If Patton hadn't died in a car crash, do you think he would have run against Ike?

Parent Cafe
1

<p>And if so, would he have won.</p>

<p>And if he had won how would things be different today?</p>

2

<p>He would have nuked China over Quemoy and Matsu, as the Secretaries of Defense and State recommended to Ike, only to be overruled. </p>

<p>(There would be an awful lot more cancer deaths…)</p>

3

<p>And if he had won how would things be different today? The trains would run on time? ;)</p>

4

<p>George Patton would have made a terrible politician. There is virtually no chance he would have run for political office. The Pattons were a wealthy California family, and George Jr. was not constitutionally suited to the constant bottom-smooching required of a successful candidate for office. Wouldn’t have happened.</p>

5

<p>I agree with WashDad. I doubt if Patton would have been elected. The soldier slapping incident cast him in a negative light alone.</p>

<p>Now if Omar Bradley had run, that would have been interesting.</p>

6

<p>Patton was a natural soldier, but it’s questionable whether he had the mental capacity to get elected and serve effectively as president. He was lousy in school – couldn’t read very well. Today he would would probably be termed dyslexic. He failed to graduate with his class at West Point and had to come back for a 5th year.</p>

7

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<p>I’ve read four biographies of Patton over the years, including Patton: A Genius for War by Carlo D’Este and the classic Patton: Ordeal and Triumph by Ladislas Farago. D’Este especially made the case for dyslexia, quoting primary materials from Patton’s writings and those he know both in school and in the Army. His character made him, in my opinion, a poor choice for a presidential run, but I don’t think it was a lack of mental capacity. He was clearly very bright, and one of the most original military minds of the 20th century.</p>

8

<p>Patton wasn’t a politician, and I doubt he would’ve been elected over Ike. He was like a hunting dog in a way, you point him in a direction and tell him to kill it, then he kills it, very fast and very effectively.</p>

9

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<p>Right, but his talent appears to have been confined to military matters, and it"s clear from his various missteps that he was not very politically astute. Hobbled by the dyslexia, I doubt he had much ability to learn and master other fields.</p>