Deleted member 9338
How would General Patton of changed the campaign in Italy if he was in charge of the 5th Army instead of General Clark?
Italy, with the geography and resource priorities it has, is the worst possible terrain for Patton. It's going to be one Metz after another.
The flip side is how Clark would do commanding the Third Army in France.
...
Ultimately there would have been an earlier invasion of southern France.
When Patton received his orders to the UK at the end of 1943 he visited his friend Lucas. The latter showed Patton the plans for Op SHINGLE, wherapon Patton declared it a "suicide mission". The force allocated to weak.
Earlier when given the directive for Op SHINGLE Clark determined the amphib fleet would be to small, & recommended the operation be canceled. Alexander declined and Clark carried out his orders like a good soldier. Question is, would Patton have refused a weak and high risk operation and thus ended his career?
Being offered command of 5th Army for Italy means that the Slapping Incident isn't uncovered, so Patton would have enough goodwill built up to do so, and modify that plan.
SHINGLE could have worked, ...
... if Patton would have done things the same way, to end up stuck in front of the Gustav Line as Clark did, to need a landing at Anzio
Or Marshall tells Dugout Doug 'Germany First' and he gets his plans shorted so more can be done in EuropeThe only way to keep the strong left hook in play would be to short change Op NEPTUNE, keeping it at the 1943 'three corps three beach' size.
Or Marshall tells Dugout Doug 'Germany First' and he gets his plans shorted so more can be done in Europe