King George VI of the United Kingdom: 'How many men have you killed in war, General Patton?' Patton: 'Seven, sir.'. Eisenhower: 'How many did you say, General Patton?' Patton: 'Three, sir.' Eisenhower: 'Ok, George, we'll let you get away with that.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A humorous exchange about the number of men killed in war, showing personality dynamics.
- In plain terms
- Patton gives conflicting counts of kills in a joke.
- What can you take from it?
- War stories vary by telling.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you recount past actions?
- Is humor appropriate in war?
Another view
Trivializing combat casualties can be disrespectful to those lost.
More from George S. Patton
I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor, dumb bastard die for his country.
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