Suppose Patton survives 1945...

...What happens? Does he retire quietly as promised? Run for office? Could he be put in charge in Korea after MacArthur or help reunite Germany and alter the trajectory of a nascent Western Germany?
 

nbcman

Donor
...What happens? Does he retire quietly as promised? (1) Run for office? (2) Could he be put in charge in Korea after MacArthur or help reunite Germany and alter the trajectory of a nascent Western Germany? (3)

(1) He'll have no choice to either resign or be involuntarily separated as President Truman didn't think highly of him. He was 60 at the time of his death so it is unlikely he would be allowed to serve another 5 years until the Korean War starts.

(2) Extremely unlikely with his inability to censor himself, his eccentric beliefs on reincarnation, and after his statements after WWII that led to his 15th Army dead end assignment.

(3) No chance for either.

I think a Korean War with Patton could lead to a United Korean pensinsula which could turn the Cold War on it’s head
He was shunted off to an administrative army command before his death. There's zero chance for General Patton to get another field command under Truman.
 
@nbcman is correct IMO.

In many ways, General Patton would have been worse than General MacArthur.

Not knowing how General Patton would address nuclear bombs; what we do know is that after being cut short in advancing in Europe, General Patton would have gone past the Yalu River if he had the means and wherewithal.
 
I see several possibilities:

1. Superintendent of West Point
2. President of VMI
3. Drinks himself to death out of boredom
4. Gets killed in a horse riding accident
5. Hires out to some country to help develop their military either in an official capacity as a US government representative or as a private contractor
6. Ends up as the running mate for some fringe presidential candidate on the Weirdo Ticket (I'm thinking LeMay running with Wallace here)
 

nbcman

Donor
I see several possibilities:

1. Superintendent of West Point
2. President of VMI
3. Drinks himself to death out of boredom
4. Gets killed in a horse riding accident
5. Hires out to some country to help develop their military either in an official capacity as a US government representative or as a private contractor
6. Ends up as the running mate for some fringe presidential candidate on the Weirdo Ticket (I'm thinking LeMay running with Wallace here)
I'd add President of the US Olympic Committee or maybe an officer in the International Olympic Committee.
 
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