August 1943: President Franklin D. Roosevelt read reports that made him furious. General George S. Patton, America's most aggressive field commander, had physically assaulted two soldiers in military hospitals in Sicily—slapping them, calling them cowards, even threatening one with a pistol. Military regulations were clear: an officer who strikes an enlisted man faces court-martial. Roosevelt's mail filled with letters demanding Patton be fired. Congress prepared resolutions calling for dismissal. For weeks, Roosevelt seriously considered firing his best combat general. He ordered investigations, demanded accountability, and watched as the story exploded into a national scandal. Roosevelt made a controversial decision: he would protect Patton and keep him in command. This video explores what Patton did in those Sicily hospitals, why Roosevelt almost fired him, what changed the president's mind, and how this decision affected the outcome of World War II. When D-Day came in 1944, Patton would lead the Third Army across France—but he almost never got that chance.
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Disclaimer: This video presents historical events based on documented records and scholarly research. Historical interpretations may vary among historians. Viewers are encouraged to consult multiple sources when studying this period.
📚 SOURCES & FURTHER READING:
This video is based on the following historical sources:
Blumenson, Martin. "The Patton Papers, 1940-1945" (1974) - Comprehensive collection of Patton's letters, diary entries, and official correspondence including the slapping incidents
D'Este, Carlo. "Patton: A Genius for War" (1995) - Definitive biography with detailed account of the Sicily incidents and aftermath
Atkinson, Rick. "The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944" (2007) - Pulitzer Prize-winning history including the slapping incidents
Hirshson, Stanley P. "General Patton: A Soldier's Life" (2002) - Comprehensive biography with extensive documentation
Eisenhower, Dwight D. "Crusade in Europe" (1948) - Eisenhower's account of his decision-making regarding Patton
Bradley, Omar N. "A Soldier's Story" (1951) - Fellow general's perspective on Patton and the Sicily campaign
Stimson, Henry L. and McGeorge Bundy. "On Active Service in Peace and War" (1948) - Secretary of War's account including Roosevelt's deliberations
Farago, Ladislas. "Patton: Ordeal and Triumph" (1964) - Early comprehensive biography with interviews of participants
Codman, Charles R. "Drive" (1957) - Memoir by Patton's aide-de-camp who witnessed aftermath of incidents
Roosevelt, Franklin D. Papers - Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, correspondence and memoranda regarding Patton case
Marshall, George C. Papers - George C. Marshall Foundation, letters and reports on Patton incidents
Official Army Reports: Investigation of incidents at 15th Evacuation Hospital (August 3, 1943) and 93rd Evacuation Hospital (August 10, 1943)
Eisenhower letter to Patton, August 17, 1943 - Official reprimand (National Archives)
War Department Statement, November 24, 1943 - Official public response to Pearson broadcast
Drew Pearson Radio Broadcast Transcript, November 21, 1943 - First public disclosure of slapping incidents
Congressional Record, November-December 1943 - Floor debates and resolutions regarding Patton
Medical reports and witness statements from hospital staff present during both incidents
Kuhl, Charles H. and Bennett, Paul G. - Post-war interviews and statements about the incidents
Ambrose, Stephen E. "The Supreme Commander: The War Years of General Dwight D. Eisenhower" (1970)
Weigley, Russell F. "Eisenhower's Lieutenants: The Campaign of France and Germany, 1944-1945" (1981)
Showalter, Dennis. "Patton and Rommel: Men of War in the Twentieth Century" (2005)
Axelrod, Alan. "Patton: A Biography" (2006)
Province, Charles M. "The Unknown Patton" (1983) - Includes documentation from Patton's personal files
U.S. Army Medical Department records - Treatment of combat fatigue/combat stress in World War II
Seventh Army After Action Reports, Sicily Campaign, 1943
Goodwin, Doris Kearns. "No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II" (1994)
Burns, James MacGregor. "Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom" (1970)
These sources document the August 3 and August 10, 1943 slapping incidents through multiple witness accounts, official Army investigation reports, hospital records, and Eisenhower's correspondence. Roosevelt's consideration of dismissing Patton is documented in War Department files, presidential papers, and memoirs of Stimson and Marshall. The decision-making process from August through November 1943 and the final decision to retain Patton are extensively documented in official records and contemporary accounts.
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