And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
IIRC - “A Bridge Too Far” is also in Amazon Prime at the moment, which recounts WWII’s “Operatiom Market Garden”. It has a star studded cast, but is painfully long. “Monty” is featured in this - as the primary architect of the operation. It was a object lesson in how failing to make sufficient accommodations for Murphy’s Law can be disastrous - and in a war operation, that can cost countless lives - regardless of the degree of success.
The only reason that his plan worked at the Battle of El Alamein was that the Brits had broken the German code and Monty knew THEIR battle plan in advance. He was all hat and no cattle...
I just got done reading Omar Bradley's autobiography and he describes Monty quite beautifully as a first class glory prick that couldn't battle his was out of a wet kitty litter bag. That he was inept and a coward. He would submit these glorious battle plans and never seem to deliver and wanted all of the credit. Ike and Marshal would not give him command of any American forces because he would have used them as cannon fodder.
I always thought that the casting of Michael Bates in the part of Monty in the movie Patton (George C. Scott) was a stroke of brilliance. His resemblance was uncanny.
What is it that the Brits say? "Often wrong, but never uncertain". Or as the old British Senior Officer evaluations said of a particular junior officer, "His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of curiosity."
IIRC - “A Bridge Too Far” is also in Amazon Prime at the moment, which recounts WWII’s “Operatiom Market Garden”. It has a star studded cast, but is painfully long. “Monty” is featured in this - as the primary architect of the operation. It was a object lesson in how failing to make sufficient accommodations for Murphy’s Law can be disastrous - and in a war operation, that can cost countless lives - regardless of the degree of success.
ReplyDeleteEgo with a beret on top.
ReplyDeleteIf only his brain was as large as his ego. I think Ike lost all confidence in him also.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason that his plan worked at the Battle of El Alamein was that the Brits had broken the German code and Monty knew THEIR battle plan in advance. He was all hat and no cattle...
DeleteWell, that and most of the plan was in place before Monty took over. And the huge support of the US, which he, being Monty, discounted.
DeleteMonty was an egotistical prick that got many soldiers dead for no good reason other than Monty's one grasps at glory.
ReplyDeleteBritain's best general was in Burma.
ReplyDeleteI just got done reading Omar Bradley's autobiography and he describes Monty quite beautifully as a first class glory prick that couldn't battle his was out of a wet kitty litter bag. That he was inept and a coward. He would submit these glorious battle plans and never seem to deliver and wanted all of the credit. Ike and Marshal would not give him command of any American forces because he would have used them as cannon fodder.
ReplyDeleteI always thought that the casting of Michael Bates in the part of Monty in the movie Patton (George C. Scott) was a stroke of brilliance. His resemblance was uncanny.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it that the Brits say? "Often wrong, but never uncertain". Or as the old British Senior Officer evaluations said of a particular junior officer, "His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of curiosity."
ReplyDelete