World

What Would Patton Do?

Oct. 12, 2012 12:27pm

- Pacific Council on International Policy

Michael Keane is a former Fellow of Defense Department's National Security Education Program. Keane holds a JD from the University of Texas School of Law, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a BA from the University of Southern California. He is also the author of The Night Santa Got Lost: How NORAD Saved Christmas and PATTON: Blood, Guts, and Prayer.

Just months after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, when the situation there was devolving into a guerrilla conflict, America’s military leaders urgently searched for guidance in fighting an Arab insurgency. Many, including General David Petraeus, pored over the writings of a British colonel from the early twentieth century, T. E. Lawrence (better known as “Lawrence of Arabia”). But a more profitable use of their time might have been reading the war journal of America’s greatest combat general, George S. Patton Jr.

Keane: What Would Patton Do?

General George S. Patton, Jr. (photo: www.generalpatton.com)

Patton’s fame is built mainly on his leadership of the Third Army as it slashed its way across Europe late in World War II, but his amphibious invasion of  Morocco and Algeria in November 1942, “Operation Torch,” is rich in lessons for the U.S. today. Although he eventually earned a reputation as politically incorrect, brittle and insensitive in his North Africa campaign, Patton exhibited the skills of a diplomat; demonstrating an appreciation for Arab culture and a knowledge of Islam.

During the two-week voyage across the Atlantic, while his hundred-ship convoy zig-zagged to avoid enemy U-boats, Patton read the Koran, which he described in his war journal as “a good book and interesting.”

After the invasion, when Patton’s forces fought for Casablanca, he wrote to the sultan of Morocco assuring him that the Americans did not come as conquerors but only to defeat the Nazis. On “his word of Honor,” Patton pledged that when the enemy had been driven off, he and his soldiers would leave Morocco forever.

Once the Vichy French had been defeated, Patton summoned their commanders to a meeting. An American aide read the stiff terms of surrender which Patton had been given from Washington, requiring that the Vichy forces effectively disband and turn over all internal security to the Americans. The French general Charles Nogues bluntly predicted that the Americans would come to regret such a move.

Patton immediately appreciated Nogues’ point that attempting to govern a restive native population of seven million Arabs and Berbers, while continuing to conduct a military mission with a force of only 35,000 men, would be impossible.

Patton did not wait for instructions from his superiors. He stood up before the French officers, picked up the surrender treaty and tore it into small strips. “If each of you … gives me his word of honor that there will be no further firing on American troops and ships, you may retain your arms and carry on as before—but under my orders.” The French dutifully agreed, and internal order was maintained. The Coation Provisional Authority in Iraq ignored this lesson. Its second order was to disband the Iraqi army, which almost certainly fueled an insurgency that turned the invasion’s initial success into a desperate conflict.

When Patton met with the sultan, the monarch told him that since the Americans “were in Mohammedan country, he hoped the American soldier would show proper respect for Mohammedan institutions.” Patton informed the sultan that he had already given such an order in forceful language prior to his departure from the United States and that he would enforce it. Patton asked that the sultan report “any incidents of sacrilege which some individual soldier might commit.”

When a representative of the monarch asked for Patton’s assistance in maintaining peace, Patton, prone to exaggeration, replied with a straight face that “since my earliest infancy my whole idea had been to maintain peace in French Morocco.” Knowing the vital importance of local intelligence, Patton then requested that the sultan inform him of any potentially rebellious elements. The monarch’s agent promised to tell Patton of any acts by “miscreants” and “certain natives … miscalled Arabs” who might cause any trouble.

Patton was also sensitive to the corrosive effects of civilian casualties, a lesson that would be painfully relearned decades later in Afghanistan. When dozens of Arabs were killed and wounded by an errant bombing strike, Patton quickly wrote a letter of sympathy to the pasha of Marakkesh, even though the bombs were dropped from a Nazi plane. He also learned of a local method of fighting between Arabs and Berbers. The Arabs would refuse to give fight except from buildings, making them very difficult to kill. The Berbers responded by sneaking up to the defended homes at night and planting improvised bombs.

Patton’s sensitivity was rewarded a hundred fold. He was decorated as a hero and invited to participate in royal hunting parties. He was also treated to feasts held in his honor, where he adeptly ate using only three fingers of his right hand, as the local culture dictated. Showered with presents, Patton learned to be careful never to indicate that he admired an article of clothing or an antique since its owner would feel obliged to present it to him as a gift.

In a ceremony at the royal palace the sultan informed Patton that his “gracious presence would have a profound and salutary influence on the entire Moslem world.” In Rabat, at a parade in his honor, he was cheered by a hundred thousand people shouting “Vive l’Amerique!” “Perhaps I should have been a statesman,” Patton wrote to his wife.

Patton collected his observations on the local population in a personal essay he titled “Notes on the Arab.” He described a people with a wonderful sense of humor and a propensity for gossip, estimating that rumors could travel forty to sixty miles in a day. He mused on the causes of the region’s arrested economic development and deplored the treatment of women. He observed local customs, dress, and agricultural practices.

Patton’s conduct during his North African campaign offers an important correction to the one-dimensional caricature of a hard driving and profane general. And his leadership during Operation Torch also could have provided valuable lessons into the conduct of military operations in that perplexing region—lessons that future American generals seem to have learned only after years of painful combat and sacrifice.

Michael Keane is the author of Patton: Blood, Guts, and Prayer

Comments (12)

  • phillycornerboy
    Oct. 15, 2012 at 12:22pm

    just a reminder…after defeating the nazis’ Patton wanted to continue on and defeat our then allies the communist russians.

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    phillycornerboy  
  • jman-6
    Oct. 15, 2012 at 8:45am

    Patton/Puller just to name a few are REAL HEROES! While I believe in peace thru strength I believe most on the right miss a very important part Reagan was making. One of the biggest regrets he had was not curtailing the defense budget. (i.e.wasteful politicians) While the main driver is technology costs the ever bloated beauracracy wasteful politicians caused is killing us. I think we lose our credibility when we say we want get rid of other Dept.’s and we can’t fix our 1 main thing. Don’t take this as I wanna chop DOD but we could do a better job! GOD SPEED

    Report this comment

    jman-6  
  • just his servant
    Oct. 14, 2012 at 4:28pm

    This article misses one very large point. Patton was fighting Germans, white Christians different than the native population. Of course the Arabs sat back, why shouldn’t they? He didn’t have to overcome the hurdles of fighting islamic warriors that are ethnically, racially, and spiritually very much like the so-called allies that are fighting with us. When you are fighting on the side of Afgans and Iraqis and you are different in these areas, most will always have suspicions of you, and carry a guilt for fighting with you against their own, regardless of the differences they may have. In Afganistan, perhaps instead of invading we should have copied Sherman and “made them howl”, with a blow that would not have been forgotten in modern history.
    Then move on.

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    just his servant  
  • USA1Patriot
    Oct. 13, 2012 at 9:30pm

    I believe the author took great liberty, in not demonstrating better, who and what Patton really was. To suggest that Patton “learned as he went”, is to not know Patton at all. First and foremost, Patton was perhaps the greatest student of history, to have ever served in the US military, at any time in our history.

    Long before he was sent to North Africa, Patton had already studied the history of Africa, Europe and Asia. He not only knew the history, but the customs, the religions, the tribal and ethnic connections and their limitations. Patton also was an avid collector, which during his assault through North Africa, Sicily and Europe, paid real dividends when only Patton had most of the old maps and trade routes that were not even mentioned on maps used by the military, regardless of country.

    Patton was not just a leader of men, but unlike most, he always led from the front, from which his men and the enemy found out soon enough, could only be done with bravery, determination, honor and a drive to end the war as quickly as possible. There is no question that Patton could be charming and very effective as a politician, but he never attempted to confuse the two.

    Patton also sincerely believed that he was an ancient warrior, having fought and died many times throughout the centuries. On far more than one or two occasions, Patton would point out ancient battlefields, long lost to history and he used those lessons in decimating our enemies.

    Patton cr

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    USA1Patriot  
    • USA1Patriot
      Oct. 13, 2012 at 9:50pm

      cont:

      Patton created fear in his enemies, so much so, that Hitler spent more money and had more people attempting to find out where Patton was, than all the other generals and political leaders combined.

      What is the lesson of history? That wars can not be fought or won by politicians, waged by PC standards or silly rules of engagement which only favor the enemy.

      Patton worked on a simple principle that has been vacant since his death/murder, excepting in my humble opinion, Stormin Norman…a man for which Patton would have gladly had working relationship with. Both men understood with every fiber of their souls, identify the enemy, cut it’s head off and kill/destroy it as fast as you can, then go home in peace.

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      USA1Patriot  
    • warrior21
      Oct. 14, 2012 at 12:04pm

      USA1Patriot,well said. It a shame that the U.S. can no longer produce fighting generals. Today our military is led by a bunch of A** kissing politicians. The so-called wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are proof of this.

      Report this comment

      warrior21  
    • JRGJR
      Oct. 15, 2012 at 12:15pm

      Those were the days we were still a Christian nation. Long gone are the days of true “Shock and Awe” or “making them howl”. We will never truely Win another war as long as we continue to fight under the constraints we now have.

      Report this comment

      JRGJR  
    • grimmster
      Oct. 15, 2012 at 10:56pm

      @Usa1patriot.
      Very well said! In my younger days i spent hours reading as much as i could on Patton,and if i’m not mistaken,he cared no more for the muslims as he did for the russians,though at my age my memory may be a bit off. One thing is for sure, had Eisenhauer listened to Patton,there would be NO communism to worry about, in this day and time,and islam either……

      Report this comment

      grimmster  
    • grimmster
      Oct. 15, 2012 at 10:58pm

      And as far as this author goes, he needs to check his facts……

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      grimmster  
  • watashbuddyfriend
    Oct. 13, 2012 at 11:26am

    I believe that if Patton, and MacArthur were around they would kick some a$$, and let heads roll. If both those Patriots had been left alone, we would not have the world problems that we have today!

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    watashbuddyfriend  
    • JonQ
      Oct. 13, 2012 at 7:30pm

      I would not include MacArthur on that list. macarthur was all about macarthur. he helped cover up some of the most horrible atricities committed by the japanese army – cannabalism, including british commonwealth and american captives and casualties.
      his strategy in the western pacific cost many american lives unecessarily, just so he could return to manila. and before he ran away from the oncoming japanese forces in the phillipines in 1941-42, he was more concerned about making currency trades with the phillipine peseta than he was organizing a counterattack, for hos own financial gain. with exception of inchon, his korean strategy was also a wreck.

      Report this comment

      JonQ  
  • DesdemonasCrew
    Oct. 12, 2012 at 8:23pm

    That is called leadership! Missing in our current administration.

    Report this comment

    DesdemonasCrew  

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