Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Top 10 Patton Quotes

Strange that we don't see colourful figures like this anymore:

  1. "You are not beaten until you admit it"

  2. "Lack of Orders if no excuse for inaction. Anything done vigorously is better than nothing done tardily"

  3. "We received a number of replacement captains. I had initially assigned them to companies under lieutenants until they had learned the ropes. While this is not authorized in the regulations, I did it in both this and the First World War, and it works." (On training tactics)

  4. "Do not take counsel of your fears" (Letter of Instruction No. 1, issued to Corps, Division and Separate Unit Commanders)

  5. "There seems to be an unwitting conspiracy [by higher command] to make me lose my self-confidence, but so far it has failed"

  6. "I don't want to get any messages saying 'I am holding my position'. We are not holding a goddamned thing. Let the Germans do that. We are advancing constantly and we are not interested in holding on to anything, except the enemy's balls. We are going to twist his balls and kick the living shit out of him all the time. Our basic plan of operation is to advance and to keep on advancing regardless of whether we have to go over, under or through the enemy." (Speech to Third Army)

  7. "I have studied the German all of my life. I have read the memoirs of his generals and political leaders. I have even read his philosophers and listened to his music. I have studied in detail the accounts of every damned ones of his battles. I know exactly how he will react under any given set of circumstances. He hasn't the slightest idea of what I'm going to do. Therefore, when the time comes, I'm going to whip the Hell out of him" (On the importance of knowing your enemy)

  8. "It is always best, when practicable, to drive to the front, so that the soldiers can see you going in that direction, and to save time, fly back by Cub plane so that you are never seen going to the rear." (On Leadership)

  9. "May God deliver us from our friends; we can handle the enemy" (On the fatal ineffectiveness of SHEAF, High Command)

  10. "I have taken Trier with only two divisions. Do you want me to give it back?" (Telegram in response to an order from SHEAF not to take the city of Trier anything less than three divisions, which was ignored and promptly conquered with two divisions)

1 comment:

sirpsycho said...

Good stuff! I love the last one :)