Travels with Patton: Hello, Russkies!

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Tuesday, June 22, 2010 - 10:00 AM Share

May 1945, after dining with Soviet generals:

They are a scurvy race and simply savages... The officers with few exceptions give the appearance of recently civilized Mongolian bandits."

U.S. Army

EXPLORE:GENERAL PATTON, FUN STUFF, HISTORY

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JPWREL

3:03 PM ET

June 22, 2010

Well, Patton may have close

Well, Patton may have close to the mark with the superficialities of this observation about Soviet generals. But those Soviet commanders like Zhukov, Konev, Rokossovsky, Timoshenko and others performed military feats such as multiple double envelopments against the bulk of the fighting power of the Wehrmacht the most professional army of the twentieth century. The western generals confronting fewer and less quality forces never succeeded in a single envelopment from Normandy to the Elbe and that includes Patton.

TYRTAIOS

3:34 PM ET

June 22, 2010

Za zdorovie russkogo naroda JWREL!

Ah, but Crazy Joe Stalin thought Patton's move through France was remarkable and stated he doubted his generals could have done it as well.

JPWREL

4:40 PM ET

June 22, 2010

Of course Patton’s move

Of course Patton’s move though France was almost unopposed throughout the month of August to early September. Crazy Joe also had a tendency to make flattering comments for his own purposes. Stalin knew that had Zhukov or Konev or particularly Rokossovsky ran 3rd Army they would have had a similar road rally through a basically south of Paris empty of Wehrmacht France.

WHISKEYPAPA

5:46 PM ET

June 22, 2010

Unopposed or Not

Unopposed or not, no other U.S. general except maybe for "P" Wood of 4th AD would have even contemplated such a thing as crossing France the way it occured except for Patton.

Walt

JPWREL

6:37 PM ET

June 22, 2010

Your right. Wood of the 4th

Your right. Wood of the 4th Armored was an excellent battlefield technician and likely should have been running a corps not merely a division. He is one of the few unsung excellent commanders of the American army.

WHISKEYPAPA

12:07 AM ET

June 23, 2010

Tiger Jack

I have Hanson Baldwin's Bio of Gen. Wood, "Tiger Jack". He was a very good officer.

Walt

HUNTER

4:07 PM ET

June 23, 2010

What about Clarke?

I've tried researching about Bruce C. Clarke - hero of St Vith - but never make it too far. He seemd to be quite proficient.

AUGUST WEST

5:59 PM ET

June 22, 2010

Did Patton like ANYONE?

Other than himself, of course.

MARKUS64

6:26 PM ET

July 17, 2010

While fighting for their

While fighting for their lives they learned command and control, combined arms, maneuver, and effectively fielded durable weapons with a Sazky big punch. Their political system fortunately ended up in the ash heap of history but what they accomplished in 1941-1945 in a torrent of blood was incredible. In the summer campaign season they were fighting a Battle of the Bulge every week.