George Smith Patton once said, “No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.” On such ‘bastard’ was Patton himself.

Patton was a controversial general in the U.S. Army during the Second World War. His men called him “Old blood and guts” – their blood, his guts. He would relentlessly attack an objective, killing many enemies – to quote him, “May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won’t.” However, he also sacrificed a good deal of men in the process. He was ruthless and arrogant but a great leader, and that is why I respect him. He had very unorthodox methods – designing his own uniforms, carrying ivory-inlaid pistols is hardly considered following rules. He also believed that he was reincarnated. Patton was full of funny quotes – things like “Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way” and “If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” His snappy comebacks make me admire him even more.

Because of his strange methods and slapping a soldier who was shell shocked, Patton was relieved of command in North Africa. He was sent to the European Theatre of Operations, where he became less cocky and more obedient.
Patton fought in, and won, many major battles during his military career. For example, in North Africa he won major battles against Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. In Sicily he outpaced Bernard L. Montgomery and got to the objective first. In Europe he almost got to Berlin in 1944 if not for Montgomery’s Operation Market-Garden, and rescued the 101st Airborne encircled in the town of Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge.

Patton is my idol not only for the many battles he won but also because of his exemplemary leadership and excellent strategic skills. You can lead by fear, or you can lead by example. Patton led by both.

However, the good die early. At the end of the war, Patton was paralyzed in a car accident before he could be posted home to America. He died of an embolism in Germany.