, Virginia , from Glasgow , in either 1769 or 1770. George Patton, Jr.'s paternal grandfather
4500-485: The Philippines. Fearing this assignment would dead-end his career, Patton travelled to Washington, D.C. , during 11 days of leave and convinced influential friends to arrange a reassignment for him to the 8th Cavalry at Fort Bliss , Texas, anticipating that instability in Mexico might boil over into a full-scale civil war. In the meantime, Patton was selected to participate in the 1916 Summer Olympics , but that Olympiad
4600-984: The Silver Lifesaving Medal for this action. He was temporarily appointed to the General Staff Corps in Boston, Massachusetts , before being reassigned as G-1 and G-2 of the Hawaiian Division at Schofield Barracks in Honolulu in March 1925. Patton was made G-3 of the Hawaiian Division for several months, before being transferred in May 1927 to the Office of the Chief of Cavalry in Washington, D.C., where he began to develop
4700-443: The Third Army to prepare it for the upcoming Allied invasion of France , where it would join in the breakout into Brittany seven weeks after the amphibious landing at Normandy . By 1944, Patton had been established as a highly effective and successful leader, noted for his ability to inspire his men with charismatic speeches, which he delivered from memory because of a lifelong trouble with reading. Patton deliberately cultivated
4800-611: The U.S. Seventh Army during the Allied invasion of Sicily , where he was the first Allied commander to reach Messina . There he was embroiled in controversy after he slapped two shell-shocked soldiers , and was temporarily removed from battlefield command. He was assigned a key role in Operation Fortitude , the Allies' military deception campaign for Operation Overlord . At the start of the Western Allied invasion of France , Patton
4900-523: The United Kingdom in February 1944. The extent of his giving the particular speech that became famous is unclear, with different sources saying it had taken this form by March, or around early May, or in late May. The number of speeches given is also not clear, with one source saying four to six, and others suggesting that every unit in the Third Army heard an instance. The most famous and well known of
5000-461: The United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. By his energy and sound judgment, Colonel Patton rendered very valuable services in his organization and direction of the Tank Center at the Army schools at Langres, France. In the employment of Tank Corps troops in combat he displayed high military attainments, zeal, and marked adaptability in a form of warfare comparatively new to
5100-473: The advance of his brigade down the valley of the Aire. Later he rallied a force of disorganized infantry and led it forward, behind the tanks, under heavy machine-gun and artillery fire until he was wounded. Unable to advance further, Colonel Patton continued to direct the operations of his unit until all arrangements for turning over the command were completed. For his leadership of the tank brigade and tank school, he
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#17328760024425200-487: The army's armored warfare doctrine, serving in numerous staff positions throughout the country. At the United States' entry into World War II, he commanded the 2nd Armored Division . Patton led U.S. troops into the Mediterranean theater with an invasion of Casablanca during Operation Torch in 1942, and soon established himself as an effective commander by rapidly rehabilitating the demoralized II Corps . He commanded
5300-697: The army, but Pershing intervened on his behalf. After the United States entered World War I , in April 1917, and Pershing was named commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Western Front , Patton requested to join his staff. Patton was promoted to captain on May 15, 1917, and left for Europe, among the 180 men of Pershing's advance party which departed May 28 and arrived in Liverpool , England, on June 8. Taken as Pershing's personal aide, Patton oversaw
5400-525: The character of the officers of the present day. There was not a single incident of a protest or any unsportsmanlike quibbling or fighting for points which I may say, marred some of the other civilian competitions at the Olympic Games. Each man did his best and took what fortune sent them like a true soldier, and at the end we all felt more like good friends and comrades than rivals in a severe competition, yet this spirit of friendship in no manner detracted from
5500-479: The concepts of mechanized warfare . A short-lived experiment to merge infantry, cavalry and artillery into a combined arms force was cancelled after U.S. Congress removed funding. Patton left this office in 1931, returned to Massachusetts and attended the Army War College , becoming a "Distinguished Graduate" in June 1932. In July 1932, Patton (still a Major) was executive officer of the 3rd Cavalry, which
5600-491: The crack of my bottom about two inches to the left of my rectum. It was fired at about 50 m [160 ft] so made a hole about the size of a [silver] dollar where it came out." While recuperating from his wound, Patton was promoted to temporary colonel in the Tank Corps of the U.S. National Army on October 17. He returned to duty on October 28 but saw no further action before hostilities ended on his 33rd birthday with
5700-578: The end of the year. President Woodrow Wilson forbade the expedition from conducting aggressive patrols deeper into Mexico, so it remained encamped in the Mexican border states for much of that time. In October Patton briefly retired to California after being burned by an exploding gas lamp. He returned from the expedition permanently in February 1917. After the Villa Expedition, Patton was detailed to Front Royal, Virginia , to oversee horse procurement for
5800-540: The enemy by the balls" with "We're going to hold the enemy by the nose". Among the critics of Patton's frequent use of vulgarities was General Omar Bradley , Patton's former subordinate. The men were polar opposites in personality and there is evidence that Bradley disliked Patton both personally and professionally. In response to criticisms of his coarse language, Patton wrote to a family member: "When I want my men to remember something important, to really make it stick, I give it to them double dirty. It may not sound nice to
5900-452: The exploits of Hannibal , Scipio Africanus , Julius Caesar , Joan of Arc , and Napoleon Bonaparte , as well as those of family friend John Singleton Mosby , who frequently stopped by the Patton family home when George was a child. He was also a devoted horseback rider . Patton never seriously considered a career other than the military. At the age of seventeen he sought an appointment to
6000-411: The finest food and equipment, the best spirit and the best men in the world. You know, by God, I actually pity these poor bastards we're going up against, by God I do. All the real heroes are not storybook combat fighters. Every single man in the army plays a vital role. So don't ever let up. Don't ever think that your job is unimportant. What if every truck driver decided that he didn't like the whine of
6100-470: The food and clothes for us because where we are going there isn't a hell of a lot to steal. Every last damn man in the mess hall, even the one who boils the water to keep us from getting the GI shits, has a job to do. Each man must think not only of himself, but think of his buddy fighting alongside him. We don't want yellow cowards in the army. They should be killed off like flies. If not, they will go back home after
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#17328760024426200-425: The front for much of their attack, which began on September 12. He walked in front of the tanks into the German-held village of Essey , and rode on top of a tank during the attack into Pannes , seeking to inspire his men. While outside the village of Essey he had his first chance meeting with Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur , then commanding a brigade of the 42nd "Rainbow" Division , who, at just thirty-eight,
6300-501: The front, and his ability to inspire troops with attention-getting, vulgarity-laden speeches, such as his famous address to the Third Army , was received favorably by his troops, but much less so by a sharply divided Allied high command. His sending the doomed Task Force Baum to liberate his son-in-law, Lieutenant Colonel John K. Waters , from a prisoner-of-war camp further damaged his standing with his superiors. His emphasis on rapid and aggressive offensive action proved effective, and he
6400-438: The infamous slapping incident sidelined his career for several months thereafter. At the time of the speeches, Patton was attempting to keep a low profile among the press, as he had been ordered to by General Dwight Eisenhower . Patton was made a central figure in an elaborate phantom army deception scheme , and the Germans believed he was in Dover preparing the—fictitious— First United States Army Group for an invasion of
6500-431: The lieutenant in Libya who, with a Luger against his chest, swept aside the gun with his hand, jerked his helmet off with the other and busted the hell out of the Boche with the helmet. Then he picked up the gun and he killed another German. All this time the man had a bullet through his lung. That's a man for you! Don't forget, you don't know I'm here at all. No word of that fact is to be mentioned in any letters. The world
6600-439: The opportunity to command troops, and was assigned to Troop C of the 13th Cavalry to assist in the manhunt for Villa and his subordinates. His initial combat experience came on May 14, 1916, in what would become the first motorized attack in the history of U.S. warfare. A force of ten soldiers and two civilian guides, under Patton's command, with the 6th Infantry in three Dodge touring cars surprised three of Villa's men during
6700-444: The order to employ armed force to disperse the veterans. Patton later stated that, though he found the duty "most distasteful", he also felt that putting the marchers down prevented an insurrection and saved lives and property. He personally led the 3rd Cavalry down Pennsylvania Avenue , dispersing the protesters. Patton also encountered his former orderly, Joe Angelo , as one of the marchers and forcibly ordered him away, fearing such
6800-464: The original Southern California settler families by marrying Ramona Yorba, who was the daughter of prominent Californio (Spanish and Mexican settlers in California) Bernardo Yorba , after whom the city of Yorba Linda is named. Patton is also a descendant of French Huguenot Louis DuBois . Personality George S. Patton is believed to have had Narcissistic Personality Disorder by many modern psychologists and historians. Patton's first posting
6900-490: The results of this attack by the chief of staff of the British Tank Corps , Colonel J. F. C. Fuller . On the way back to Paris, he visited the Renault factory to observe French tanks being manufactured. Patton was promoted to major on January 26, 1918. He received the first ten tanks on March 23, 1918, at the tank school at Bourg , a small village close to Langres , Haute-Marne département. The only US soldier with tank-driving experience, Patton personally backed seven of
7000-433: The same at each occurrence, the order of some of its parts varied. One notable difference occurred in the speech he delivered on 31 May 1944, while addressing the U.S. 6th Armored Division , when he began with a remark that would later be among his most famous: No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country. Patton's words were later written down by
7100-403: The shells and turned yellow and jumped headlong into a ditch? That cowardly bastard could say to himself, 'Hell, they won't miss me, just one man in thousands.' What if every man said that? Where in the hell would we be then? No, thank God, Americans don't say that. Every man does his job. Every man is important. The ordnance men are needed to supply the guns, the quartermaster is needed to bring up
7200-401: The speech before an enormous American flag., beginning with a version of his "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country ..." quote. Scott's iteration omitted much of the middle of the speech relating to Patton's anecdotes about Sicily and Libya, as well as his remarks about the importance of every soldier to the war effort. In contrast to Patton's humorous approach, Scott delivered
7300-477: The speech well. The general's strong reputation caused considerable excitement among his men, and they listened intently, in absolute silence, as he spoke. A majority indicated they enjoyed Patton's speaking style. As one officer recounted of the end of the speech, "The men instinctively sensed the fact and the telling mark that they themselves would play in world history because of it, for they were being told as much right now. Deep sincerity and seriousness lay behind
7400-414: The speeches occurred on 5 June 1944, the day before D-Day. Though he was unaware of the actual date for the beginning of the invasion of Europe (as the Third Army was not part of the initial landing force), Patton used the speech as a motivational device to excite the men under his command and prevent them from losing their nerve. Patton delivered the speech without notes, and so though it was substantially
7500-509: The tanks off the train. In the post, Patton trained tank crews to operate in support of infantry, and promoted its acceptance among reluctant infantry officers. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on April 3, 1918, and attended the Command and General Staff College in Langres. In August 1918, he was placed in charge of the U.S. 1st Provisional Tank Brigade (redesignated the 304th Tank Brigade on November 6, 1918). Patton's Light Tank Brigade
7600-415: The toughest boxers. Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. I wouldn't give a hoot in hell for a man who lost, and laughed. That's why Americans have never lost and will never lose a war. The very thought of losing is hateful to America. Battle is the most significant competition in which a man can indulge. It brings out all that is best and it removes all that
7700-535: The training of American troops in Paris until September, then moved to Chaumont and was assigned as a post adjutant, commanding the headquarters company overseeing the base. Patton was dissatisfied with the post and began to take an interest in tanks , as Pershing sought to give him command of an infantry battalion. While in a hospital for jaundice , Patton met Colonel Fox Conner , who encouraged him to work with tanks instead of infantry. On November 10, 1917, Patton
7800-429: The trenches dig a passage. I think I killed one man here. He would not work so I hit him over the head with a shovel." Patton stopped at a rear command post to submit his report before heading to a hospital. Sereno E. Brett , commander of the U.S. 326th Tank Battalion, took command of the brigade in Patton's absence. Patton wrote in a letter to his wife: "The bullet went into the front of my left leg and came out just at
7900-400: The trucks on the road to Gabès . Those drivers were magnificent. All day and all night they crawled along those son-of-a-bitch roads, never stopping, never deviating from their course with shells bursting all around them. Many of the men drove over 40 consecutive hours. We got through on good old American guts. These were not combat men. But they were soldiers with a job to do. They were part of
8000-411: The war and perhaps of all time, exceeding (in its morale boosting effect if not as literature) the words Shakespeare gave King Henry V at Agincourt ". Alan Axelrod contended it was the most famous of his many memorable quotes. The speech became an icon of popular culture after the 1970 film Patton . The opening of the movie saw actor George C. Scott , as Patton, delivering a toned-down version of
8100-458: The war, goddamn cowards, and breed more cowards. The brave men will breed more brave men. Kill off the goddamn cowards and we'll have a nation of brave men. One of the bravest men I saw in the African campaign was on a telegraph pole in the midst of furious fire while we were moving toward Tunis. I stopped and asked him what the hell he was doing up there. He answered, 'Fixing the wire, sir.' 'Isn't it
8200-440: The zeal with which all strove for success. Following the 1912 Olympics, Patton traveled to Saumur , France, where he learned fencing techniques from Adjutant Charles Cléry, a French "master of arms" and instructor of fencing at the cavalry school there. Bringing these lessons back to Fort Myer, Patton redesigned saber combat doctrine for the U.S. cavalry, favoring thrusting attacks over the standard slashing maneuver and designing
8300-566: Was George Smith Patton , who commanded the 22nd Virginia Infantry under Jubal Early in the Civil War and was killed in the Third Battle of Winchester , while his great-uncle Waller T. Patton was killed in Pickett's Charge leading the 7th Virginia Infantry regiment during the Battle of Gettysburg . Patton also descended from Hugh Mercer , who had been killed in the Battle of Princeton during
8400-463: Was already one of the most highly decorated officers in the AEF, and with whom Patton would serve later in his career. Patton's brigade was then moved to support I Corps for the upcoming Meuse–Argonne offensive , which began on September 26. He personally led a troop of tanks through thick fog as they advanced 5 miles (8 km) into German lines. Around 09:00, Patton was wounded while leading six men and
8500-577: Was an effective combat commander, having rehabilitated II Corps during the North African campaign and then led the Seventh United States Army through the Invasion of Sicily during 1943, at times personally appearing to his troops in the middle of battle in hopes of inspiring them. Patton's army had beaten General Bernard Montgomery to Messina which gained him considerable fame, although
8600-628: Was assigned to establish the AEF Light Tank School. He left Paris and reported to the French Army 's tank training school at Champlieu near Orrouy , where he drove a Renault FT light tank . On November 20, the British launched an offensive towards the important rail center of Cambrai , using an unprecedented number of tanks. At the conclusion of his tour on December 1, Patton went to Albert , 30 miles (48 km) from Cambrai, to be briefed on
8700-479: Was at VMI, Senator Thomas R. Bard nominated him for West Point. He was an initiate of the Beta Commission of Kappa Alpha Order . In his plebe (first) year at West Point, Patton adjusted easily to the routine. However, his academic performance was so poor that he was forced to repeat his first year after failing mathematics . He excelled at military drills, though his academic performance remained average. He
8800-605: Was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal , the citation for which reads: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Colonel (Tank Corps) George Smith Patton, Jr. (ASN: 0-2605), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of
8900-519: Was cadet sergeant major during his junior year, and the cadet adjutant his senior year. He also joined the football team, but he injured his arm and stopped playing on several occasions. Instead he tried out for the sword team and track and field and specialized in the modern pentathlon . He competed in this sport in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm , and he finished in fifth place—right behind four Swedes . Patton graduated number 46 out of 103 cadets at West Point on June 11, 1909, and received
9000-416: Was called simply "Patton's speech" or "The speech" when referencing the general. Be seated. Men, all this stuff you hear about America not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung. Americans love to fight. All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle. When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble shooter, the fastest runner, the big-league ball players and
9100-461: Was cancelled due to World War I . In 1915, Lieutenant Patton was assigned to border patrol duty with A Troop of the 8th Cavalry, based in Sierra Blanca . During his time in the town, Patton took to wearing his M1911 Colt .45 in his belt rather than a holster. His firearm discharged accidentally one night in a saloon , so he swapped it for an ivory-handled Colt Single Action Army revolver,
9200-435: Was given command of the Third Army, which conducted a highly successful rapid armored drive across France . Under his decisive leadership, the Third Army took the lead in relieving beleaguered American troops at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge , after which his forces drove deep into Nazi Germany by the end of the war. During the Allied occupation of Germany , Patton was named military governor of Bavaria , but
9300-464: Was named his personal aide for the expedition. This meant that Patton would have some role in organizing the effort, and his eagerness and dedication to the task impressed Pershing. Patton modeled much of his leadership style after Pershing, who favored strong, decisive actions and commanding from the front. As an aide, Patton oversaw the logistics of Pershing's transportation and acted as his personal courier. In mid-April, Patton asked Pershing for
9400-430: Was ordered to Washington by Army Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur . Patton took command of the 600 troops of the 3rd Cavalry, and on July 28, MacArthur ordered Patton's troops to advance on protesting veterans known as the " Bonus Army " with tear gas and bayonets . Patton was dissatisfied with MacArthur's conduct, as he recognized the legitimacy of the veterans' complaints and had himself earlier refused to issue
9500-468: Was part of Colonel Samuel Rockenbach 's Tank Corps, part of the American First Army . Personally overseeing the logistics of the tanks in their first combat use by U.S. forces, and reconnoitering the target area for their first attack himself, Patton ordered that no U.S. tank be surrendered. Patton commanded American-crewed Renault FT tanks at the Battle of Saint-Mihiel , leading the tanks from
9600-825: Was promoted to major again the next day. Patton was given temporary duty in Washington D.C. that year to serve on a committee writing a manual on tank operations. During this time he developed a belief that tanks should be used not as infantry support, but rather as an independent fighting force. Patton supported the M1919 design created by J. Walter Christie , a project which was shelved due to financial considerations. While on duty in Washington, D.C., in 1919, Patton met Dwight D. Eisenhower , who would play an enormous role in Patton's future career. During and following Patton's assignment in Hawaii, he and Eisenhower corresponded frequently. Patton sent notes and assistance to help Eisenhower graduate from
9700-544: Was regarded highly by his opponents in the German High Command . An award-winning biographical film released in 1970, Patton , helped popularize his image. George Smith Patton Jr. was born on November 11, 1885, in the Los Angeles suburb of San Gabriel, California , to George Smith Patton Sr. and his wife, Ruth Wilson, the daughter of Benjamin Davis Wilson , the second mayor of Los Angeles, and Margaret Hereford,
9800-639: Was relieved for making aggressive statements towards the Soviet Union and questioning denazification . He commanded the United States Fifteenth Army for slightly more than two months. Severely injured in an auto accident, he died in Germany twelve days later, on December 21, 1945. Patton's colorful image, hard-driving personality, and success as a commander were at times overshadowed by his controversial public statements. His philosophy of leading from
9900-483: Was viewed as unprofessional by some officers but the speech resounded well with his men. Some historians have called the oration one of the greatest motivational speeches of all time. In June 1944, Lieutenant General George S. Patton was given command of the Third United States Army , a field army newly arrived in the United Kingdom and composed largely of inexperienced troops. Patton's job had been to train
10000-446: Was with the 15th Cavalry at Fort Sheridan, Illinois , where he established himself as a dilligent leader who impressed superiors with his dedication. In late 1911, Patton was transferred to Fort Myer , Virginia, where many of the Army's senior leaders were stationed. Befriending Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson , Patton served as his aide at social functions on top of his regular duties as quartermaster for his troop. Patton had
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