And FDR was assistant Secretary of the Navy...Second highest ranking civilian, now there is a communist plot...
And....speaking of the communist plot,.....
..
..how would Stalin have become aware of Patton's views?
6.
Patton did not hide his disregard for the Russians, shown even in unimportant comments, as those of April 25, of 1944, at the opening of a "Welcome Club" for American soldiers in Knutsford, England.
" General Patton was almost fired over the “Affair at Knutsford”. Knutsford, England was a small town close Patton's headquarters. Patton has been asked to be a guest at the inauguration of a “Welcome Club” for American serviceman. After asking that no photographs be taken, and checking that there were no reporters, Patton made a few off-the-cuff remarks. This included
a remark that America and Britain would rule the world. This was considered a slight to Russia, since Patton had failed to include Russia as a world ruler.
It was this ‘slight’ that almost ruined Patton’s career. It was released to the world press. Patton was again in the news.
All three governments were displeased with Patton. Patton's promotion to the permanent rank of general was placed on hold and Eisenhower sent Patton a blistering letter:
“I am thoroughly weary of your failure to control your tongue and have begun to doubt your all-round judgment, so essential in high military position.”
Patton wrote in his diary,
“... this last incident was so trivial in its nature, but so terrible in its effects, but it is not the result of an accident...”
D-Day Three Unique Perspectives Where was General Patton on D-day
The comments did not escape the notice of Joseph Stalin.
He was infuriated.
Patton saw the inevitability of a conflict with the Russians. Of course, he was totally correct.
More important, Stalin knew he was correct....and so did Franklin Roosevelt, whose raison d'être was to make certain that Soviet communism survived and ended up ruling Europe after the war.
"It is a conflict that Patton believes will be fought soon.
The Russians are moving to forcibly spread communism throughout the world, and Patton knows it. "They are a scurvy race and simply savages," he writes of the Russians in his journal. "We could beat the hell out of them."
"Patton," By Martin Blumenson, Kevin M. Hymel, p. 84
Powerful enemies, Stalin and Roosevelt.
Powerful and devious enough to get away with the murder of one of the best generals America ever produced.
"Think where man's glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends." - William Butler Yeats