Who was the better tactician, Patton or Montgomery?

milton b

Erwin Rommel

Bear

Patton understood Calvary tactics which Montgomery never shows that he understood. When Pattern went into Baston(sp) to save the 82nd airborne he cemented he's name in history as the best.

EMT-B

the Germans that had to go against him would vote for Patton.

they admired him as a hard to beat leader.

or ask the iraqis, the rapid tank assault on them used in gulf wars 1 and 2 were right out of patton's play book.

hit them hard and run them over.

let them try to figure out what happened.

its hard to hit a tank going at full speed.

ED Ski

Patton, without a shadow of a doubt

Shock and Awe

Too easy...think f who YOU would want to meet in person right now or lead your 3 US tank divisions in breaking a German held area of France with only 1 day to do it and it's winter. Monty would have took too long in plan. The Bulge is a perfect example of Patton's excellence. Market Garden armoured potion shows Monty lag in pondering along with tanks. Both were awesome, but overall for that time period and you said TACTICIAN, not strategiest. Then Monty would be the man of the two.

AUG

General Patton. Montgomery seemed to hide in the shadow of Eisenhower most of the war. Patton liberated Italy.

Neil T

I seem to recall a lot of GI`s saying of Patton "our blood, his guts". Or has that been edited (Japanese style) out.

Sean G

Patton of course, his maxims of constantly keeping pressure on the enemy by use of Firepower and continual advances worked with far fewer casualties than Montgomery.

Montgomery also planned the Dieppe disaster.

Montgomery planned to be in Caen by D+1 (yeah right, as if).

His Operation Goodwood was a slaughter of UK troops

He fought his battles as though he were still in 1918's Trenches

Now he was a good Trainer, Mentor, Morale Builder, but a lousy field commnader much like the US Civil wars George McClellan

Patton had many faults, TF Baum among them

He also was a hothead, with little sense of Humor about himself, had bad relations with the press.

Of course the British will fawn over Monty, but he was a tosspot from day one.

jimmy s

Patton, by a long shot.

Laird C

Field Marshal Montgomery is/was, in my opinion, grossly over-rated. His major talents seemed to be swinging his political clout about, and blundering tremendously despite the availability of the necessary information to avoid said blunders.

Mind you, Patton was not all that superior, either, as a tactician. But he had subordinates, like Creighton Abrams and Bruce Clarke, whom were *very* good, and very aggressive, and Patton was smart enough to turn them loose. Those men led Combat Command B of the 4th Armored Division on a head-long charge across Europe that out-blitzkrieged the those masters of blitzkrieg, the Germans. Of Abrams, Patton said: "I'm supposed to be the best tank commander in the Army, but I have one peer: Abe Abrams. He's the world champion."

SnoddersB

Neither, they were both handed victory on a plate, their predecessors were better but did not have the equipment. Patton was just another lucky Yank who arrived after Britain had finally won the battle of Britain and the Atlantic.

tidworthsucks

Montgomery . Patton was called blood and guts Patton lots of tactics there me thinks the only one Montgomery got wrong was going a bridge to far at Arnhem

oscarsix5

Patton, hands down, was the better tactician. Patton conduct of the relief of Bastone opposed to Montgomery's failure to relief the British Airborne in Operation Market Garden is the proof of this.

Sentinel

Patton! He studied his enemy, and knew his weaknesses!

jim

Montgomery was a better tactician, he made one mistake that was going one bridge to far at Arnhem.
Its easy for Americans to criticise him for that but we must remember that their were still bombs falling on London so who could blame him for trying to pull a quicky on the Germans.

Lucky Man 2

Patton, no one else could have done as well as him.

El Cid

Monty, of course. Patton just relied on superior numbers and fire-power, a usual yankee strategy. No guile, just boom, boom, boom.

But Milton's right. Rommel bested them both of them, and with one arm tied behind his back. Pity he was on the other side. Took 15 countries to beat one.

shitebird

According to Douglas MacArthur it was Douglas MacArthur.

Football addict

Patton out manoeuvred Monty, steamed ahead and stole all the glory to enlarge his fat head, at the expensive of his own men.

Ofcourse all the yanks here will vote for Patton though.

Declan

Monty. All you Yanks are biased and are basing facts of films. Monty beat the Afrika Korps despite the fact that he was greatly out numbered. The Yanks as El Cid said, relied on outnumbering the enemy. For example, a Tiger tank could take on four Shermans and stand a chance, there were about 1200 Tigers made and 56000 Shermans. See what I'm getting at?

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