Some big points from War As I Knew It:
- Patton seemed like an excellent wartime diplomat & politician, although very far removed from the fighting troops. His dealings with the Moroccans showed an excellent ability to walk the diplomatic tightrope. How he handled the Vichy French in Morocco was equally impressive, turning yesterday's enemy into today's ally.
- He didn't seem to bear any grudge against Bradley or Eisenhower, and his dislike of Montgomery was based on what he saw as Monty's incompetence.
- He would routinely discount protests from subordinates and insist that they press forward, in keeping with his theory of 'hold 'em by the nose & kick 'em in the ass' (this refers to a flanking tactic), although he felt that infantry lose effectiveness after 60 hours of continuous attack.
He frequently mentioned that aggressive attack would save American lives in the long run.
- He seemed so far removed from the average soldiers that the highlights he provides of his direct interaction with them stick out conspicuously. However, when discussing the error of micromanagement, two points struck me as right on:
1. Don't tell men how to do things. Just tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.
2. It isn't up to an army's commander (referring to 3rd Army) to decide how to beat the enemy, but rather where to beat him.
- In letters home to his wife, you'd think he was writing to a fellow general most of the time. Although there was some humor, and some mention of non military matters, there was never a hint of 'I love you' or 'I miss you.' They are good records of his thoughts at the time, but are pretty cold considering the intended audience.
