Life Lessons From George S. Patton, Jr.

“Do you think it would cause a complete breakdown of discipline if a lowly lieutenant kissed a starship captain on the bridge of his ship?” – Star Trek, TOS

If Peter Sellers fought for Patton, would he have driven a pink panzer?

I have been a long-time fan of General George S. Patton, Jr.  It started when I was a kid, and my history teacher even ordered a few extra Patton films for the World War II section of U.S. history because he knew I was a Patton fan.  Probably the biggest accolade that he could have was from the Germans who he fought, one of whom said simply, “He is your best.”

For whatever reason, though, I had never read The Patton Papers 1940-1945.  On a whim a week or so ago, I ordered a copy, and I cracked it open at lunch the day it arrived before I headed back to work.  I’m not sure I’ve ever enjoyed a book more.  I’m not sure The Mrs. feels the same way, since when I’m reading it, about every five minutes I’ll come up with a snippet to read to her.  She keeps saying, “Thanks, but no tanks.”

The book itself is a compilation of diary entries, letters Patton wrote, and orders he gave in the period from 1940-1945.  To have the ability to read through those are amazing, even when he just writes about the mundane aspects of his life or his son having trouble in math at school.  I didn’t start at the beginning, I just picked it up and started reading at a more-or-less random spot, which coincided with his taking command of American troops in North Africa.  And then I couldn’t put it down.

While many passages have resonated with me, I decided to write about one in particular today.  It consists of his instructions that were provided to his officers prior to launching Operation Husky, where he and Montgomery launched a naval invasion of Sicily.  Spoiler alert:  he did pretty well.  This is one passage I’ll make sure to share with Pugsley and The Boy because there is so much truth not only in a military sense, but in life to what Patton wrote on June 5, 1943.

Stuff in italics is Patton’s (from page 261 and page 262).  My comments are in plain text.

Discipline is based on pride in the profession of arms, on meticulous attention to details, and on mutual respect and confidence.  Discipline must be a habit so ingrained that it is stronger than the excitement of battle or the fear of death.

Discipline can only be obtained when all officers are imbued with the sense of their lawful obligation to their men and to their country that they cannot tolerate negligence.  Officers who fail to correct errors or praise excellence are valueless in peace and dangerous misfits in war.

Discipline starts with a single individual.  In my case, it doesn’t come from without, it must come from within.  Getting up on time.  Paying the bills.  Having a sense of purpose in life.  It has been my observation that people will do what you want when you’re looking if they fear punishment.  If they are being judged, they might do it when others are around.  When it becomes a value, however, they do it every time, all the time, even when no one is looking, and even when no one will ever know.

Officers must assert themselves by example and by voice.

People watch.  And people listen.  Letting things slide never creates excellence.

There is no approved solution to any tactical situation. 

There is only one tactical principle which is not subject to change.  It is:  “To so use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wounds, death, and destruction on the enemy in the minimum of time.”

Obviously, war isn’t a game, but the lesson for life outside of attacking Sicily in 1943 still exists.  And it’s not to use Claymores (FRONT TOWARD ENEMY) and a mortar barrage to open a business meeting.  But I have been involved in business and life situations where time was of the essence, and being polite just had to go out the window.

Never attack [enemy] strength, [but rather his weakness] . . .

You can never be too strong.  Get every man and gun you can secure provided it does not delay your attack . . .

Casualties vary directly with the time you are exposed t effective fire . . . Rapidity of attack shortens the time of exposure . . .

If you cannot see the enemy, and you seldom can, shoot at the place he is most likely to be . . .

Our mortars and our artillery are superb weapons when they are firing.  When silent, they are junk – see that they fire!

One thread that runs through Patton’s writing and actions is his devotion to attacking.  Defending wasn’t something that he was interested in.  In life, I think that attitude is required.  It’s easy to give up, it’s easy to fall into the trap that there’s nothing more to do, nothing more to gain.  It’s similar to having all A’s on my eighth-grade report card and deciding to coast on that for the rest of my life.

Potential can only be realized if we push ourselves, and we can only push on the attack.  So, attack life like a poodle going after a pork chop, up to the very last breath.

Never take counsel of your fears.  The enemy is more worried than you are.  Numerical superiority, while useful, is not vital to successful offensive action.  The fact that you are attacking induces the enemy to believe that you are stronger than he is . . .

A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution ten minutes later . . .

IN CASE OF DOUBT, ATTACK . . .

Again, attack.  But the additional thought is added:  don’t listen to your fears.  Fear is something that will paralyze even a strong man.  And from my experience, the best way to get over fears and avoid the paralysis that comes with them is to take action.  What action?  Any action that leads you toward your goal.  Even the smallest action often sets off a cascade of following actions that lead to . . . success.

Mine fields, while dangerous, are not impassable.  They are far less of a hazard than artillery concentrations . . .

Speed and ruthless violence on the beaches is vital.  There must be no hesitation in debarking.  To linger on the beach is fatal.

We are going to run into problems.  Some of them huge.  Some of them of our own making.  The idea is to push through.  The Mrs. and I watched a kid on the local wrestling team that was just awful in terms of skills, experience, and well, brains.  But, he’d get it in his head that he could win, and he would go out and win some very, very unlikely matches.  Why?  He didn’t hesitate.  He jumped on the chances he made.

I’ll probably have a few more of these as I go through the book.  And, as much fun as it is to read, I’m going to take my time to enjoy it.  I’d best show a little bit of discipline . . . Patton might be watching.

Author: John

Nobel-Prize Winning, MacArthur Genius Grant Near Recipient writing to you regularly about Fitness, Wealth, and Wisdom - How to be happy and how to be healthy. Oh, and rich.

25 thoughts on “Life Lessons From George S. Patton, Jr.”

  1. Bought “War As I Knew It” 20+ years ago. Impressive book. I’d guess that much of it is recanted in “The Patton Papers”. Agreed on his statement to execute a good plan right now is better than a perfect plan started tardily.

    It’s worked for me.

    1. Just over 20 years ago, me and the guys from battlefront.com had a detailed “behind the scenes” tour at Ft Knox from a major in 11th Cav. Took the whole day. Tank simulators were a hoot.

  3. Another fun Patton quote: “I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me.”

    Patton also knew some things that aren’t supposed to be said, perhaps explaining the odd circumstances surrounding his untimely death.

    1. Very much so. Imagine President Patton? How cool would that have been.

      The French loved him, though. After Ike sacked him, they invited him to Paris and gave him a bunch of medals.

  4. A few years back I read the Michael Shaara series on WWII in the European Theater (The Rising Tide, Steel Wave, No Less Than Victory). Patton is featured heavily in those books. Shaara tries to write as the characters would have spoken based on their writings, journal entries and letters. It was a fascinating read. This book sounds equally fascinating. I think I shall add it to my reading queue.

    And the Seychelles meme? Gold.

  5. Middle of college, forced to cut back to half-schedule one semester because of walking pneumonia, and the library had the set. Read both volumes one week cover to cover in my spare periods.
    And by the second day, I was making notes as if it was a school research project.
    This is like reading Roman generals or Greek philosophers, only better. Lessons for life from a master.

    1) Go back and read it from the beginning. Trust me on this.
    He missed West Point on the first try because of poor grades.
    Got in a year late, still sucked at academics (46 out of 103), but became the cadet sergeant major and cadet adjutant his junior and senior years because of impeccable discipline, drill, and appearance.
    2) I can still quote multiple passages, of the many I wrote down, from memory, and somewhere, I still have the notebook outline.
    Do your damnedest always.
    If you had time to sleep last night, you had time to get ready for today.
    The Manual (for anything) is for the honest 80%. The Smart 10% don’t need it, and the Stupid 10% won’t read it.
    The only discipline that matters is self-discipline.

    He was hilarious.
    During his breakout from Normandy, He was ordered by Omar Bradley’s HQ staff in no uncertain terms not to take a certain town (which name escapes me). He radioed back: “Have already taken Xxxxxx. Do you want me to give it back?”

    He also had a darkly humorous side. While watching the Air Corps pound targets in December of ’44, he witnessed the total destruction by bombers of a town to his front.
    To the tune of a classic Christmas carol, he wrote:
    “O little town of Houffalize
    how still we see they lie;
    the hopes and fears of all the years
    were blown to Hell last night.    ”

    After The Patton Papers, did the same thing with Von Clauswitz, and then Sun Tzu’s Art Of War.
    And then Hackworth’s About Face.
    Changed my major the next year, and entered the Marines the following year.

    And unlike any 10,000 toothless banjo-playing kinfolk, wannabe pretenders, and gypsy locusts of late from 49 other states, he was an actual and native Californian.

    1. Didn’t Patton attend VMI his 1st year? Seem to remember that his family was originally from VA before moving to CA.

      1. He went to VMI because he couldn’t make it into the Point the first time around, yes.
        His parents were from California since after the Civil War. His ancestors were from VA. And Britain before that.

        “Originally” is always a relative term.
        “Native Americans” were originally from Siberia, and Mesopotamia before that, so it always comes back to when you start from.

    2. It’s really, really good. I have no idea why it took me this long to get to it.

      I was born there, but not raised there, so I probably don’t count, either . . .

        1. And I’m much better looking. After Pugsley graduates from high school, I do need to head back that way. I do have kin in LA.

  7. Patton’s actions during the Mexican campaign against Poncho Via forces armed only with his trusty colt 45 pistols is the first example I remember reading of the shear braver and tenacity of the man. A true American hero and a man of action to emulate in life. Too bad we don’t have any general officers of his caliber today.

  9. I have been reading Patton’s “War as I Knew it” this month, and have really enjoyed it. Kind of surprising, as I wasn’t sure what to expect. He was funny, but also intelligent and opinionated. I highly recommend it. His advice is great, too. I’ve been reading it to my husband, whose response has been similar to your wife’s response. Some people should be tankful that someone cares enough to read them the good parts.

  10. While writing my American Imperium trilogy, the Patton Papers and Caesar’s Commentaries were never far from my reach. Hell, just before the Battle of Tupelo* in “Empress’ Crusade,” Faustina quotes him: “We’ll hold their noses here while the other two legions kick ’em in their ass!”

    *While taking place about 50mi from that town, Faustina wanted their name associated with their loss. She’s a jerk that way.

    https://tinyurl.com/5azk8ppv

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