Victor Davis Hanson | George S. Patton: American Ajax

Victor Davis Hanson, the Wayne and Marcia Buske Distinguished Fellow in History at Hillsdale College, is also a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a professor of classics emeritus at California State University, Fresno. He earned his B.A. at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and his Ph.D. in classics from Stanford University. In 2007, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal, and in 2008, he received the Bradley Prize from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. He has written for numerous publications, including the Claremont Review of Books, The New Criterion, and The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of several books, including A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War and The Second World Wars: How the First Global Conflict Was Fought and Won.

Xenophon wrote that a successful general “must be resourceful, active, careful, hardy, and quick-witted; he must be both gentle and brutal, at once straightforward and designing, capable of both caution and surprise, lavish and rapacious, generous and mean, skillful in defense and attack.” This third CCA of the 2019-2020 academic year will consider the lives and characters of some of America’s greatest generals.

[tomedgar]

I love listening to Dr Hanson. He is truly an American treasure. Thank you for this.

[John-jlde]

My dad, who was with the 101st Airborne and was a 1st Lieutenant, met Patton in Bastogne during the battle of the Bulge. Patton told dad, who had been freezing for two weeks with subzero conditions, to shave. Remember, no electric razors in 1944 and lots of frozen water. He didn't appreciate the comment. Dad had a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, 2 Purple Hearts, and the Legion of Merit from France, and other accommodations to numerous to list here. Dad also served in the Korean War and Vietnam at the same time as my two brothers, who were grunt Marines, served in 1967/68. He retired in 1973 after 32 years of service as a Colonel and is in the Infantry Hall of Fame.

[cpollner]

Decades ago when I was young I was on a flight hoping whoever sat next to me would not be a talker. An older gentleman sat next to me, smiled and started talking with me. I began grumbling internally that I would not get to read my book. (The young can be so self centered). Turns out he was General Patton’s driver and he spent the trip regaling me with story after story about Patton. He was the most entertaining person I have ever flown beside and he was definitely a fan of the General’s. I have never forgotten how that flight flew by and have never ignored my flight partner again because who knows what interesting lives they have lead.

[dr.jamespizzadili]

My uncle was in Patton's Third Army and fought his way all across Europe. He was one of those depression-raised civilian "amateur" soldiers Dr. Hanson described facing the war-hardened Germans. Uncle Bill never once spoke to me about it, but there were always rumors. I did learn some facts from a short article written about him in his church newsletter. He said he liked the army because he made a lot of friends and, probably for the first time in his life, he had plenty to eat. He reported that after the first two weeks of fighting he quit being scared because he simply assumed that he was going to be killed. A devout Christian, he found reassurance in Psalm 91: "A thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousand will fall at your right hand, but it (death) will not come near you." Under Patton's command he killed a lot of enemy soldiers and won a Bronze Star for bravery. He was deaf the rest of his life from the noise of guns and explosions. Uncle Bill was pretty restless after the war and hitchhiked and rode motorcycles all around the USA, eventually settling far from home. He married and raised a nice family, worked hard, was a stalwart in his church, and was always kind to everyone. An old friend of his told me that he suffered terribly from PTSD but no one would have known. Uncle Bill passed at 95 a couple years ago and took most of his war stories with him.

[thomasgregg]

He is second to none in the ability to convey ideas to an audience in a fascinating and captivating way. Never seen an educator like him. He’s a national treasure

[ronniebishop]

Patton believed he was reincarnated to fight in wars and believed he had been in wars throughout history, and after reading that great poem he wrote, I’m convinced he actually believed that. He was like several very successful people I’ve known, especially football coaches and leaders of big sales companies, he did step on people that bucked him and cussed everyone out within shouting distance, and just like the men I mentioned when you win, all is forgiven. The reason I liked working for people like Patton and even had leaders like him in Vietnam and other places, is because I like to be successful and be part of the best there is. Everyone I’ve heard interviewed in that Band of Brothers documentary kept saying that too, if I’m going to war I want to go with the best, and Patton was, this Vietnam vet salutes you!!!

[chuckcribbs]

VDH is a national treasure. Smart, quiet, reserved but full of pertinent commentary for our times.

[SJM]

Two of my Uncles served under Patton in WWII. They said they hated his guts over there. He was ruthless and relentless in his pursuit of victory. However, they spoke fondly of him to me and credited him for getting them through the war alive. I believe that they would’ve served and laid down their own lives for him if they had to do it again.

[joshuaman]

PATTON WAS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF GODS PERFECT TIMING, GOD NEVER MAKES MISTAKES BUT MEN DO ALL THE TIME.

[jamisonmaguire]

It reminds me of the quote by George Orwell: “We sleep soundly in our beds, because rough men stand ready in the night to do violence on those who would harm us".

[jrdeckard]

My father, a tech sergeant, worked in Patton's Bad Tolz office. Patton liked him because his typing had a good rhythm.

[peterleverich]

My father was in Bastogne. He was in the 101st Airborne. He often spoke about WWII but rarely about Bastogne. He did say that many soldiers did not like Patton...but they loved seeing him roll in with all those tanks thr day after Christmas. He said it was the best Christmas gift he had ever received.

[tiamatxvxianash]

As a Cold War veteran, one of my highlights of touring the battlefields and cemetaries of Northwest Europe was paying homage over Patton's grave in Luxembourg where he rests with his 3rd Army men. Thank You for the lecture. Very informative.

[GranpaTruck]

Just another example of what a history professional should look like and how much they can do to inform and inspire.

[rosaoddin]

I respect VDH. And he is respectful of others - no matter their opinions or ideology. That is a sign of his humility and human greatness. I particularly enjoy his calm rational manner, so appreciated in these strident days of political dogmatism.

[AKAKiddo]

"We have people that have pretensions about human nature, but who are not subject to the ramifications of their ideology." So true.

[jag]

Dr. Hanson is a true historian who I could listen to everyday. His knowledge of Patton is fantastic and he shares it in this presentation. As a follower and fellow Californian I have always enjoyed reading and studying General Patton. I've visited the Patton Museum in California, I met his son in Germany as well as Manfred Rommel when he was Lord Mayor of Stuttgart. I worked in 1973 @ 130th Station Hospital, Heidelberg where General Patton died in 1945. I believe General Patton would have been a better President than Eisenhower, especially in dealing with the Cold War and the early events in Vietnam. Well done Dr Hanson, well done.

[MrJohnGroot]

Great and knowledgeable speaker. I hope young people listen to him.

[tombowers]

I’m from Selma Ca, and I’m so proud we are within the company of such a bright, beam of light. Not only that, he’s still a rancher at heart!

[heatherspark]

You, Victor, are the most Common Sensical, Academic that I have ever had the opportunity to listen to, learn and enjoy in my lifetime . Loved Patton .