General George S. Patton

"Often I have encountered in life that great disappointments have proved to be the road to future successes."

"You must be single-minded. Drive for the one thing you have decided. You will find that you will make some people miserable; those you love and very often yourself. And, if it looks like you are getting there, all kinds of people, including some whom you thought were loyal friends will suddenly show up and do their Goddamndest, hypocritical best to trip you up, blacken you and break your spririt. Politicians are the worst; they'll wear their country's flag in public, but they'll use it to wipe their asses in the caucus room, if they think it will gain them a vote."

General Patton's Principles for Life and Leadership
(from the book by the same name)

Command and Management
Any man who thinks he is indispensable, ain’t.
People must have authority to match responsibility.
Commanders must command.

Health
An active mind cannot exist in an inactive body.
Always make the mind command the body.
To gain strength, always go beyond exhaustion.

Pride and Confidence
Pride in self starts with pride in appearance.
Do not be afraid to fail.
Never take counsel of your fears.

Decision Making
Grab’m by the nose and kick’m in the pants!
If everyone is thinking alike, no one is thinking.
In the long run, it is what we do not say that will destroy us.

Victory and Success
The way to win is to never lose!
Never fight a battle unless you will gain by winning.
Success is not getting on top; it’s how you bounce on the bottom.

Life and Death
Death can be more exciting than life.
Live for something rather than die for nothing.
Fear kills more people than death.

Patton's Maxims
A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution applied ten minutes later.
A pint of sweat will save a gallon of blood.
By perseverance, study, and eternal desire, any man can become great.
Do everything you ask of those you command.
Do more than is required of you.
Do not take counsel of your fears.
Give credit where it’s due.
Good tactics can save even the worst strategy. Bad tactics will destroy even the best strategy.
Haste and speed are not synonymous.
I prefer a loyal staff officer to a brilliant one.
In case of doubt, attack.
It’s the unconquerable soul of man, not the nature of the weapon he uses, that insures victory.
Lack of orders is no excuse for inaction.
Make your plans to fit the circumstances.
Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men.
Never let the enemy pick the battle site.
No good decision was ever made in a swivel chair.
Officers must assert themselves by example and voice.
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Select leaders for accomplishment, not for affection.
Success is how you bounce on the bottom.
Take calculated risks.
The leader must be an actor.
The more senior the leader, the more time he has to go to the front.
The only thing to do when a son-of-a-bitch looks cross-eyed at you is to beat the hell out of him right then and there.
The soldier is the army.
The only tactical principle which is not subject to change; it is, “To use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wounds, death, and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time."
There is only one type of discipline, perfect discipline.
War is simple, direct, and ruthless.
We can never get anything across unless we talk the language of the people we are trying to instruct.
You’re never beaten until you admit it.

"Breakout at Normandy: The 2nd Armored Division in the Land of the Dead" by Mark Bando, MBI Publishing Company.

My review of this book:
This is the story of the battles that took place during the last week of July, 1944, in the Normandy arena, culminating in the fierce night battle at La Lande des Morts on 29-30 July. Mr. Bando's excellent research and writing illuminates the events and personalities of this crucial and overlooked battle, and takes you into the foxholes and tank hatches of both Allied and Axis forces. Chock full of unusual pictures, with an excellent notes section, this book is a must for anyone interested in the fighting men of the Second World War.

Publication Information:
1999
MBI Publishing Company
8x10 1/2, 145 Pages
Index, B&W and color photos
0-7603-0654-0
Softcover

"Patton on Leadership: Strategic Lessons for Corporate Warfare" by Alan Axelrod, Prentice Hall Press.

My review of this book:
Most of the world views General George S. Patton as an egotistical, vane, power hungry, bloodthirsty warmonger. What he really was was probably the greatest motivator, planner, organizer, tactician and stategist the US Army has ever produced. Through a lifetime of study and application, Patton amassed a core set of practices and techniques that successfully and smoothly transform into the business world. Mr. Axelrod reviews these precepts and expands on their application to real-world business needs. Any business manager would be well advised to study these methods to become a more effective leader, and realize what the General always viewed as the final objective: To Win!

Publication Information:
November, 1999
Prentice Hall Press
Business/Management/History
6x9, 256 Pages
Index, 16 pages - B&W photo insert
0-7352-0091-2
$23.00, Cloth

Here's a list of books in my collection by and about Patton:

Follow Me! - Business Leadership, Patton Style - Warren Ridge, American Management Assc. 1989
One of my all time favorites. Describes Patton's methods for cutting thru all the bullshit to get the job done. A must read to reaquaint oneself with searching for the truth.
General Patton's Principles for Life and Leadership - Porter Williamson, MSC 1988
I read the soft-bound version on vacation one year. Searched for the hard-bound version for a long time - finally called Management Systems Consultants and got one SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. A good starter book for learning about GSP.
Patton Mind, The - Roger Nye, Avery Publishing Group 1993
Subtitled "The Professional Development of an Extraordinary Mind", Roger Nye shows how what Patton read and wrote always focused on developing his military training, culminating in his performance in World War 2.
Patton on Leadership - Alan Axelrod, Prentice Hall 1999
Th art of war by GSP. Mr. Axelrod takes Georgie's planning, organizational, motivational and execution tactics to the business front and shows how Patton's techniques can be utilized for any leadership position. Absolutely riveting. Recommended.
Patton Papers, The: Vol 1, 1885-1940 - Martin Blumenson, Houghton Mifflin Co. 1972
The best-seller on Patton. Using letters, correspondence, etc., traces Patton's development as a leader of men up to World War 2.
Patton Papers, The: Vol 2, 1940-1945 - Martin Blumenson, Houghton Mifflin Co. 1974
Vol 2 of the best-seller, traces Patton's exploits during World War 2 - Operations Torch and Husky, controversies with reporters, politicians and the military, the 3rd Army in Europe, Military Governor of Bavaria, his premature death in 1945.
Patton 's One-Minute Messages - Charles Province, Presido Press 1995
Patton at his best. "You're never beaten until you admit it". All his quotes and explanations can be used in business and personal situations, as well as war. Shows Patton's motivational skills.
Patton: A Genius for War - Carlo D'Este, Harper Collins 1995
The latest, and probably the best, biography of this extremely complex and talented man.
Patton's Tank Drive: D-Day to Victory - Michael Green, Motorbooks Intl. 1995
Describes GSP's exploits in WW2, including pre-war, Africa and Sicily, as well as France and Germany. Includes some of his post war thoughts. Excellent photos and captions of German and American equipment.
Pattons, The: A Personal History of an American Family - Robert Patton, Crown Publishing, Inc. 1994
A unique portrait of the well-known military family and, in particular, its most illustrious member, General George S.Patton, Jr., eloquently written by the general's grandson.
The Land That God Forgot... - Brig Gen David Henley, Western American 1992
The story of Patton's Desert Training Camp, Camp Young, near Indio California. March 1942 to April 1944. Small softcover sold at the General George Patton Memorial Museum. Some text, lots of interesting photos
Unknown Patton, The - Charles Province, Bonanza Books 1984
War As I Knew It - George Patton, Houghton Mifflin Co. 1975
A Militiary Book Club edition, it's mainly a collection of GSP's letters and diary entries from Torch (North Africa landing 11/42) thru VE Day (Germany 5/45). Included is some of GSP's other thoughts; I find his thoughts on Montgomery funny.
War As I Knew It - George Patton, Houghton Mifflin Co. 1994
Pattons diary entries from July 1942 to December 1945. This edition is from The Great Commanders series.

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Visit the Patton Museum at Ft. Knox, Kentucky