The Tragedy of Patton a Soldier's Date with Destiny - by Robert Orlando (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"Better to fight for something than live for nothing." -- General George S. Patton

It is 75 years since the end of WW II and the strange, mysterious death of General George S. Patton, but as in life, Patton sets off a storm of controversy.

The Tragedy of Patton: A Soldier's Date With Destiny asks the question: Why was General Patton silenced during his service in World War II? Prevented from receiving needed supplies that would have ended the war nine months earlier, freed the death camps, prevented Russian invasion of the Eastern Bloc, and Stalin's murderous rampage. Why was he fired as General of the Third Army and relegated to a governorship of post-war Bavaria? Who were his enemies? Was he a threat to Eisenhower, Montgomery, and Bradley? And is it possible as some say that the General's freakish collision with an Army truck, on the day before his departure for US, was not really an accident? Or was Patton not only dismissed by his peers, but the victim of an assassin's bullet at their behest? Was his personal silence necessary?

General George S. Patton was America's antihero of the Second World War. Robert Orlando explores whether a man of such a flawed character could have been right about his claim that because the Allied troops, some within 200 miles of Berlin, or just outside Prague, were held back from capturing the capitals to let Soviet troops move in, the Cold War was inevitable. Patton said it loudly and often enough that he was relieved of command and silenced. Patton had vowed to "take the gag off" after the war and tell the intimate truth and inner workings about controversial decisions and questionable politics that had cost the lives of his men. Was General Patton volatile, bombastic, self-absorbed, reckless? Yes, but he was also politically astute and a brilliant military strategist who delivered badly needed wins.

Questions still abound about Patton's rise and fall. The Tragedy of Patton seeks to answer them.

From the Back Cover

"Better to fight for something than to live for nothing." -- General Patton

George S. Patton is undoubtedly the most colorful and controversial US Military Commander of the Second World War. His behavior, character, and even his performance on and off the battlefield is often viewed through the lens of current mores, rather than in historical context.

In the closing days of the war, Patton had the opportunity to seize Berlin, Prague, and vast territory across Europe that would otherwise be consumed by the Soviet Union. Nearly the entire Allied leadership, except Churchill, insisted Patton stop his advance. Why? Why did the Allied leadership back down? How much would this cost America in the Cold War to come?

The Tragedy of Patton explores these questions, and more. Why was this prophetic leader silenced? Why was his behavior in later years dismissed as the unraveling of a senile and violent sociopath? And, was his tragic death his destiny? This book reveals the truth behind these questions.

Robert Orlando shows that while Patton's methods were controversial, he was right about nearly every threat he identified. Every questionable decision Patton made in the last months before his untimely death was wholly embraced by the Allied leadership within three years.

The Tragedy of Patton seeks to set the record straight in this compelling reexamination of an American hero.

Robert Orlando is a filmmaker, author, entrepreneur, and scholar. As an entrepreneur, he founded Nexus Media. As a scholar, his studies include film, religion, ancient and modern history, and biography. As an award-winning writer/ director, his films include the thought-provoking documentaries Silence Patton, The Divine Plan, and Citizen Trump. His books include Apostle Paul and The Divine Plan. His work has been published in Writing Short Scripts, American Thinker, The Catholic Thing, HuffPost, Patheos, Daily Caller, and Merion West. Orlando has a BFA from School of Visual Arts.

Review Quotes

Praise for THE TRAGEDY OF PATTON: A Soldier's Date With Destiny by Robert Orlando

"In bright, admiring prose, Robert Orlando brings to life America's most famous general in vivid colors. Patton's brilliance, flaws, contradictions and beliefs leap off the pages in this fast-reading biography." -- Jonathan W. Jordan, bestselling author of Brothers, Rivals, Victors

"WWII is a lifelong passion of Orlando's. The Tragedy of Patton has been a labor of love and truly a quest for truth and justice. His film, Silence Patton, was bold, engaging, and riveting, and so is this book. The man lost his life 75 years ago, to the shock of the world, but the life and the mystery live on. Anyone with any interest in General George S. Patton, the Cold War, his bizarre and tragic death, or his date with destiny needs to read this book." -- Paul Kengor PhD, Professor of Political Science at Grove City College, author of God and Ronald Reagan, The Divine Plan, and The Devil and Karl Marx

"I can honestly say, every military history library should have this volume on its shelf." -- Charles M. Province, The George S. Patton, Jr. Historical Society

"Robert Orlando is one of America's leading scholars on the turbulent life and interesting times of General George S. Patton. His life was full of sound and fury, who did so much for America and for the world. Patton, in addition to his many military conquests, was also a visionary. Imagine if the world had seen the Soviet threat earlier, as Patton did, how much suffering might have been prevented? Read, absorb and most of all enjoy Rob's new tome, The Tragedy of Patton." -- Craig Shirley, Ronald Reagan biographer and presidential historian

Praise for Robert Orlando's film A Polite Bribe: An Apostle's Final Bid

"If Oliver Stone ever became a Bible scholar, he might turn out a movie a bit like A Polite Bribe." -- Amy Longsdorf, The Morning Call

"A Polite Bribe has the shock value of The DaVinci Code, but the bigger shock is that it's likely the real truth about Christianity. Go on the journey of the Apostle Paul presented with great detail by filmmaker Robert Orlando, and in this documentary; hear scholars and historians explore those first decades after the birth of Jesus Christ. It will challenge everything you thought you knew." -- Valerie Knight, WOGL-FM

"A Polite Bribe is thought-provoking, informative, inspiring and eye-opening. A conversation starter about one of the most notable New Testament figures. This movie goes beyond the neatly packaged traditional biblical story of Paul and into a deeper understanding of this iconic figure and the roots of modern day religion." -- Paul Perrello Metro Networks

"The artwork in Robert Orlando's film is exquisite and should be exhibited in the Philadelphia Museum Of Art. Robert's interviews, with religious academics, is the thread that weaves together the tapestry of the film. Robert has found charismatic and entertaining story-tellers who explain the story of Paul in such a captivating manner that it is appealing and most attractive to people like myself, who do not know the story and who do not subscribe to the beliefs of Christianity." -- Phillip Silverstone WWDB-TALK 860 Philadelphia

"Compellingly integrates a strong story-line, lively interviews with leading New Testament scholars, fine animation and effects, and magnificent music. Whenever I teach Paul in the future I will show this film to my students very early in the course." -- Philip Esler, The University of Gloucestershire

"A Polite Bribe pulls back the veil on that history revealing the true account of the parties and politics that gave birth to Christianity, including Paul's bitter conflict with James the brother of Jesus and the original apostles. The fateful results of that 'battle of the apostles, ' is an untold story that is at last coming to light." -- James Tabor Chair, Dept. of Religious Studies, UNC

"Robert Orlando is by far the most knowledgeable and probing filmmaker I have dealt with in connection with films on Jesus or Paul. He has read widely, knows the different perspectives on Paul, his letters, and the cast of scholarly characters. While maintaining a broad spectrum of views on Paul, he will surely produce the most 'down-to-earth' Paul that we have yet seen on film." -- Richard Horsley- D.P. of Lib. Arts and Religion, UMass

"Robert Orlando has an amazing knowledge not only of Paul, but also of Pauline scholarship. What matters most, however, is the fact that he retains a healthy critical attitude to the apostle that balances the extent to which he too, like so many others, has fallen under his spell." -- Troels Engberg-Pedersen, Univ of Copenhagen

"Robert Orlando is the most well-read, knowledgeable, and passionate film-maker ever to tackle the Apostle Paul. Because Orlando combines mastery of his subject with such eye-catching artistry and creativity, he succeeds in making a film that both illumines its subject and pleases the eye." -- Pamela Eisenbaum - Assoc Prof, IIiff School of Theology

"This is not your ordinary life of Paul. Not a triumphant apostle of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but one who suffered set-back after set-back throughout his career, often in the form of opposition from the church in Jerusalem. Despite all that, he nevertheless remained faithful to his apostolic ministry to the gentiles. But despite all forms of opposition, Paul remained faithful to his God-given task of announcing what God has done for all peoples, Jew as well as gentile, in his act of grace in Jesus Christ." -- Paul Achtemier - Union Theological Seminary, Virginia

"Robert Orlando promises a breakthrough film on Paul. He combines real expertise and creativity in film-making with a sophisticated knowledge of the New Testament and the Pauline literature within it. No one has previously been able to combine these talents before. His film will be the first to capture an audience and still remain accurate and informative." -- Alan F. Segal - Prof of Religion, Columbia University

About the Author

Robert Orlando is an award-winning writer and filmmaker, and the author of The Divine Plan: John Paull II, Ronald Reagan, The Dramatic End of the Cold War and Apostle Paul: A Polite Bribe. The founder of Nexus Media, he has been involved in the writing, directing, production, development, or release of more than a dozen film and documentary projects, including: A Polite Bribe, The Divine Plan, Moment in Time, Road to Valor, Daughter of Mercy and Thucydides Trap: China & the Coming Cold War. Sony Pictures released his most recent award-winning documentary Silence Patton: First Victim of the Cold War with the DVD released Fall 2020 for the 75th Anniversary of General George S. Patton's strange and suspicious death and the end of World War II.

http: //www.silencepatton.com/

https: //www.robomantix.com/

https: //www.thedivineplanmovie.com/

http: //apolitebribe.com/

https: //www.nexusmediasite.com/

The author lives & works in the New York City metro area.