George S. Patton Quotes & Sayings

The highest obligation and privilege of citizenship is bearing arms. — George S. Patton

Do as I have taught you, and you will stay alive. — George S. Patton

It is absurd to believe that soldiers who cannot be made to wear the proper uniform can be induced to move forward in battle. Officers who fail to perform their duty by correcting small violations and in enforcing proper conduct are incapable of leading. — George S. Patton

I read the Bible - every goddamn day. — George S. Patton

A leader is a man who can adapt principles to circumstances. — George S. Patton

Unless you do your best, the day will come when, tired and hungry, you will halt just short of the goal you were ordered to reach, and by halting you will make useless the efforts and deaths of thousands. — George S. Patton

The publicity I have been getting, a good deal of which is untrue, and the rest of it ill considered, has done me more harm than good. — George S. Patton

I am the best damn ass-kicker in the whole U.S. Army! — George S. Patton

Politicians are the lowest form of life on earth. Liberal Democrats are the lowest form of politicians. — George S. Patton

Make your plans to fit the circumstances. — George S. Patton

Urge all of your men to pray, not alone in church, but everywhere. Pray when driving. Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others. Pray by night and pray by day. Pray for the cessation of immoderate rains, for good weather for Battle.Pray for the defeat of our wicked enemy whose banner is injustice and whose good is oppression. Pray for victory. Pray for our Army, and Pray for Peace. We must march together, all out for God. — George S. Patton

If we take the generally accepted definition of bravery as a quality which knows no fear, I have never seen a brave man. All men are frightened. The more intelligent they are, the more they are frightened. — George S. Patton

Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash. — George S. Patton

There is only one tactical principle which is not subject to change. It is to use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wound, death, and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time. — George S. Patton

The duties of an officer are the safety, honor, and welfare of your country first; the honor, welfare, and comfort of the men in your command second; and the officer s own ease, comfort, and safety last. — George S. Patton

Never let the enemy pick the battle site. — George S. Patton

To me it seems certain that the fatalistic teachings of Muhammad and the utter degradation of women is the outstanding cause for the arrested development of the Arab. He is exactly as he was around the year 700, while we have kept on developing. — George S. Patton

Perpetual peace is a futile dream. — George S. Patton

We want to get the hell over there. The quicker we clean up this Goddamned mess, the quicker we can take a little jaunt against the purple pissing Japs and clean out their nest, too. Before the Goddamned Marines get all of the credit. — George S. Patton

Attack rapidly, ruthlessly, viciously, without rest, however tired and hungry you may be, the enemy will be more tired, more hungry. Keep punching. — George S. Patton

I am sure that if every leader who goes into battle will promise himself that he will come out either a conqueror or a corpse, he is sure to win. There is no doubt of that. Defeat is not due to losses but to the destruction of the Soul of the leaders-the 'live to fight another day' doctrine. — George S. Patton

War is very simple, direct, and ruthless. It takes a simple, direct, and ruthless man to wage war. — George S. Patton

This is a hell of a way to die. — George S. Patton

So as through a glass, and darkly - The age long strife I see - Where I fought in many guises, - Many names, but always me. — George S. Patton

In war the only sure defense is offense, and the efficiency of the offense depends on the warlike souls of those conducting it. — George S. Patton

Often I have encountered in life that great disappointments have proved to be the road to future successes. — George S. Patton

Wars are not won by fighting battles; wars are won by choosing battles — George S. Patton

I believe in the old and sound rule that an ounce of sweat will save a gallon of blood. — George S. Patton

Remember wars are won by killing people. The more we kill, the quicker we'll get out of this war. — George S. Patton

A pint of sweat, saves a gallon of blood. — George S. Patton

Always advance. Never dig in. — George S. Patton

Success is not getting to the top - but how you bounce up from the bottom that counts. — George S. Patton

Let's keep our boots polished, bayonets sharpened, and present a picture of force and strength to the Red Army. This is the only language they understand and respect. — George S. Patton

War is a bloody, killing business. You've got to spill their blood, or they will spill yours. Rip them up the belly. Shoot them in the guts. — George S. Patton

Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way. — George S. Patton

Infantry must move forward to close with the enemy. It must shoot in order to move ... To halt under fire is folly. To halt under fire and not fire back is suicide. Officers must set the example — George S. Patton

When I want my men to remember something important, to really make it stick, I give it to them double dirty. It may not sound nice to some bunch of little old ladies at an afternoon tea party, but it helps my soldiers to remember. You can't run an army without profanity; and it has to be eloquent profanity. An army without profanity couldn't fight its way out of a piss-soaked paper bag ... As for the types of comments I make, sometimes I just, By God, get carried away with my own eloquence. — George S. Patton

The only way you get on in this profession is to have the reputation of doing what you are told as thoroughly as possible. — George S. Patton

Do not try to make circumstances fit your plans. Make plans that fit the circumstances. — George S. Patton

Have taken Trier with two divisions. What do you want me to do? Give it back? — George S. Patton

Death can be more exciting than life. — George S. Patton

You shouldn't underestimate an enemy, but it is just as fatal to overestimate him. — George S. Patton

Success in war depends upon the golden rule of war. — George S. Patton

To conquer, we must destroy our enemies. We must not only die gallantly; we must kill devastatingly. The faster and more effectively you kill, the longer you will live to enjoy the priceless fame of conquerors. — George S. Patton

The leader must be an actor. — George S. Patton

You fight like you train. — George S. Patton

Few men are killed by the bayonet, many are scared by it. Bayonets should be fixed when the fire fight starts — George S. Patton

We entered a synagogue which was packed with the greatest stinking bunch of humanity I have ever seen. Either these Displaced Persons never had any sense of decency or else they lost it all during their period of internment by the Germans ... My personal opinion is that no people could have sunk to the level of degradation these have reached in the short space of four years. — George S. Patton

The real hero is the man who fights even though he is scared. — George S. Patton

There is only one sort of discipline, perfect discipline. — George S. Patton

Most battles are won before they are ever fought. — George S. Patton

Successful generals make plans to fit circumstances, but do not try to create circumstances to fit plans. — George S. Patton

War is an art and as such is not susceptible of explanation by fixed formula — George S. Patton

Close the playand keep the store open nights. — George S. Patton

Go forward until the last round is fired and the last drop of gas is expended ... then go forward on foot! — George S. Patton

If I do my full duty, the rest will take care of itself. — George S. Patton

An incessant change of means to attain unalterable ends is always going on; we must take care not to let these sundry means undo eminence in the perspective of our minds; for, since the beginning, there has been an unending cycle of them, and for each its advocates have claimed adoption as the sole solution of successful war. — George S. Patton

Sometimes I think your life and mine are under the protection of some supreme being or fate , because, after many years of parallel thought, we find ourselves in the positions we now occupy. — George S. Patton

The time to take counsel of your fears is before you make an important battle decision. That's the time to listen to every fear you can imagine! When you have collected all the facts and fears and made your decision, turn off all your fears and go ahead! — George S. Patton

America loves a winner, and will not tolerate a loser, this is why America has never, and will never, lose a war. — George S. Patton

The obvious thing for the cavalryman to do is to accept the fighting machine as a partner, and prepare to meet more fully the demands of future warfare. — George S. Patton

Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom. — George S. Patton

Americans love to fight. All real Americans love the sting of battle. — George S. Patton

When a decision has to be made, make it. There is no totally right time for anything. — George S. Patton

Prepare for the unknown by studying how others in the past have coped with the unforeseeable and the unpredictable. — George S. Patton

Let's shoot the works and win! Yes win it all. — George S. Patton

In forty hours I shall be in battle, with little information, and on the spur of the moment will have to make the most momentous decisions. But I believe that one's spirit enlarges with responsibility and that, with God's help, I shall make them, and make them right. — George S. Patton

You need to overcome the tug of people against you as you reach for high goals. — George S. Patton

There is no such thing as luck, merely opportunity meeting preparedness. George S. Patton Jr. — George S. Patton

If I could have three wishes, one would be to take an '88 and shove that barrel up Hitler's ass so that cocksucker can cry like the little god-damned girl he is. And hell, after that, I wouldn't need two more wishes. — George S. Patton

The courageous man is the man who forces himself, in spite of his fear, to carry on. — George S. Patton

Achievers are resolute in their goals and driven by determination. Discouragement is temporary, obstacles are overcome, and doubt is defeated, yielding to personal victory. You need to overcome the tug of people against you as you reach for high goals. Accept the challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory. — George S. Patton

So let us do real fighting, boring in and gouging, biting. — George S. Patton

You must do your damdest and win. — George S. Patton

Let us not mourn that such men died, but rejoice that such men lived. — George S. Patton

I always believe in being prepared, even when I'm dressed in white tie and tails. — George S. Patton

No sane man is unafraid in battle, but discipline produces in him a form of vicarious courage. — George S. Patton

Men, this stuff that some sources sling around about America wanting out of this war, not wanting to fight, is a crock of bullshit. Americans love to fight, traditionally. All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle. You are here today for three reasons. First, because you are here to defend your homes and your loved ones. Second, you are here for your own self respect, because you would not want to be anywhere else. Third, you are here because you are real men and all real men like to fight. — George S. Patton

Sir, I am not a brave man ... The truth is, I am an utter craven coward. I have never been within the sound of gunshot or in sight of battle in my whole life that I wasn't so scared that I had sweat in the palms of my hands. — George S. Patton

Officers must be made to care for their men. That is the sole duty of all officers. — George S. Patton

Each man must not think only of himself, but also of his buddy fighting beside him. We don't want yellow cowards in this Army. They should be killed off like rats. If not, they will go home after this war and breed more cowards. The brave men will breed more brave men. Kill off the Goddamned cowards and we will have a nation of brave men. — George S. Patton

Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best; it removes all that is base. All men are afraid in battle. The coward is the one who lets his fear overcome his sense of duty. Duty is the essence of manhood. — George S. Patton

Duty is the essence of manhood. — George S. Patton

If we aren't victorious, let no man come back alive! — George S. Patton

My men can eat their belts, but my tanks have gotta have gas. — George S. Patton

It is rather interesting how you get used to death. — George S. Patton

A man must know his destiny. — George S. Patton

Discipline must be a habit so ingrained that it is stronger than the excitement of battle. — George S. Patton

The soldier is the army. — George S. Patton

The reason there are so many tree-lined boulevards in Paris is so the German army can march in the shade. — George S. Patton

Plans must be simple and flexible ... They must be made by the people who execute them. — George S. Patton

For years I have been accused of making snap judgments. Honestly, this is not the case because I am a profound military student and the thoughts I express, perhaps too flippantly, are the result of years of thought and study. — George S. Patton

When we land against the enemy, don't forget to hit him and hit him hard. When we meet the enemy we will kill him. We will show him no mercy. — George S. Patton

I wouldn't give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed! Gen. — George S. Patton

We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way. — George S. Patton

When in doubt, observe and ask questions. When certain, observe at length and ask many more questions. — George S. Patton

Always do everything you ask of those you command. — George S. Patton

The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. — George S. Patton

All men are timid on entering any fight. Whether it is the first or the last fight, all of us are timid. Cowards are those who let their timidity get the better of their manhood. — George S. Patton

Make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. — George S. Patton