General George Smith Patton Essay -- Papers

General George Smith Patton A burning desire to go forth and reach personal conquests exists inside every man. This passion often navigates the would-be hero into a state of tragedy involving pain and suffering for those around. One individual, in particular, inflicted strain and duress on others with a harsh, and often criticized unorthodox style of leading when he took his campaign across Europe and into Germany. General George Smith Patton, Jr. led an expedition across a continent to rid the world of its Nazi powers. This journey marked the conquest of perhaps the world's greatest war general and his reputable demeanor. Patton experienced respect and admiration throughout his life, starting very early when he was just an infant. He was born into a highly respected and extremely wealthy family in San Gabriel, California. It was this early taste of good fortune that allowed Patton to develop a taste for fine things such as horses. Growing up he was an avid polo player and became very good especially in college. After attending exquisite private schools, Patton left and attended the U.S. Military Academy and graduated in 1909. (WB 140) After his graduation, Patton joined the cavalry and eventually served in World War I. Patton was an excellent physical specimen and a strong addition to any early fighting battalion. Along to go with his sleek build was a strong mentality of perseverance and excellence, which he drilled into his life everyday. "From his earliest years, he believed himself destined to be a soldier. Much of his life was spent in the limelight. As a young cavalry officer and well-rounded athlete, he competed in five events during the 1912 Olympic games held in Stockholm, Sweden. He placed ... ... Essame, H. Patton: A Study in Command. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1974. Farago, Ladislas. The Last Days of Patton. New York: McGraw Hill Book Company. 1981. Mysak, Joe. "Patton: The Man Behind the Legend 1885-1945." National Review. 38 (April 25, 1994): 52-53. "An Educated Army." Africe News Service. 11 Feb. 2000: 179. Patton. Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner. 20th Century Fox, 1970. New Line Home Video, 1985. "Patton." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Second Edition. 12. Orozco-Radisson. Cole. Detroit. 1998. "Patton's Plan for Winning the War." Newsweek. 8 Mar. 1999: 48. "General George S. Patton, Jr. Biography." 2000 WriteForCash.com. http://www.allsands.com/generalgeorgep_ra_gn.htm. "George Smith Patton, Jr." GSP. 1 Jun. 1998. http://www.angelfire.com/sys/popup_source.shtml.