MovieChat Forums > Patton (1970) Discussion > Brilliant character study

Brilliant character study

posted 9 years ago by Roonil_Wazlib_97
2 replies | jump to latest

George Patton just assumes that everybody, every soldier, is of his same hawkish, nationalist (jingoist?) mindset. That is why he tenderly feels for the mute soldiers who’ve died and is genuinely angered by the soldier he slaps because he spoke a truth a world away from his (even though the former might have possibly spoken the same words as the latter if they could speak). He’ll never understand the pacifist, or the “I don’t want to be there” position. Bradley does, that’s why he urges more precautionary strategies. He understands the non-hawkish soldier’s plight.

[–] politicaldefiance 9 years ago

Yep.

[–] spasek 8 years ago

Patton did not share Bradley's more "coddling" approach. I'm not saying that Patton's was better, but he did understand the fear of fighting in war. He points this out in the speech. However, there is a difference between natural fear and cowardice.

The soldier suffering from fear will find a way to overcome it, especially when he sees his comrades being killed around him. Again, Patton states this in his speech.

The coward allows that fear to consume him, and he will do nothing to overcome it, even when his comrades are being killed because his own life is more important to him than his fellow soldiers who are putting their lives on the line for him as well! This is what Patton couldn't tolerate.

Now, Patton felt that the best cure for this was to try to slap it out of them instead of trying a softer approach, which Bradley would have done. Which approach was best? That depends on how each of those soldiers took it and used it.