The history of each country always keeps the names of great military figures who, one way or another, influenced the course of military events. Each of them remains part of their homeland. So, George S. Patton (Jr.) is forever inscribed in US history.
Ancestors
Before telling about who officer Patton was, it is worth saying a few words about his no less famous ancestor. George Patton - the grandfather of the "younger" - at one time also served for the benefit of his homeland. During the Civil War, he was commander of an infantry regiment. Obviously, the courage of his grandfather and his activities directly influenced the future of his grandson. It cannot be ruled out that the father of the younger Patton was an officer, so the boy was provided with army education.
The beginning of life
A boy was born in 1885 in California. His father, George Smith Patton, was a lawyer, a retired officer. For a long time, "younger" studied at home. At 11, he went to school, where he studied for another 6 years. At this time, he begins to get involved in military literature and is preparing to become a real general.
While it was necessary to wait until the realization of what had been conceived, Patton quietly studied at first at a military institute, then at West Point Academy. By 1913, he became a lieutenant in the cavalry.
World War I
By the membership of America in World War I, George Patton received the rank of captain. His main task was the command of the tank corps. Now it is not known exactly what he was doing. There is evidence that he was a full-fledged commander, it is also likely that he was only an observer. For the first time, American tanks entered battle in 1917.
The very next year, the future general was first wounded. This happened at Saint-Michel, where he tried to get help for a group of tanks. The bullet went through the upper gluteal muscle. It will take several years, and Patton will often boast of this "military achievement."
For all the actions that the officer did during the First World War, he was first promoted to major, then to lieutenant colonel. The tank corps he commanded eventually became part of the First US Army. Also in the collection of George got a medal and a cross "For Outstanding Merits", the rank of colonel and the medal "Purple Heart".
Blood reward
The wound that Patton received in 1918 was the reason for his award. The Purple Heart sign is an American award given to those who have been injured or killed in battle at the hands of an adversary.
She began to be awarded back in 1782. At first, three servicemen received this award, and until 1861 no one received the medal. Since this year, the Medal of Honor has been approved, which was higher than the Purple Heart.
A full update of this award occurred only in 1932. This was done in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of the founder of the medal J. Washington. At first, she was awarded for military merits, including for a wound. Later, only military injuries were taken into account.
Between two fires
Immediately after the end of World War I, George Patton, whose biography was just beginning, was demoted to captain. The meeting with Dwight Eisenhower has led them to become friends. Then the captain could not know that this acquaintance would lead him to the great heights of military affairs.
At this time, he begins to work to improve the effectiveness of America’s tank system. At first, he tries to knock out finances to increase the power of the tank corps, but is defeated. Then he writes articles in which he talks about new tactics and tank building. His activity does not attract any attention, and he returns to his former place of work.
The Second World War
During World War II, General Patton did a lot for his country. While America was awaiting conflict, George calmly commanded an armored division. When Mexico became a supporter of the USSR in 1924, Patton realized that Japan could soon strike. In just a couple of days, he was able to organize his army to protect the country from invasion. But such an event spared Mexico, and the Japanese left their mark on the Aleutian Islands.
The next event, which Patton had already accepted as a major general, was sending to Morocco. The events that took place here made him lieutenant general and commander of the Second Corps of the US Armed Forces. In North Africa, a soldier proved to be a strict commander. Under his command, each soldier was accustomed to strict discipline, which subsequently helped in the fighting.
This was followed by events in Sicily, where they managed to capture the capital - Palermo, and take a big step to the east. After the events in Normandy, where Patton decided to try the German blitzkrieg tactics and in just 2 weeks he was able to walk 600 miles. The capital of France was liberated, and the general, with his aggressive tactics, achieved tremendous success.
The last step in ending the Second World War was the offensive in the Ardennes. The already experienced and wise General Patton was able to turn the fighting in favor of the allies of the anti-Hitler coalition. The Germans retreated, and George "walked" across Europe, freeing Europe from occupation.
Bitter injustice
Not a single wound of Patton during his entire military career could bring him closer to death. But the day before the general would be at home, he was overtaken by a car accident. A severe wound to the head in a clash between the Cadillac and the truck was fatal for the military commander. After 12 days, he died of an embolism. His wife was with him all this time. The great commander was buried in Luxembourg.
General cruelty: myth or reality
As history shows, many of George Patton’s words and deeds were fatal. He was repeatedly condemned for his cruel treatment, as well as racism. So, after expressing hatred on a national basis, his words led to the Biscar massacre, where US soldiers killed 76 Germans in captivity.
Another important event that could characterize the general was the incident with Private Bennett. Patton was outraged by the fact that without visible injuries, the private was lying in the hospital. Nowadays, he would have been diagnosed with post-traumatic shock, then they called it only nervous exhaustion. Going to Bennett's bed, the general asked about his health, to which he replied that his nerves were naughty, he hears the shells fly, but he does not hear them explode.
This revelation infuriated Patton; he twice hit the private in the head. He shouted in fury and said that such cowards should be immediately removed from the hospital. That it is painful for him to look at the wounded soldiers, and such as Bennett should not only be expelled and sent to the front line, but also shot against the wall.
Eisenhower, learning about this event, ordered George to apologize to the privates and the staff of the hospital. Also, the general was removed from command. Such a "dismissal" significantly influenced the behavior of the Germans. They believed that the "disappearance" of Patton is a tactical move, and therefore made a number of fatal mistakes.
A few words in the end
An interesting fact from Patton’s life is the 1912 Olympics. Then the modern pentathlon became popular. Athletes fought in horseback riding, fencing, running, shooting and swimming. At that time, the Olympic Games gathered all the military. Patton almost won the modern pentathlon. History indicates that the general failed the shooting. Although, as George himself claimed, the arbitrators condemned him. According to them, the bullets did not hit the target, although Patton was sure that they had gone through the holes from past shots.
It is also known that several medium tanks were named in memory of the general: the M46 Patton and the M48 Patton. These machines worked for dozens of other powers of the world and appeared in battles of the 2nd half of the 20th century.
In the early 1970s, a film was released about General George Patton. The movie received seven Oscars, and George Scott starred in the title role. In addition to filming the film based on the book of Omar Bradley's The Story of a Soldier, Patton’s autobiographical sketches, A War I Did Not Know, were also used.
George Patton was a smart general, an original tactician, and an aggressive general. Kentucky now houses a museum dedicated to the great officer, the "father of tank forces."