My Aggie friends claim that General George S. Patton said the following:
“Give me an army of West Point graduates, I’ll win a battle. Give me a handful of Texas Aggies and I’ll win a war.”
Now, the only place I’ve ever seen this quote is on the Corps of Cadets site and Aggie alumni websites, hardly the most objective place to look for the truth.
If any of you could tell me when and where he said it, that’d be great!
Wiki only sez it’s “attributed”
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/George_S._Patton,_Jr.
Which means doubtful. Bu possible.
Here are a few real quotes:
"*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.
Americans love a winner. Americans will not tolerate a loser. Americans despise cowards. Americans play to win all of the time. I wouldn’t give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That’s why Americans have never lost nor will ever lose a war; for the very idea of losing is hateful to an American.
"
An Army is a team. It lives, sleeps, eats, and fights as a team. This individual heroic stuff is pure horse shit. The bilious bastards who write that kind of stuff for the Saturday Evening Post don’t know any more about real fighting under fire than they know about fucking!
We have the finest food, the finest equipment, the best spirit, and the best men in the world. Why, by God, I actually pity those poor sons-of-bitches we’re going up against. By God, I do. "
*
You can’t prove a negative.
What your friends have to do is produce a cite which shows he said it. They can’t.
I meant a verifiable cite.
On the other hand, Gen. George Marshall is reputed to have said “I want an officer for a secret and dangerous mission. I want a West Point football player.”