Any man who says he has battle fatigue is avoiding danger and forcing on those who have more hardihood than himself the obligation of meeting it. If soldiers would make fun of those who begin to show battle fatigue, they would prevent its spread, and also save the man who allows himself to malinger by this means from an afterlife of humiliation and regret. - General George S. Patton, Jr., War As I Knew It. 1947. Considering battle fatigue, or shell shock, is an actual phenomenon that has deep physiological roots, Patton was speaking out of his ass on this one.
Considering battle fatigue, or shell shock, is an actual phenomenon that has deep physiological roots, Patton was speaking out of his ass on this one.Everyone is entitled to be wrong once in a while. In any case patton based this opinion on the fact that while battle fatigue was very real and very common, only a small percentage "allowed" themselves to be overcome by it to the point where they would not or could not function in combat. Therefore, he viewed those that succumbed to it as deficient in character.