. On or about the fourteenth of December, 1944, General Patton called Chaplain ONeill, Third Army Chaplain, and myself into his office in Third Headquarters at Nancy. You have liberated or conquered more than 82,000 square miles of territory, including 1,500 cities and towns, and some 12,000 inhabited places. The American public embraced a pacifism inspired by a vision of the future in which war was a relic of the barbaric past. He studied military history, as well as the last war and current developments. His strength lay not in his military might, but in his recognition of Gods proper claims upon his life. As blood poured from his wound,he serenely contemplated his own death. 2. But due to circumstances beyond the control of anyone, we have heretofore fought separately. I dont want them to. A common GI saying about Patton was, "our blood, his guts." The general's low point came in August 1943 when he slapped two shell-shocked soldiers under his command for crying. Few would have predicted that Eisenhower would become the most brilliant star of the West Point class of 1915the class the stars fell on.. The German is a war-trained veteranconfident, brave, ruthless. We were lucky in Africa, in Sicily, and in Italy. Dont ever think that your job is unimportant. Patton began his military career . He had not failed them; he had shown his courage and faced his fears. When the war ended, Patton said, 'You don't know what Hell looks like from the top, but that's what Germany looks like'. Battle is not a terrifying ordeal to be endured. Patton became famous during this time for his tough motivating speeches to his troupes and earned the nickname "old blood and guts." Invasion of Italy After Pearl Harbor, the U.S. entered World War II. . 5. But as a devout Christianwhatever the profanity in his speeches suggested otherwisehe couldnt help but be moved by walking in the footsteps ofJesus. . That is not the way to win battles. The League of Nations, which emerged from the war to end all wars, embodying President Woodrow Wilsons idealistic hopes for international understanding, would peacefully settle future disputes among nations. I am sure we will have great success. Brad, for Gods sake tell the world were across . He announced that the Third Army would shortly capture its 230,000th prisoner of war. Patton read it and directed that it be circulated without change to all of the Third Armys 486 chaplains, as well as to every organization commander down to and including the regimental level. . He wanted torun. Beatrice flew to her husbands side after ordering that her children remain at home. . He was zealous in his duties and got the action he sought. We have the finest food, the finest equipment, the bestspirit, and the best men in the world. 1928 October 6 Pattons mother, Ruth Wilson Patton, died. Enough to allow the Allies to break the backbone of the Von Runstedt offensive and turn a temporary setback into a crushing defeat for the enemy. Therewas his grandfather Colonel George Patton, killed at Winchester inthe Civil War; and Colonel Waller Tazewell Patton, who died fromwounds received at Gettysburg. Sure we want to go home. But Patton could look to more recent lessons about weather and battle. . He was a sincere believer. We got through on good old American guts. . It lives, sleeps, eats, and fights as ateam. Let us be men. . Men, this stuff that some sources sling around about America wanting out of this war, not wanting to fight, is a crock of bullshit. Pattons army was victorious at El Guettar, and the Germans learned that the United States Army, led by its new commander, was no longer to be taken lightly. If hesays hes not, hes a liar. George S. Patton was one of America's most famous and colorful generals. Many of the men drove over 40 consecutive hours. 1920 June 20 Patton reverted to the permanent rank of captain. Patton's "Blood and Guts" Speech - History (2022) Loading. . Blood. Upon completing his crossing over a pontoon bridge, he took some dirt on the far bank, emulating his favorite historical figure William the Conqueror. Thebilious bastards who write that kind of stuff for theSaturday Evening Post dont know any more about realfighting under fire than they know about f***ing! living Goddamned guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks. is plain. Ike thought Patton to be a leader of men exemplar. Behind Patton's blood and guts personality was an absolute professional, one of the most competent army commanders our side put into the field; the Germans were painstaking in their analysis of the leaders who faced . . . George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 - December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in France and Germany after the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Then about 1600 it stopped. March 12 Patton was promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant general. George S. Patton Inspirational, Motivational, Positive 307 Copy quote I am sure it will succeed. 1941 April 4 Patton was promoted to the temporary rank of major general. He also faced uncertainty about his career in peacetime. He made his way halfway across the bridge before suddenly halting. Well get rid of the son of a bitch. Eklund, he demanded, do you know Chaplain So-and-so?. It is the reaction of the actors to the ordeal when it actually comes. . He immediately became calm, shakingoff his tremors of fear. ONeill later recalled. See answer (1) Best Answer. Site created in November 2000. In April 1941 Patton, who had been acting commander of theSecond Armored Division for six months, was given permanentcommand and promoted to major general. Anyone who has ever viewed the motion picture PATTON will never forget the opening. I want to talk to you about this business of prayer. Patton rubbed his face in his hands, sat silently for a moment, then rose up and walked to the high window of the office where he stood with his back to ONeill, watching the falling rain. An enemy machine gun bullethad torn through his body, entering his groin and exiting his buttocks,ripping open a wound the size of a teacup. But General Patton could not control the weather, which affected weapons, aircraft, and the movement of troops. Angelo knew that Pattonhadbeen gravely wounded and needed medical attention. I pray that I will fall forward when I amshot. Uncertain of the role, if any, he might play in the coming invasion of Europe, Patton took a sightseeing trip to the Holy Land and Malta. . . As one soldierrecalled: I am positive the Patton image was born on the first day hespoke in that bowl. Our bravery is too negative. He would not tolerate defeatism in prayers or sermons. It was not a terrible thing,he thought. On reaching Jerusalem, we were met by Major General D. F. McConnell, who commands the district. . That is not the way to win battles. If youre not alert, some time a German son of abitch is going to sneak up behind you and beat you todeath with a sockful of shit! I pray that I will fall forward when I am shot. I was shotin the behind in World War I! He felt that love was all around him, like a subdued light. It seems to me that at the head of a regiment of cavalry any thing would be possible.5 What seemed immediately possible, or so Patton hoped, was war in Mexico that would involve the United States. And dontgive the enemy time to dig one either. In union there is strength! March 24 Patton urinated into the Rhine River. In addition, they had killed or wounded an estimated 88,000 enemy soldiers and taken another 30,000 prisoner. An armored division is the most powerful organizationever devised by the mind of men . This is a helluva way to die, General Patton told Gay. Death, in time, comes to allmen. A man prays to God for assistance in circumstances that he cannot foresee or control. He had a massive library, a "who's who," of ancient and modern war.. With every good wish to each of you for a very Happy Christmas, and my personal congratulations for your splendid and courageous work since landing on the beach. His aunt read to him three to four hours a day. Death must not be feared. In 1941, on the day the menof the Second Armored Division completed their orientation at FortBenning, Patton appeared wearing a new uniform, which, characteristically,he had designed himself. . In 1910, he was married to Beatrice Ayer, a family friend he had long courted. It began with the crossing of the River Rhine in March 1945, with forces fanning out and overrunning all of Western Germany until their final surrender on May 8, 1945. About a hundred and fifty doughboys followed him, but when theyarrived at the crest of the hill, the onslaught of gunfire forced themall to the ground, hugging it for protection. Paralyzed from the neck down, he was taken to a hospital in Heidelberg. Since all these genealogies, covering the knights from sometime in 1100 to date, are preserved in the library, it gives the greatest historical family tree in the world. When he reached the other side of the river, Patton pretended to stumble, imitating William the Conqueror, who famously fell on his face when landing in England but transformed the bad omen into a propitious one by leaping to his feet with a handful of English soil, claiming it portended his complete possession of the country. To learn more,click here for our comprehensive guide to General Patton. The two men bonded over their shared military enthusiasm and love of strategy. It worked out more or less that way, with Patton the first officeror soldier of any rank in the United States Armyassigned to the Tank Corps, where he was charged with establishing the First Army Tank School. In my opinion it is a fake, since the pommel is not of the correct shape, nor has it sufficient weight. . The conversation went something like this: General Patton: Chaplain, I want you to publish a prayer for good weather. It was useless to try to move from the relative safety ofthe small hollow blown in the earth. Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower, General George S. Patton, and General Omar N. Bradley engineered the Allied conquest that shattered Hitler's hold over Europe. . The coward is the one who lets his fear overcome his sense of duty. Yet he still viewed the Holy Land as a general, viewingthe Exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land in terms of logistics, supply chains, and provisions. All rights reserved. . Ed - December 21, 2016. Patton 360 Rogue General. And when we get to Berlin, I am going to personally shoot that paperhanginggoddamned son of a bitch just like I would a snake., The troops cheered Pattons remarks. In his new bookPatton: Blood, Guts, and Prayer, author Michael Keane takes readers on a journey through Patton's career in three parts: his military prowess, his inspirational bravery, and his faith. The Chaplain came up the next day. General Pattons communication was not limited to his speeches; he alsoprojected strength in his demeanor and in his dress. During the interwar period, Patton remained a central figure in the development ofarmored warfaredoctrine in the U.S. Army. In my mind we came here to thank God that men like these have lived rather than to regret that they have died.. The turning point of World War II. He was 60 years old. His Will Be Done. 157 Copy quote I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom. Pattons Third Army could attack twenty-four hours after getting the signal. . Patton and his men returned to camp with the corpses of the Villaists strapped over the hoods of their cars. From the Forum we got into the cars and drove to the Garden of Gethsemane, where there are still olive trees which just possibly may have been in existence at the time of the Crucifixion. Pattons speeches typically included humor, almost always profaneand often self-deprecatory: I do not know of a better way to die than to be facingthe enemy. 1925 March 4 Patton sailed from New York to Hawaii on the Army Transport ship Chateau-Thierry going through the Panama Canal. 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