General George S. Patton is an influential figure in American History for a multitude of reasons. His primary contributions were made through his efforts during World War I and World War II. The thing that makes Patton stand out the most is how well he could command his soldiers and his tank crew. Through the years of George Patton’s life, he spent most of his days making himself a better man as well as a better commander and soldier while fighting for the United States Army. His life spanned sixty years from birth on November 11, 1885 to death on December 21, 1945, caused a tragic motor vehicle accident in Heidelberg Germany. Patton’s contributions will be felt forever in American society because he was never scared to lead a charge, most notably leading the Third Army through France after the Normandy invasions in 1944. Born on November 11, 1885 in San Gabriel California, George Patton was born into a family with very deep military background. As a child, Patton had a hard time learning to read and write. He eventually overcame this and became a keen reader in his adult life. …show more content…
It is very strange that he died in an automobile “accident” beside the Rhine River. The accident was described as a fender-bender, yet Patton was still seriously injured. The two other people in the car with Patton were not injured at all, and nobody in the truck that hit them were injured either. According to a witness account, the truck was sitting on the side of the road waiting for Patton’s car. Many people have their opinions about George Patton’s death, and one point many people have made is how many leaders were on scene of the crash minutes after it happened on a quiet Sunday morning, when most would still be asleep. There appear to also have been at least three other attempts to kill Patton, making his actual death that much more concerning. Nonetheless, we lost a great leader on that quiet Sunday
Alvin Cullum York was one of the most decorated soldiers of the First World War. He was a recipient of the Medal of Honor and the French Legion of Honor (content). Alvin York was born in the hills of the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee on December 13, 1887. He was the third born of 11 children and was the son of William Uriah York and Mary Elizabeth York. When Alvin was young he only attended school up to the third grade however, he earned a reputation to be quite the sharpshooter which is how he helped feed his family by supplying turkey that he had killed.
Instead, he killed Audie’s best friend, Lattie Tipton, a 33 yearold Tennessean who had become a father figure to young Audie. The shocked and angry Audie charged into the German machinegun nest and singlehandedly killed all the enemy soldiers there. He then turned the captured machine gun on nearby German positions and wiped them out, too. For this act of heroism
William “Bull” Halsey is one of the most prominent Naval figures of the 20th century for his unconventional but extremely effective style of leadership during World War II. His greatest successes can be seen through his influences with his men and the respect he was given. His up bringing as the son of a Naval officer and his experience in his early years is what can be attributed to this style of leadership. He was able to leverage the skills he had in order to lead the biggest Naval war effort in United Sates history. His lasting legacy can be seen not only in his sheer accomplishments in turning the tide of the war but also in the lasting lessons in leadership that he left behind.
While he was serving under his generals he paid attention to their military actions and strategies and also their leaderships skills. He was then later known for his bravery when
During World War II, William Frederick Halsey, Jr. was one of four to reach the rank of fleet admiral in the United States Navy. His aggressive campaigns and daring tactics led to many victories, however they also made him a controversial commander. Although, Halsey was praised for his accomplishments, many people had many controversial opinions on Halsey because of his failures at Leyte Gulf and “Halsey’s Typhoon.” Despite his mistakes, Halsey left an positive impact in World War II, because without him and his tactics, the U.S. may not have defeated the Japanese. Through his contributions of leading operations, commanding, and supporting U.S. territories, William Frederick Halsey, Jr. played an important role in World War II, but he made
On September 2, 1964, Sergeant Alvin C. York died. He buried with full military honors in Pall Mall cemetery, Tennessee (Birdwell, 2001)
The Tuskegee Airmen All throughout WW2, there have been countless acts of heroism and fearlessness displayed by soldiers. Simo Hayha, better known as “The White Death”, was a soldier from Finland, defending the Soviet Union. He is widely seen as the most dangerous and skilled sniper to ever live, recording over 500 kills in his military career. General Patton, the U.S commander during WW2, was one of the best war leaders of all time. Patton held a variety of jobs in Hawaii and Washington D.C, and convinced the U.S that they needed a more forceful and threatening striking force.
The proof is indirect. Target Patton: The Plot to Assassinate General George S. Patton is a very suspenseful book, it leaves you at the edge of your seat waiting for more. It is very different from most books that are written about history and is definitely worth the read. Anyone that is learning about History should read this
Chris Kyle was a U.S. Navy Seal Sniper in the U.S. Military. He became well known for his excellent marksmanship. He even had a bounty placed on his head by foreign places. He wrote his biography "American Sniper" which later became a best-seller and also became a Hollywood movie down the road. I think he is a modern day American Hero because, out of the comfort of his home, he enlisted into the U.S. navy and fought to keep the US safe and to put his life on the line.
Nathanael Greene after the war gave much money to support the rest of the war and then was given a plantation for his service. He lived on the plantation for less than a year then left for insecure finances (Georgiaencyclopedia). Greene died from sunstroke at the age of forty-four. Buried at Savannah’s Colonial park cemetery he was reinterred in 1902 beneath the monument made in his honor at Johnston square. He definitely died a man of honor and was greatly praised.
In spite of the fact that most Americans are able to share opinions of hatred for Arnold, he did a great deal for America before switching sides. Not only did he show an ample amount of leadership skills, but he was immensely known for giving the American soldiers a morale boost. These soldiers, fighting alongside him at Saratoga, claim that he was “riding on front of the lines, his eyes flashing, pointing his sword two the advancing foe, with a voice that rang clear as a trumpet and electrified the line.” Arnold was able to effectively encourage the soldiers, placing them in appropriate moods
George S. Patton Jr can be seen as the persona of America itself, having a loud personality and often times viewed as arrogant, but these attributes gave him the ability to raise morale and lead on the battlefield. His decisiveness and tenacity led him to have distinguished victories in Northern Africa, Sicily, and the final battles in France and Germany. His roles in WWII were instrumental in the downfall of the Nazi regime and Patton's impact on armored warfare and leadership were substantial, with the U.S. Army adopting many of his aggressive strategies for its training programs following his death. Without question, Patton is one of the greatest Generals in the history of the United States military. Before his involvement in WWII, Patton
General Patton, in the Battle of the Bulge exercised the principles of mission command to the fullest and they yielded significantly great results for the Allied forces. General Patton employed each of the principles in different ways in order to ensure that the German surprise attack did not significantly set back the Allied forces in the war. The exercise of mission command allows a commander to conduct military operations and missions through dispersed execution. According to Army Doctrine Publication (ADP) 6-0, Mission Command, the definition of mission command is “the exercise of authority and direction by the commander using mission orders to enable disciplined initiative within the commander’s intent to empower agile and adaptive leaders in the conduct of unified land operations”. General Patton exhibited four of the mission command principles extremely well during the Battle of the Bulge.
He made history when he became the first African-American four-star general in the US. During his time, he received countless awards. He never let anything stand in his way, and had the courage to change the
I believe for all of his many accomplishments, George Patton was one of the greatest combat generals in U.S. history. Now all that is left is his legacy. Patton died on December 21, 1945 after a car crash that broke his neck. He died in a hospital in Heidelberg, Germany. However, in 1970 his memory was solidified on the big screen in a film called Patton.