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Each man must not think only of himself, but also of his buddy fighting beside him. We don't want yellow cowards in this Army. They should be killed off like rats. If not, they will go home after this war and breed more cowards. The brave men will breed more brave men. Kill off the Goddamned cowards and we will have a nation of brave men.

George S. Patton#21

WarfareCourageMoraleBrotherhoodCompanionshipCowardice

About this quote

What does it mean?
Soldiers must care for each other and reject cowardice to ensure national bravery.
In plain terms
Think about your buddy, not just yourself, and avoid being a coward.
What can you take from it?
Support your fellow soldiers and be brave.

Where it applies

  • combat situations
  • leadership training
  • team building

Putting it to work

  • build unit trust
  • discourage retreat
  • foster loyalty

Questions to consider

  • Who am I responsible for besides myself?
  • How does my fear affect others?

Another view

Extreme rhetoric about punishing cowards may be counterproductive.

More from George S. Patton

  1. All of the real heroes are not storybook combat fighters, either. Every single man in this Army plays a vital role. Don't ever let up. Don't ever think that yo…

    Permalink to quote #20
  2. Don't forget, you men don't know that I'm here. No mention of that fact is to be made in any letters. The world is not supposed to know what the hell happened …

    Permalink to quote #22
  3. My men don't surrender. I don't want to hear of any soldier under my command being captured unless he has been hit. Even if you are hit, you can still fight ba…

    Permalink to quote #19

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