Did Patton predict the Battle of the Bulge? - WWII Myths Show

[@TerryDowne]

What a fine example of serious research this is. Congrats to Kevin, myth busted to atoms.

[@bryant7201]

The fact that he didn't predict the Battle, makes his wheel to the north even more impressive.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

It was impressive yes but he wasn't actually engaging at the time, and his advance was through American held lines until he got to the start line of his actual 'attack' towards Bastogne, which was about 15-20 km south of it.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@lyndoncmp5751 Which German forces were heading to the Meuse river?

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

He was TOLD about the attack -- a full day before it was launched. Bradley was too, but dismissed the intel. THIS is what Patton's diary is all about.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- Manteuffel's 5th Panzer Army. I believe the Panthers of 2nd Panzer Division in particular got the furthest. The German spear tip. British and American units clashed with 2nd Panzer near Marche.

[@thehistoryexplorer]

A brilliant show I only wish it was longer! Now I'll have to go back and watch the older shows with Kevin which are just as good. Happy New Year WW2TV and Mag!

[@scottgrimwood8868]

Kevin does it again! The altering of the Patton diaries is disappointing but not surprising. I am so glad the US National Archives released the original hand-written diaries.

[@agrberry]

Kevins passion is infectious. Loved it. Myth comprehensively kicked into the bin.

[@lewistrott417]

My favorite George Patton nugget is that his great uncle, Col. Waller Tazewell Patton was mortally wounded on July 3, 1863 while taking part in the Pickett, Pettigrew, Trimble Charge. All in all though, another great episode, always learn something new with this channel and these terrific presenters. Thanks and Happy New Year.

[@benwilson6145]

The advisor on the film was Bradley, enough said!

[@stevej8005]

Another fascinating show in the myth busting series - I must admit to not being aware of the 'Patton's Prediction' myth which made it all the more interesting!!

[@dermotrooney9584]

Great stuff again. 🌟

[@jwjohnson9547]

I missed the “he knew in November myth,” but did buy the story about his intelligence - busted. Still impressed by quick planning for move north. Sounded for a minute that you had some cold water for that one as well.

[@keithplymale2374]

I have encountered that line that Patton had predicted the Bulge in books as well. And they always reference the published diary's.

[@marchuvfulz]

Great episode, very well done. Kevin is a great guest and speaker. Appreciate his focus on the primary sources.

[@frednone]

The easiest way to see if Patton was precent, is look at his logistics lines, if he started shifting them North before the start of the attack, he knew something was coming, if they stayed the same then he was as surprised as anyone else.

[@briancooper2112]

Eisenhower or Bradley told Patton get their fast and his me did!

[@lyndoncmp5751]

He didn't. Patton was informed of the German attack on the night of the 16th. Bradley told Patton to detach his 10th Armored Division and send it to Middletons VIII Corps. Patton wrote : ".. the loss of this division would seriously affect the chances of my breaking through to the Saarland, I protested very strongly." Page 179 of War As I Knew It.

[@briancooper2112]

@lyndoncmp5751 yes they did.

[@davidlavigne207]

Thanks for bursting my bubble about Patton's alleged clairvoyance about the German winter counteroffensive. I so wanted to believe the way it was represented in the film "Patton" that it was painful to actually get the facts from Kevin. The truth does hurt, but it also does set one free to coin two oft repeated phrases. Happy New Year WW2TV and all of its fellow friends and supporters. God bless you Paul and Magali.

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

Patton had been TOLD about the Kraut build up -- a full day before the attack was launched. It wasn't a surprise attack -- at all.

[@EricDaMAJ]

I seem to recall reading about a conversation between Pattton and Eisenhower where Patton said something to the effect that he suspected the Germans would launch a counter attack (and hoped they would). But he had no idea it would be so large. I wish I could find that reference. As for US Army Military Intelligence, it was a dump stat.

[@reiniergroeneveld7801]

Great episode of WW2TV! I am glad that Kevin is rewriting the Patton history using the real diary. While it busts the prediction myth it sure dies boost the accomplishments of the Third Army staff in turning to the north towards the Bulge! The story always was that the staff had created three plans to attack north dats before the meeting of 19 December. Now it seems they had to organize it on a minute’s notice.

[@markodeen4105]

I've enjoyed your myth busting shows, both the content and the length....I also like you deep dives as well.

[@Canopus44]

Great video. Never heard of this myth so learned something new today!

[@PowerfulTruth]

Hey, Kevin! Very jaunty hat you have there, my friend. Makes you look like a surviving member of the French Resistance, the Maquis. Another great piece, full of truthful and well researched insights. Looking forward to your 3rd Volume of “Patton’s War.” Keep on researching and writing. The Iwo Brothers are awaiting the next Volume.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

It's always good to see a hat stand off between two people!! ☺

[@tbbb2]

I just finished watching this show and Marty Morgan's show about the 82nd and 101st A/B drops in Normandy. Folks, we are so lucky to be living today, at a time when real historians are finally able AND willing to ferret out the real facts about WWII. In addition to requiring an unending ability to do many many hours of research, folks like Marty and Kevin must also be willing to subject themselves to the criticisms of generations of historians who've grown up in the oftentimes fantasy world that has surrounded so much of that war. Undying thanks to these historians whose only objective is to get to the truth!

[@philbosworth3789]

What a great short to end the year on.

[@michaelswami]

If Patton didn’t know, and still managed to wheel his army to the north to provide relief, I’m actually more impressed.

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

But, he DID KNOW. The 110th Regiment had sent a patrol over -- and it reported the staggering build-up -- which Patton believed -- and Bradley did not. This intel is exactly why Patton started moving his boys even before the 16th.

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

​@@davidhimmelsbach557Bradley had also transferred the 10th A.D. from 3d Army to Bastogne. Patton complied, under protest. Survivors of Bastogne credit 10th Armor for stopping the Germans before the 101st arrived there. Filmed interviews on Periscope or The Big Picture. And these were officers. So, one of Patton's units was already in Bastogne. Another factor would have been Patton's work ethic and personality. As an offensive minded commander you'd better believe he had his staff working on the what ifs.

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

The film mentioned is from The Big Picture. 10th Armored in the Battle of The Bulge.

[@spudgunn8695]

I had similar handwriting to Patton when I was a kid. When I was 13 my biology teacher wrote on my homework, "B+, but could you ask your ink spider to refrain from getting drunk before transcribing your work!" She was my favourite teacher when it came to humour! Lol

[@ToddSauve]

My handwriting has never improved since grade school, LOL!

[@spudgunn8695]

@@ToddSauve neither has mine. My biology teacher was surprised I didn't become a doctor! Lol

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

Characteristic of dyslexia.

[@ToddSauve]

@@nomadmarauder-dw9re I'm not dyslexic but now that I'm firmly in my 60s, names escape me left, right and centre! 🤷‍♂😉

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

@@ToddSauve Patton was dyslexic.

[@brianyee5504]

Happy New Year, Paul. Fun show to end ‘23.

[@1psychofan]

I am just now getting to watch this….. what a hectic schedule I’ve had….but I have 2 grandsons born in 2 weeks-sooooo worth it!

[@1089maul]

Woody/Kevin, Very interesting presentation. Thanks to you both! Bob

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Interesting thanks, Paul and Kevin. I never even knew there was a myth that Patton predicted a German Ardennes offensive so this is news to me. I know that Montgomery warned Eisenhower on 28th November that the American line in front of the Ardennes was too weak and thinly held ((Eisenhower more or less ignored him) but I didn't know this Patton myth. In the book War As I Knew It, page 180 Patton writes that even on the 17th "... how little I appreciated the seriousness of the attack on that date".

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Also, Patton was informed of the German attack on the night of the 16th. Bradley told Patton to detach his 10th Armored Division and send it to Middletons VIII Corps. Patton wrote : ".. the loss of this division would seriously affect the chances of my breaking through to the Saarland, I protested very strongly." Page 179 of War As I Knew It.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

@@johnburns4017 I agree. Patton wasn't engaging at the time. It was merely a swing, albeit a good one, north through American lines. Not much different to Montgomery sending British XXX Corps south to the Meuse at short notice.

[@colinheaton4902]

Kevin and I go back almost 30 years, back to the Primedia and Cowles History Group Days with Jon Guttman and Carl von Wodtke. Good presentation, and make sure to catch Kevin on his History Channel show Patton 360 also.

[@zainmudassir2964]

No. He was already bogged down in Lorraine for months and trying to reach Saarland. He and Rommel had in common that when facing strongly defended enemy positions,they attacked head-on with heavy casualties

[@militarymarch3006]

Don't you mean, bogged down like every other Allied army commander in Northwest Europe after September? Patton's conduct of operations during the fall of 1944 was no worse than any other commander and in some ways better. Nothing that happened in 3rd Army operations could even compare to the fiasco of the Hurtgen Forest or getting caught flat-footed like 1st Army.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@militarymarch3006 It took 3 months to reach Metz so it wasn't a great performance by Patton.

[@donswearingen9805]

Not sure he "predicted" it, but he was ready for it.

[@johnshepherd9676]

Willis Lee was a greater Olympian than Patton. If anybody predicted a German counteroffensive it was SHAEF G2. They warned in late November and early December but the German's were ready in November and the weather was wrong in early December so they postponed the attack.. At that point G2 thought they were seeing a ghost and discounted their previous asessment.

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

Bletchley Park was the original clarion call -- based on intercepts, of course. BP originally thought that 1,000 panzers would have been available to thwart Monty/Brown during Market-Garden. Most folks still can't figure this out. BP intercepts picked up on Adolf's directive to have 1,000 panzers for an offensive in the West -- all the way back. They could not know that his aim was for a November offensive -- which then was delayed into December. Even with the delay, the Krauts could not put 1,000 panzers into the fray. Even now, most histories miss the fact that the 12SS was at only 60% of its TO&E on 12-16-1944. Adolf had pushed the missing panzers into the 1SS and Piper. The weakness of the 12SS showed up -- as it never really got going. (It ran into an attack, that very morning, by the 2nd Infantry Division, which was called off over the objections of 5th Corps. Gerow later apologized!)

[@Ccccccccccsssssssssss]

great show, thanks!

[@jim99west46]

Congress held hearings about the Bulge. You might want to explore them. As I recall, no one from Pattons staff claimed he had forewarning of a German offensive. Case closed.

[@rich_john]

Another great show

[@DanielHammersley]

And blammo! Kevin debunks in 3 salient points of doctoring the handwritten diary of George S. Patton. SURPRISE...I'm as guilty as any believing this myth. Fascinating the postwar defense of the man naturally, and understandable. I still think Patton hasn't shrunk in the tale of the 3rd Army over this. Deffo score settling, and brand salesmanship. Bang up show, Woody! Grand slam to Kevin too :)

[@colinellis5243]

Another excellent presentation, Patton was a good tactical and operational warrior but he was no Seer......he did not even correctly predict what obviously would happen when he slapped that poor soldier in Sicily let alone the Bulge

[@289kcode7]

I wish this technology had been available in the early '80s when as a student I was trying to understand WW2. Thank you Mr Woodadge.

[@davidwatson2399]

Very interesting Thanks 👍

[@merdiolu]

Not only Patton did NOT predict anything about incoming German offfensive , when it started further north on 16th December , he refused to send any reinforcements from his Third Army ( mainly 10th Armored Division) to north to bolster US defences at Ardennes as Eisenhower instructed on the morning , claiming that this was only a spoiling diversionary attack to spoil his incoming offensive to Saar. He only changed his mind in late afternoon and gave the orders to shiftt 10th Armored Division to north then ordered his staff to prepare contingency planning to pivot Third Army to march towards north when Eisenhower called all Allied commanders to an emergency converance in Paris.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Yes. True. Patton was informed of the German attack on the night of the 16th. Bradley told Patton to detach his 10th Armored Division and send it to Middletons VIII Corps. Patton wrote : ".. the loss of this division would seriously affect the chances of my breaking through to the Saarland, I protested very strongly." Page 179 of War As I Knew It.

[@markgarrett3647]

Looking at the German POV at Sarreburg front you'll find that Patton has some merit to his argument.

[@markgarrett3647]

​@@lyndoncmp5751The Germans were close to collapse at the Sarreburg front.

[@marks_sparks1]

23:03 to add to Kevin's remarks on the similarity of Libby Custer & Beatrice Patton distorting the historical records and narrative on their respective husbands, to the point that film repeated the myths. One of the films that repeated the Custer myths in the 1960s but also was someway revisionist (because of its European production) was Custer of the West with Robert Shaw. I like it but don't take it seriously from a historical perspective. Anyway, there is a scene that bears an uncanny similarity between Custer & Patton where General Sheridan offers Custer various military appointments at the end of the Civil War. The scene is likely based on speculation or loose fact, but the scenario replicates what Patton faced at wars end; May-July 1945 Patton applied for the following appointments & was denied: 1) a military command in the South West Pacific - turned down by MacArthur. 2) Superintendent of the American War College (this would've suited Patton as he was an excellent teacher based on his previous history) - turned down in favour of Leonard Gerow. 3) Finally, Eisenhower impressed upon him to accept the position of Military Governor of Bavaria (much to Pattons disagreement as the latter rightly claimed he was a soldier, not a politican). He accepted the appointment with reluctance and tried to make the best decision possible. We all know what happened in the end when he opened his mouth, but it should be noted that American reports state Bavaria was the best run region of occupation under his command. Reference: Patton: A Genius For War _ Carlos d'Este

[@csipawpaw7921]

I can sympathise with the military analysts. In criminal investigation we have the same problems as those faced by military intelligence analysts. The pieces of the puzzle are often there, but they are mixed in with the pieces of many other puzzles and, by the time we put the pieces together, it may be to late!

[@mte2960]

Absolutely fantastic! Thank you!

[@johndeboyace7943]

Why is it surprising that the 3rd Army staff would plan for an attack on the edge of its AO? The Germans had come through this area before. He didn’t predict, his staff probably discussed possible outcomes. Obviously some had an idea when his army changed axis of attack so quickly. Not everything is written down. With 3rd ACR at Ft Lewis in 1970 and the regiment saw the movie Patton, because he was a former Colonel of the regiment. His son was a former Colonel of the 11th ACR in Vietnam. My father was with Patton’s 3rd Army, never really talked about Patton, the only person he said anything derogatory about was Frank Sinatra, draft dodger.

[@Jahwobbly]

Bletchley Park certainly did.

[@douglasturner6153]

Re Patton. "When the truth conflicts with the Legend print the Legend"! Still on his Pedestal 😂

[@billenright2788]

GP was great cavalry/mobile/armor guy but not a great 'big picture' guy. His outrunning his supply line at Metz is clear indicator of that. Genius in the field but he was kinda clueless to overall pic compared to Ike. Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!

[@johnlucas8479]

Great presentation

[@markgarrett3647]

Makes me think more about the greater strategic gains that could've been achieved had Ike and Bradley not forced Patton to relieve Bastogne and instead attacked the base of the Bulge salient.

[@Neaptide184]

Libby Custer was one of the most vicious protectors of her status as the widow of (at the time) of a war hero. She eventually surrounded herself with millionaires, press moguls, politicians and New York City socialites and elites that she was able to detail every attempt by the Army and the War Department to reconstruct what happened at The Little big Horn. It is no exaggeration to say she did more to pervert the history of that battle than any person. The distortions of what happened there are still taken as gospel today, and her aggressive (and sometimes slanderous) efforts were made possible by her powerful media and political entourage.

[@PaulScott_]

Thanks for that information as I had never heard that until this show. I enjoyed reading about Custer and the Little Big Horn and especially the archaeological findings that refuted some the the stories surrounding that battle that have been taken for gospel since the battle. It is always good to dig down to the real facts when you can get them.

[@ToddSauve]

@@PaulScott_ It is very hard to sort the fact from the fiction about the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Until fairly recently, roughly the last 40 years or so, there was no end of baloney flying around about it. One of the most outrageous was that if Major Marcus Reno had only pressed his attack from the south end of the village then he would have been able to converge with Custer more towards the north end and the Indians would have been defeated. This is repeated _ad nauseum_ to this day in forums and comments sections on social media. Usually this is from Americans who are outraged that they lost a battle against inferior Indians, and who never bother to read any modern scholarly works on the subject from really meticulous historians like Robert M. Utley. And if you point out that this is an error, they get profoundly angry with you and even resort to name calling and threats. In any event, had Reno pressed his attack all of the evidence indicates that he and his men would have met the same fate as Custer. Wiped out to the man. There were just way too many Indians camped on the Little Bighorn, something Custer's Indians scouts warned him about because they could see it from the size of the horse herd there. But Custer thought they were perhaps cowards and ignored their advise.

[@sfdeliveries76]

What does this have to do with Patton?

[@ToddSauve]

@@sfdeliveries76 Custer was mentioned in the program as another US general whose wife falsified events in order to glorify her husband, much as Patton's wife's typewritten diary did not accurately reflect what the original diary contained.

[@lukeueda-sarson6732]

@@sfdeliveries76 Custer was mentioned in the stream.

[@jwjohnson9547]

For future Patton myth. Read that he used prolific swearing to appear tough and divert attention from his high pitched voice.

[@MegaBloggs1]

if the french 2nd armoured hadnt taken the moselle crossings-then he wouldnt have been able to swing north quickly-he owed a lot to lerlerc and he knew it-which is why he decorated him

[@Chris...66]

I would be really interested to see one of these Myth Shows on Omar Bradley. On one hand you hear him referred to as the " GI's General", and on the other, that the troops didn't care for him, nor, did he really ever go to the front lines. I have an opinion and I ma curious what a historian would say.

[@cladglas]

thus proving General Hindsight is/was the best general of all time.

[@eldarrissman4172]

I thought it was Henry Fonda...hmmm, of course that version had no snow in it...odd for December in Belgium in 1944

[@thegreatdominion949]

Just a minor suggestion for future myth shows. The title should be a declarative statement of the myth and not a question. So in this case it would be "Patton predicted the Battle of the Bulge". Some of the titles already follow that pattern, but others do not.

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

Company F of the 110th Regiment of the 28th Division sent a patrol across the Our river on 12-14-1944 -- because the Krauts were making so much noise. This patrol reported back -- early morning 12-15-1944 -- that the enemy was prepared for a major offensive -- just so much gear. This report was sent back up the line -- to die by the time it left Bradley's desk. He utterly discounted any German capacity for a major counter-offensive. Ike didn't -- and was the general directing 7th Armored and10th Armored -- and much more -- as reinforcements the night of 12-16-1944 -- essentially over the judgment of Bradley -- which he acknowledges in his own war autobio. The 28th was under 8th Corps -- which had spent most of its time under Patton's 3rd Army. So you just KNOW that the boys in 8th Corps chatted up this shocking intel with their buddies to the south. THIS is where Patton was getting his 'inspiration.' Quite simply, he'd been TOLD about the build up, from the 110th Regiment. (Fuller) This tidbit comes courtesy of Robert P Probach -- captured 12-16-1944 defending in F Company, right up next to the Our river. He can be seen, marching through Paris, THE famous photo of the 110th Regiment, that was published all over creation back in 1944. He was in the fourth rank back -- and you'd have to have someone pick him out for you. (Most of the guys in that photo were shot up in the Hurtgen.) Because of the above has never been acknowledged by US Army historians -- the popular history of 'surprise' has been maintained. As IF! Fuller was fully engaged in preparing for the Kraut assault the moment the patrol coughed up their report. THIS is why Clerf/Clervaux was such a vicious fight. Most of the ruins are still there -- to this day -- in memoriam. You can view them from Google Earth, Street View. Reality rather ruins most of your video. Sorry.

[@appaho9tel]

very interesting

[@tferedo]

These WWII Myths show are great! Thanks for doing this.

[@Zippezip]

😀😄🤣Hence the fact that it was a surprise attack.

[@gfwithrow]

Darn! I missed the broadcast.

[@benwilson6145]

Monty did nothing! On the evening of the 16th on learning that the Germans had smashed a hole in the US 1st Army Montgomery's Chief of Staff ordered the closed units to which were RASC and Ordnance Depot troops to man roadblocks south of Namur. A detachment of Royal Engineers were dispatched to rig the Namur bridge for demolition. The 29th Armoured Brigade were mobilised from Knocke to Namur. . A complete Anti-Tank Regiment of the Royal Artillery which had embarked on a ship at Zeebrugge was disembarked and sent to Namur. The British 30 Corp (Guards Armoured Corp, 43rd, 51st and 53rd Divisions) set up on the West bank of the Muese on the 20th December. The British 6th Airborne were also mobilised from the UK. Late on the night of the 19th General Eisenhower transferred command of the US 1st Army to Montgomery. Morning of the 20th Montgomery and his Staff went to the HQ of the 1st Army General Hodges. Hodges described the situation; two of his Divisions had been surrounded by the Germans and were not in contact. He had had no contact with General Bradley or his staff in two days. He did not know what was happening on his flanks. Montgomery immediately dispatched two Liaison Officers to contact the two missing Divisions which they did, resumed contact. The divisions were then told to retreat to help stop the German Advance at a solid defence front. The 29th Armoured Brigade along with elements of the US 2nd Armoured Division would stop the German Advance around Ciney and Celles 4 miles from the Muese on the 24/25th of December.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Totally right. Even though it wasn't his sector, Montgomery took quicker action than any of the American generals. Eisenhower carried on cracking the champagne at Versailles with Bradley that first day (celebrating another star added to his generalship) after he heard the news.

[@benwilson6145]

@@lyndoncmp5751 Almost 100000 British and Canadian troops took part in the Battle of the Bulge The British and Canadian role in in the battle was deliberately played down for political purposes. Why? The US Army took a hammering off the German's, it's morale was damaged. Churchill and FDR decided to grant all the laurels to the US Army in an attempt to bolster morale, Churchill readily agreed to this, hence the essential role played by Montgomery and the British 30th Corps was effectively whitewashed out of the official account. German General Hasso von Manteuffel on the Battle of the Bulge: ‘The operations of the American 1st Army had developed into a series of individual holding actions. Montgomery's contribution to restoring the situation was that he turned a series of isolated actions into a coherent battle fought according to a clear and definite plan. It was his refusal to engage in premature and piecemeal counter-attacks which enabled the Americans to gather their reserves and frustrate the German attempts to extend their breakthrough’.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

@@benwilson6145 Yes that's very true. And I've always liked that quote from Manteuffel. He says it in a nutshell. The whole curfuffle over Montys press conference in January was an exercise in deflection. Rather than admit that Montgomery had to come down and take over command of two of Bradley's armies (which was very much a humiliation for Bradley) and instead of appreciating the major assistance and help Montgomery gave them, a few American generals instead started complaining that Montgomery inferred he won the Bulge all by himself, which he never did. He actually praised Eisenhower as the team captain and paid great tribute to the American soldiers. The complaining worked, and now when some people think of Montgomery in the Bulge, all they remember is that press conference and not the way he got to grips with the battle immediately saving literally thousands of American troops from becoming casualties.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@benwilson6145 I think the Battle of the Bulge also demonstrated the flaws with Eisenhowers Broad front strategy, you can't have strong flanks and a weakened centre, the Germans will just punch through the Middle with everything they've got. Even Patton thought a narrow thrust into Germany was more plausible than Ike spreading the armies thin all over the Western front.

[@billballbuster7186]

Wow Monty "failing to be active during the Battle of the Bulge" says Bradley who was relieved of command by Eisenhower on the advice of Water Bedell Smith. Who had noticed Bradley's dithering when news of the Battle of the Bulge broke. Having to call in Monty was a major humiliation for the US, Bradley threatened to resign over it. To placate Bradlley, Monty's part in the battle, were the 9th Army under his command stoped the Germans and drove them back. Was never mentioned or re-written to exclude him, when Monty dared to speak, Bradley insisted he be fired. Eisenhower had it pointed out to him there was no military reason to fire Monty, Bradley was placated with a promotion for winning a battle he never took part in. American military politics at its worst but never gets a mention.

[@ToddSauve]

That was apparently _de rigueur_ in the American army to run down Montgomery for whatever could be dreamed up. One of the few, if not the only American general, not to denigrate Montgomery was Matthew Ridgway. He said he had no complaints about Monty and that he was a thoroughly professional soldier who knew his business. Interestingly, Ridgway climbed the ladder very quickly following the war. He saved South Korea during the war there from 1950 to 53 and was eventually made head of the combined chiefs of staff of the entire US military. Maybe Ridgway was a far better and more insightful general than his contemporaries during WW2? 🤔😉👌

[@TheAngelobarker]

Yes let's trust the man that stole the auks thunder

[@billballbuster7186]

@@ToddSauve Monty did actually get on with several American Generals such as Gavin, Simpson, Hodges, and even Patton had a cordial relationship, which is why when pictured together they are usually sharing a joke. But the denigration of Monty continues, as Marty Morgan demonstrated in his talk on the US Paratroopers.

[@billballbuster7186]

@@TheAngelobarker Another sly dig without merit. Auchinleck was fired by Churchill after he had lost the confidence of his subordinate Commanders. Nothing at all to do with Monty, he was not even the first choice as a replacement.

[@merdiolu]

@@TheAngelobarker You mean Auchinleck ? Who put incompatent generals to command Eighth Army and its corps one after another and managed to lose Benghazi , Battle of Gazala ( despite vast numerical and logistical supply superiorty Eighth Army had over its opponents , not to mention caught suprised twice under Panzer Army attack despite having Ultra intelligence) , Tobruk ( 33.000 British Commonwealth prisoners went to Axis POW cages in one day and Rommel captured all Eighth Army supply dumps and 2000 British trucks intact or rather donated by Auchinleck to Rommel , all were used to enter Egypt ) , Mersa Metruh ( 6.000 more British Commonwealth prisoners and massive fuel stocks were captured by Axis again in one day , no donated by Auchinleck to Rommel again) and barely stopped an exhausted , overextended and undersupplied Panzer Army Afrika at First Battle of Alamein with RAF air support and screwed up every following counter attack so badly during July 1942 and suffered so many casaulties in Mytciana ridge battles , Commonwealth generals in army refused to serve under him and take orders from him after mid July 1942 causing a crisis of confidence in Eighth Army before finally sacked back to India as Indian Army CiC. Auchinleck should be titled as Von Auchinleck , best general Germans never had. Montgomery had to clean up the mess he left after , restore the confidence in chain of command in Eighth Army Auıchnleck caused and defeat Panzer Army Afrika in every battle afterwards from mid August 1942 to 1943 and lead Allied armies to victory till 1945 while Auchinleck got busy starving Indians to death during Bengal Famine from his comfortable office at Delhi after mid 1942

[@francesconicoletti2547]

History is written by generals covering their butts. And their acolytes.

[@georgedoolittle9015]

Hill 400 Ranger Unit. "Had a birds eye view" long before it happened. "Patton was ready" was the difference. He knew Luxembourg was on the Allied side so he had prepared his entire Army to move in that direction as the Winter Campaign Season had already been effectively defeated by this time excepting the French in Strasbourg #irony so Patton's only hope for Glory was if the German High Command was "predictable enough" to try a 2nd Ardennes from 1940 only 1944 version...which is exactly what played out. Well known by this time General MacArthur was winning glorious Victory after glorious Victory in the Phillipines basically all on his own so US Army Commanders in Europe were not very happy about this development as MacArthur was a well known "wildcard in War" something i think "George" very much wanted to capitalize on here by seeing if he could get lucky like that too. Turned out he did and then some is my view. Still very sound planning on the part of Patton here tho. *"Famous weather prayer"* moment.

[@phil20_20]

George C. Scott did! Any good tactician could have seen the possibility of a breakthrough. They probably just discounted the odds. I'd bet a lot of officers were thinking about it, along with a lot of soldiers. Yep, even the press. 😅

[@MsZeeZed]

10:10 - intelligence was correct, the Wehrmacht didn’t have the capability to make an offensive breakout to the Meuse, not least because they didn’t have the fuel. Always harder predicting a deluded opponent 😑

[@Legendary_UA]

Regarding the press conference, Of course Patton wouldn't say the Germans were capable of mounting an offensive. That's just good operational security.

[@elainehawes9347]

i know of at least three us military spys who told the us generals where and when the germans would counterattack by name Hough Nibley biograthy said so .

[@DaremoKamen]

so Patton slept here is like Washington slept here?

[@Idahoguy10157]

Patton understood there were German forces unaccounted for. That the German army may try a Winter offensive. As for rivalry…Patton disliked Monty. Monty mostly rolled his eyes over that. Other than in Sicily Monty outranked Patton.

[@porksterbob]

I will spam this comment on three of your myths videos in hopes it gets acknowledged. Can you please do a myths show on the "Chinese were hoarding lend lease to fight the communists"? It is a myth that pops up a lot even with people who should know better like the ww2 week by week people. Rana mitter, hans van deven, or richard frank would be good names to interview.

[@WW2TV]

I will look in to it

[@jayfrank1913]

I'm so tired of hearing how great Patton was from the "Patton-a-boos" that comment on every WWII video. He might have had some tactical skill, but he was a martinet who drove his men crazy and a terrible anti-Semite to boot. If he had been in charge of western Allied forces at the end of the war he may have reopened the death camps and then tried to invade the Soviet Union. I read a book a while ago that compared the Great War experiences of Patton, Monty and Rommel. The one thing they all had in common was they were all wounded by rifle-caliber bullets: In Patton's case, he was apparently shot in the crotch and the bullet exited his butt. I'll give him the fact that he wasn't a coward (at least as a young officer) and earned his tough guy label. Ouch.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

Bastogne was Patton's finest hour IMO certainly his manuevers are more impressive than his chasing of Italians in Sicily and running after dispirited German soldiers in Operation Cobra.

[@PalleRasmussen]

Competing with Clark and Dugout Doug for the title of most overrated US general.

[@Thumpalumpacus]

God stuff.

[@chadrowe8452]

Loved the show, despise Patton

[@Philip271828]

I wasn't aware that Patton was highly regarded? Although I have a bias to feeling that the high profile chap's biggest skill is keeping a high profile, not necessarily being good at his job.

[@WW2TV]

Patton is regarded by many as the best general and equal numbers as the worst

[@markgarrett3647]

Well before WWII he was our version of Percy Hobart and Heinz Guderian.

[@briancooper2112]

Wasn't Patton a bad speller?

[@WW2TV]

With his handwriting, who the heck knows?

[@briancooper2112]

@WW2TV lol. I'm a lefty and I have to admit when I could see before blindness my handwriting sucked. Great show Woody

[@danielbackley9301]

@@WW2TV Hey his handwriting even makes mine look good! BTW my 3rd grade teacher suggested I become an archaeologist on the grounds that since I wrote in hieroglyphics I would be able to read them.

[@deanedmundson1895]

Patton was a brilliant pursuit General, Montgomery was a master of the set piece battle, both had there flaws and ego's. Bradley was a overrated novice compared to those two.

[@MegaBloggs1]

so why does the us army flog itself against the hurtgen forest?

[@WW2TV]

I don't know, we have talked about it a lot

[@elessartelcontar9415]

Sigh. Every time that opposing sides fight there will be areas where one side pulls back as another advances. The pocket that the advancing side creates is called a salient. I guess that salient sounded too sophisticated and the vulgar "bulge" was used instead. It doesn't require Michel de Nostredame to predict that salients will be created in every battle. Sheesh

[@WW2TV]

It was Larry Newman, an American war correspondent who coined the name the Battle of the Bulge, and it is now the accepted term for the battle

[@barthennin6088]

Clickbait - Did Patton predict the Battle of the Bulge? No... OK done, no need to watch past the 1.5 min mark.

[@WW2TV]

Up to you, you can watch or not watch

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Yeah but it goes into detail WHY it's not the case. A lot of people find it interesting, and then if the myth comes up elsewhere they can bust it with facts gained here.

[@WW2TV]

Exactly Lyndon, some people are very critical

[@lyndoncmp5751]

@@WW2TV I honestly don't understand some of the snarky comments. This is all free and people are putting time and effort into it, so why complain? Cheers Woody.

[@WW2TV]

The more views we get, the more people criticise. Plus the number of long sprawling comments increases, which is odd because no-one reads them. I mean I as the creator do and a few others, but basically long posts in the comments are much like talking to yourself

[@troykauffman3963]

Another great myth show. Thank you Paul and Kevin. Paul, thank you for the outstanding content you have provided us all this year. Looking forward to seeing what you have lined up for us in 2024. 🫡