Do we know if Patton ever said "l'audace l'audace toujours l'audace"?
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The context of the speeches to the Third Army is the preparation prior to Normandy's landings. For American soldiers involved in this operation, this was the first big action of the war. However US Army had already fought hard battles in Africa and hard landings in Sicilia and Italy.
So Patton needed to motivate soldiers that had had a conventionnal training to be as involved as their counterparts in the Mediterranean Sea, and from a larger point of view as Marines in the Pacific or airmen over German's plants. The issue was not the strategy nor the tactics, it was about giving inexperienced soldiers the willingness to fight in dangerous operations such as a landing.
In this context, the quote "l'audace, toujours l'audace" is perfectly understandable. Patton also gives this sort of example:
One of the bravest men I saw in the African campaign was on a telegraph pole in the midst of furious fire while we were moving toward Tunis. I stopped and asked him what the hell he was doing up there. He answered, 'Fixing the wire, sir.' 'Isn't it a little unhealthy up there right now?' I asked. 'Yes sir, but this goddamn wire has got to be fixed.' I asked, 'Don't those planes strafing the road bother you?' And he answered, 'No sir, but you sure as hell do.' Now, there was a real soldier. A real man. A man who devoted all he had to his duty, no matter how great the odds, no matter how seemingly insignificant his duty appeared at the time.
Upvote:0
Patton did quote Frederick the Great with "l'audace l'audace toujours l'audace", but also included in this statement is Frederick's advice to attack by surprise and do the unexpected. Do not do the expected. Frederick was a wise man, and we should consider everything he said in reference to an attack upon an enemy.
Upvote:1
To answer the question: "If Patton did, what does the quote actually mean in the situation?"
According to the movie "Patton" this phrase was used by Patton in a disagreement with General Lucian Truscott before a bold 'end around' amphibious campaign in Northern Sicily. Getting to Messina before British General Montgomery was Patton's goal. In order to do that, Patton planned a bold amphibious campaign to get around strong German resistance on the road to Messina. Truscott's 3rd Division had already been involved in heavy fighting, and Patton wanted him to pull out and immediately accomplish the amphibious landing. Patton wanted Truscott to do the 'end run' in order to relieve the American unit that was being devastated by the German resistance. Gen. Truscott asked Patton to delay the amphibious attack for just one day to give his 3rd Division a chance to rest and regroup before trying the dangerous amphibious landing. Patton, not wanting his timeline to be delayed used the quote from Frederick the Great, "l'audace l'audace toujours l'audace", which basically means, "Boldness, boldness, always boldness". He used it as a means to motivate Gen. Truscott, and to basically end the discussion about the one day delay. Truscott as well as Gen. Bradley, Patton's XO, knew that the casualties would be high, as also did Patton. But to Patton, rescuing the devastated American unit was more important than the loss of 3rd Division men...not to mention Patton's timeline to beat Montgomery to Messina.
As a West Point graduate from the Class of 1970, my knowledge of this battle was gained from our study of Patton's, as well as other famous general's, strategies during WWII.
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