1885-1945 the most publically admitted controversial officer whose methods of inspiration polarized those around him into adoring or abhoring him with little left in between.

Patton was commissioned into the us cavalry in 1909 and just as proudly represented his nation in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. On the otherhand, he took part in the punitive invasion of Mexico in 1916 before going to France in 1917 as a captain on the staff General John Pershing(1860-1948) where the former eventually rose to comman a tak brigade. After the war, Patton led the charge into the masses of protesting veterans and their families at Washington DC demanding the gov't honor their enlistment promises of land etc(which hadn't), thousands of discharged soldiers and their families were to become casualties in this disgraceful act.

By April 1941 he became a two-star general and in January was given command of the 1st Armored Corps. His force was in the amphibious operations near Casablance during the North African campaign landings in neutral Vichy France in November 1942. He quickly became noted for being aggressive, hard-nosed and offensive-minded. He was quoted 'Hold them by the nose and kick them in the rear.' He was devoted to studying ancient military history but as far as anything recent, disgarded anything non-American as a source. He had more admiration for the Germans than he did the British he had to work with. He was completely dismissive of anyone else on either side, British or French, although he did detest communists with a passion.

He was anxious to show up Rommel and his Afrika Korps who were retreating from Montgomery after the British victory at El Alamein in the east. The neutral Vichy French and more determined ill-equipped Italians were one thing, then came the Germans. Despite air superiority and out-numbering the enemy in every manner, the Americans suffered a humiliating defeat to the Germans at Kasserine Pass. Patton took over command of the 2nd Corps as well now. He claimed that 80% his mission was to increase morale inhis troops, something he felt the hardest thing of all. Patton had enough trouble getting along with fellow American officers let alone the British so Bradley took over his command to plan the Sicilian campaign's US 7th Army.

It was in Sicily that the Americans finally earned the respect of their friends and foes alike despite the British supposedly being handed the lead role. Patton took Palermo withdaring armored thrusts and reached Messina before a ruffled Montgomery. Montgomery had become notoriously cautious, but it was still a great feat by Patton and his Corps.

Here, however, is where propaganda is again beyond sad but disgusting as well. Patton gave an inflammatory speech before the landings which his subordinates cited as being justification for war-crimes at Biscari. Just like the well-known SS executions of Allied POWs during the Battle of the Bulge, Patton's troops lined up German and Italian POWs and executed them. It is now quietly known and still ignored as the 'Biscari Massacre'. All involved claimed they were following Patton's orders. As the historians Sayer and Botting were 'permitted' to record in their 'unpopular' “Hilter's Last General” in 1989, “if the US officers commanding the men involved in these *atrocticities had received teh saem treatment as those Germanofficers found guilty after the war of the *Malmedy massacre, their sentences would have been as follows: Patton--life imprisonment; Bradley--ten years; Regimental commander cookson--death.

What actually happened was at worst demotion and cover-up. War crimes don't apply to the victors of course. We are a disgustingly hypocritical lot aren't we?

Patton instead became notorious for something comparably silly instead. Frustrated at not only German abilities and even Italians proving themselves not the easy prey he claimed they were in Africa, Patton, while attempting to raise the morale of his troops while accompanying the American Press Corps, he verbally abused and slapped soldiers suffering from combat exhaustion. It ended his career, regardless of his future successes, this incident would always be remembered. It is amazing that the American media would work so hard to investigate and publicise this and not the war crimes.

Regardless, Patton became known to the Germans supposedly being as ruthless as the SS. Eisenhower, then Supreme Commander in the Mediterranean at the time, regardless of the media 'slip-up' regarding embarassing an American rather than the enemy, deemed that Patton was too valuable to send home. Eventually he was posted to the UK to train the Third US Army preparing for its role in the Normandy campaign. Even behind closed doors he was never apologetic for his previous actions and the only thing he liked about Britain was Churchill's opinion of Stalin and the USSR and feeling that FDR was giving in to Stalin far too much already. Patton ended up placed in command of the non-existent First Army Group opposite Calaise where Hitler expected the cross-channel invasion to come from. Patton's reputation added to Hitler's refusal to listen to his own staff, including Rommel, was of immense value to the later success of D-day and its break-out.

Patton was eventually truely re-activated and given command of the US Third Army in France in August 1941. Typically throwing caution to the wind, in the opinion of some, he made a series of successful armored thrusts but was foiled by German commanders who ignored Hitler's orders and retreated to Patton's primary objectives, the French sea-ports. Running short on fuel, Patton's break-out across the Seine by a brilliant series of airlifts of fuel and within 2 weeks they were on the Meuse. However, with the Germans having ruined or still holding French ports the Allies were counting on and relegated to a trickle of overcrowded supplies from the beachheads or captured ports even further away from the front, Patton's rush ran out of gas. He managed to offend the French and Commonwealth in his quest for personal glory which didn't help. Again he was frustrated in being unable, after such rapid previous success, to seriously breach the German Siegfried Line of neglected fortifications guarding their western border. He did manage to capture Metz but soon after the Germans launched the Battle of the Bulge.

Patton's army left their jurisdiction, confiscated what fuel they needed and rushed north to meet the expanding southern flank of the German spearhead. Although he lost more vehicles than the Germans, it was a remarkable immediate bold move and as the German offensive peetered out he led the southern counter-offensive. The British and Canadians from the north had done the same from the north and were already in position to relieve Bastogne before the Americans, they were ordered to halt and Patton was given the honors. Even while being hailed as the hero of Bastogne, Patton stated that the Germans could yet avoid defeat. Patton nevertheless remained arrogant, self-grandiosing and self-pitying. At this vital time, he continued to decry the French as cowards, British as 'has-beens', Russians as the true enemy and Germans as brave allies-to-be.

On March 1945 he successfully crossed the Rhine at Mainz and Oppenheim through the heart of Germany and rushing for all he was worth into Austria and Czechoslovakia. He, amongst others, lobbied hard to re-arm the Germans, and march directly onto Moscow. British and American media were ordered to censor such comments as usual. He was eventually promoted to four star general and hailed by many as the most outstanding American general of the war. But again he seemed to lack common sense. While serving as military governor of Bavaria he publicly recommended that members of the Nazi Party be re-instated into administrative positions and was again relieved of his command.

Patton was as tough as they came as a leader, extroverted and aggressive and even flamboyant. He always dressed with a flare with polished high cavalry boots and ivory-handled revolvers strapped to his hips while spouting profanity during his posturing. Nicknamed 'old blood and guts', he was nevertheless cultured, widely read of many interests who wrote poetry. A meticulous lanner and perfectionist he was was devoutely religious in a peculiar way for an American. He believed in re-incarnation and that he was at major battles such as Carthage, which of course upset the Christian nature of the Anglo-Americans as you can imagine.

After being relieved of command for the last time, he was mortally wounded in a civilian car accident of all things in December 1945.

Hero or war criminal or both, you decide.