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What if Eisenhower Had Backed Patton’s Tanks in ’44…
…Rather Than Support Monty’s Failed “Market Garden”?
I was shocked to learn that nobody on Medium had ever explored this subject, with all its delicious Cold War and Patton “kick butt” overtones. So here I am, de facto war expert about to cover this, using the things I read and hopefully sensible and impartial judgement.
PROFILE OF PATTON: Let us first profile the main actor in this hypothetical drama, General George Patton. He was arrogant, and a loose-cannon. However he had an uncanny ability to get things done (and we will explore these things later). Before we profile him as a kind of God-Complex General MacArthur with pearl-handled revolvers, know the following:
1) Pretty much ALL Generals tend to be arrogant and sometimes reckless. What separates the good from the bad is logistical sensibilities, the ability to get the best out of their men, find advantages and press them.
2) General Patton had a very good grasp of war history and history in general. He knew the terrain and battles that had been fought on them prior (and the outcomes).
3) My father was a POW in Germany, and actually heard Patton speak when liberated. My father was a normal, intelligent, reasonable guy, not a rah-rah Neanderthal by any means. He…
