Patton was promoted to brigadier general in 1940. By the time the US entered the war, Patton was the leader of the First Armored Corps. Patton's first role in World War II was the invasion of North Africa. Patton lead troops from the waters near Casablanca, Morocco. When they got to Algeria, Patton used his tactics of speed and drive to overwhelm the enemy. When March of 1943 came around, the Americans were defeated at Kasserin Pass, Tunisia. This is when Patton's career hit a turning point. Now in control of the Second Corps, he prepared for his next campaign through Italy.
In July of 1943, Patton was put in command of the Seventh Army. In a little more than a month, he landed in southern Italy, took the city of Palermo, and pushed his army all the way to Messina, on the opposite side of Sicily. Patton was then recognized as the best general the US had. Patton was soon put in the spotlight again, but for a different reason. In a Sicily hospital, he slapped two soldiers dealing with combat exhaustion. Because of this, his career was put on the line. However, Eisenhower recognized that they would need him in the battles to come. He was only required to apologize publicly to the army.
June 6, 1944, better known as D-Day. Patton was a part of Operation Quicksilver. Quicksilver was a decoy operation, used to conceal where the Allies were actually going. It worked, and the Germans were decieved. After, Patton was put in control of Third Army, a tank division. After the American victory, Patton used blitz against the Germans to push through France. In about a month he liberated the northern half of France. A few more weeks later, about 40,000 square miles had been liberated. He continued east, pushing out the Germans, until he was told to halt in August. In November of 1944, Patton was ordered to capture Metz, a French city that would open the Saar Basin to the Allies. After a siege that lasted a month during the worst winter in European records, the city had been captured by Patton. That same December, the Germans began a counterattack to try and turn the tables in their favor. While Patton was not initially involved in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge, he turned his army to help out his fellow Americans. Patton broke the siege, and the counterattack with it. In March of 1945, he crossed the Rhine and began pushing straight into Germany. Unable to handle his ruthless tactics, two whole armies were crushed by Patton and his men. He took 10,000 miles of land in ten day, a number unmatched in military history. The entire Palatinate region was also captured. By the time that Patton reached Austria and Czechoslovakia, the war had ended. Shortly after the war in December of 1945, he died in a car crash. It is said that the only American general the Germans feared was Patton. He was even called "that crazy cowboy general" by Hitler himself. His use of blitz against the Germans took them off guard and he crushed anyone who stood in his path with record speed. Patton was a general without equals. He was able to inspire his men to be fearless like him. Without Patton's tactics, the war may have taken significantly longer and the Allies may not have even won the war. "During the 281 days of incessant and victorious combat, your penetrations have advanced further in less time than any other army in history. You have fought your way across 24 major rivers and innumerable lesser streams. You have liberated or conquered more than 82,000 square miles of territory, including 1500 towns and cities, and some 12,000 inhabited places. Prior to the termination of active hostilities, you had captured in battle 956,000 enemy soldiers and killed or wounded at least 500,000 others. France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia bear witness to your exploits." -Said by Patton during his victory address |