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 Robert Orlando's Apostle Paul: A Polite Bribe

"Robert Orlando combines the best traditions of historical criticism with an astounding knowledge of the history of research to provide an in-depth look into Paul that I have not seen in scholarship during the last decades. I recommend his book, A Polite Bribe, with the utmost enthusiasm. A book where scholars and laypersons alike are given the unique chance to meet Paul again for the first time. This truly 'new narrative' of early Christianity has my full endorsement." -- Gerd Ludemann, from the Foreword of Apostle Paul: A Polite Bribe

"A Polite Bribe seamlessly blends cutting‐edge Pauline scholarship with narrative storytelling. It's a human story that speaks to the broadest possible audience precisely because it doesn't preach to any choir or address a specific faith tradition, but rather wrestles with the paradoxical story of Paul the man and his famously ambivalent relationship with the Judean apostles, which was largely obscured by later generations. This portrayal will undoubtedly provoke and inspire dialogue both within Christian churches and across social and religious boundaries." -- Mark Mattison, creator of The Paul Page

"Paul's life, of which we get snippets from his letters and also from the accounts of others about him, was a dramatic one. Robert Orlando takes those details, and the insights and interpretations of scholars, and weaves them together with the skill of a filmmaker to provide a compelling narrative of Paul's life, his aims, his struggles." --James McGrath, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN

"At a time when the academy touts 'life-long learning' and 'public humanities' and yet rarely takes independent scholarship seriously, professional scholars should not overlook Robert Orlando's A Polite Bribe, the culmination of years of research sparked by a college course. He is a more than capable student of Paul and Pauline scholarship who ardently and articulately makes a plausible case for what might have happened to Paul. Those who already find Paul intriguing will find him only more so in A Polite Bribe. As a companion to Orlando's documentary, this is a very useful introduction or follow-up. See the film. Read the book." -- Corrie Norman, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

"A Polite Bribe may be the most unique book ever written about the apostle Paul. Drawing from the work of many diverse scholars and theologians, Orlando opens the curtains to reveal the unvarnished picture of a first-century religious conflict hidden beneath centuries of theology and church politics. Writing with unique cinematic flair, Orlando engagingly reveals how from a volatile ethnic conflict between the apostles - a conflict largely created by Paul - a new world religion arose that would eclipse all others. Brilliant!" -- The Rev. Jeffrey J. Butz, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Praise for Robert Orlando's film SILENCE PATTON: First Victim of the Cold War

"America's first MAGA general?" -- Communities Digital News

"The 'must see' film, SILENCE PATTON, suggests that the general's premature death in a mysterious auto accident may have been orchestrated to silence this oversized, historic personality. Written and directed by Robert Orlando, the film uses documentary footage, direct quotes, and interviews with historians to ask whether Patton's forthrightness, outspoken judgments, and criticism of battlefield leadership may have led to assassination. In SILENCE PATTON, Orlando presents a non-lionized, realistic portrayal of a consummate yet flawed warrior, whose personal qualities often hindered him from obtaining the necessary orders to execute his desired military strategies. In SILENCE PATTON, Orlando -- using his team of historians, battlefield graphics, and revealing quotes -- portrays Patton overwrought by the way his immediate superiors conducted much of the war and openly bemoaning their strategic decisions. The film's context for Patton's concerns includes revelations that before the war, Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration was filled with Soviet spies and progressives who visited the Soviet Union and viewed communism as far less ominous than Nazism and fascism, perhaps even a 'new way' ideology with a possible American future. The film concludes with the haunting possibility that Eastern Europe was unnecessarily stuck behind the Iron Curtain from 1945 to 1989. If Patton's words had been heeded, could the Cold War have been prevented?" -- American Thinker

"Orlando is a fine filmmaker, and his approach is serious and analytical. Ultimately, Orlando's film favors the argument that Communism in countries like Cuba might have been stopped had America's leaders listened to Patton." -- The Prindle Post

"Writer-director Robert Orlando explores the possibility that Patton was indeed killed, perhaps by Communist sympathizers, and was therefore the 'first victim of the Cold War.'" -- The Hollywood Reporter

"SILENCE PATTON has a lot of gripping drama in it." -- LewRockwell.com

Praise for Robert Orlando's film The Divine Plan: John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, and the Dramatic End of the Cold War

"The Divine Plan artfully and masterfully tells the story of the Cold War in the context of divine providence; documentary by Robert Orlando and Dr. Paul Kengor, professor of Political Science at Grove City College and author of New York Times Best Seller A Pope and A President, The Divine Plan, counters the promises of socialistic bliss spoon- fed to us by the Bernies and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezes of the Left and delivers a pungent dose of reality. Graphically mesmerizing, the documentary will appeal to those generations experienced enough to know the history and also to those who have yet to learn of the horrors of Communism." -- The American Spectator

"Superb, virtually made-for-CPAC film; called The Divine Plan, the invaluable history and spirit of true conservatism offered by the movie's exposition of Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II's collaboration in bringing down the Soviet Union. Especially poignant is the film's treatment of the near simultaneous assassination attempts on both Reagan and Pope John Paul II. The Divine Plan is a reminder of the type of leadership our country sorely needs. Conservatism needs more such films." -- Townhall

"The Divine Plan: Reagan, John Paul II and the Dramatic End of the Cold War is told as part 'graphic thriller, ' part stage play, and part documentary exploring the steady chain of communication and interaction among the Reagan White House, the U.S. intelligence community, and the Vatican. Film Explores 'Divine Plan' for Reagan, John Paul to Bring Down Soviet Union." -- The Daily Signal

"With concise information, good storytelling and excellent visuals, The Divine Plan tells the story of this man, Pope John Paul II, his greatest ally, Ronald Reagan, and their battle against Communism. This documentary by Robert Orlando should be recommended to anyone interested in the history of the Cold War and all who doubt the power of faith to move world events." -- The Daily Wire

"Kengor and Orlando explain the similarities between these two 'great men, ' and how they were both essential to the eventual fall of the Soviet Union." -- Ricochet

"The documentary features compelling graphic art with analysis from some of the most prominent experts on history, religion and politics. Director Robert Orlando, a veteran filmmaker with an extensive Catholic theological education, sees this story as a 'theo-drama, ' or salvation as drama. In this drama, God and God's Divine Plan motivated everything Reagan and John Paul did and the story of their lives." -- Medium

"The movie explores the fascinating friendship between President Reagan and Pope John Paul II and how, together, they put in motion the events that led to the end of the cold war." -- Catholic Exchange

"The story of the alliance [between Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II] is told superbly in Robert Orlando's new documentary; The Divine Plan challenges us to see God's intervention in events and reminds us of what may be achieved by men and women of faith who courageously seek His ends." -- The Catholic Thing

"This is a wonderful addition to the history of relations between the United States and the Catholic Church, especially in a time when religion and politics are both so divisive. By presenting the way these two leaders [Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II] put their faith into practice, the movie challenges each viewer to 'contribute a verse, ' as poet Walt Whitman put it, to the betterment of the world by discerning and following God's plan." -- Catholic News Service

"Documentary explores the hand of Providence and the convergence of faith in the efforts of the pope and the president to crack the Iron Curtain." -- National Catholic Register

"The Divine Plan is a wonderful addition to the history of the United States and the Catholic Church, especially in a time when religion and politics are so divisive. By presenting the way these two leaders put their faith into practice through their action, the film challenges each person, quoting Walt Whitman, to 'contribute a verse' to the betterment of the world by discerning and following God's plan. Created by visionary director Robert Orlando (Apostle Paul: A Polite Bribe, Silence Patton: First Victim of the Cold War), the feature-length documentary unveils both the religious and political history that shaped the passions of these two world leaders. By probing deep into the shadows of the Cold War, Orlando and those interviewed expose events that support a vivid and uncommon mission during this fragile chapter of human history. The Divine Plan blurs the lines of conventional documentary filmmaking as the scenes play out through a combination of interviews with historians and experts, audio and video archives, and illustrations that blend graphic novel illustrations with cold war era Soviet propaganda." -- Today's Christian Entertainment

"This powerful documentary follows the parallel of President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II's lives, later depicting their intersection as a God-ordained plan to bring freedom to the world. This spiritually powerful documentary reaps biblical truths and represents the power of Jesus' hand in our everyday lives." -- Dove.org

Praise for Robert Orlando's The Divine Plan: John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, and the Dramatic End of the Cold War

"An excellent book." -- Medium

"In this riveting book, bestselling author Paul Kengor and writer-director Robert Orlando show what it took to end the Cold War: leaders who refused to accept that hundreds of millions must suffer under totalitarian Communism. And no leaders proved more important than the pope and the president." -- The Heritage Foundation

"The authors describe the growing friendship of these 'called and confident' men who found common ground in their deep faith, unshakeable hope, and firm belief in the 'twin beacons of faith and freedom.' Through interviews and facts, the best-selling author and documentary writer-director detail actions that led to the collapse of Communism and the roles a Protestant president and a Polish pope played. In the end, they make a persuasive argument that 'an alliance of morality and decency' ultimately led to the fall of the USSR." -- Baptist Standard

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.