Patton's Third Army

Greg, That was the author and book I got that information from. You're correct that it was a well written and research book--my only problem it how he went back to the same argument several times throughout the book as if the otherwise well researched work was only fodder to prove this one argument. One time is history, but after three or four times I began thinking "why didn't he just write a book about that and stop trying to slip it into an otherwise excellent biography". Thanks for filling in the details--I type with two finders so that would have taken me a long time ;-)

 

Yes, I agree with you on that. I guess that was his angle or "hook" and he had to keep referring back to it. I remember one of my professors told me if one is pointing to something controversial, three sources should be cited. Although Hirshson consulted a vast trial report, it seemed to me that only one soldier/defendant actually mentioned Patton's speech in the entire testimony. Hirshson took a gamble because he turned off a lot of Patton fans in the first few pages, and that had to hurt future book sales.

Greg C.

 

11th Armored Division was in the Third Army, it's first engagement was at the end of December, '44. All of the units arrived in England in September then shipped to France originally to be assigned to the First Army. They wound up being assigned to Patton to help plug part of the southwest part of the bulge.