Patton's famous prayer scene came from a footnote
In the film, Patton asks for a prayer in the middle of the Battle of the Bulge, with snow on the ground. His own diary tells it differently.
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Sources
Sources
- Patton's original diary (Library of Congress, George S. Patton Papers); James H. O'Neill, "The True Story of the Patton Prayer"; Patton, War As I Knew It (1947, Harkins's footnote); Martin Blumenson, The Patton Papers 1940-1945; Hugh M. Cole, The Lorraine Campaign and The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge (US Army Center of Military History); Craven and Cate, The Army Air Forces in World War II, vol. III; Kays, Weather Effects during the Battle of the Bulge (US Army, 1982); Eisenhower, Crusade in Europe.
Film
- US Army Signal Corps (National Archives), Universal Newsreel and United News newsreels, The Enemy Strikes (US Army, 1945). Photographs: US Army Signal Corps; Library of Congress; Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R99057 (Heinrich Hoffmann) and Bild 146-1971-033-01, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE; "11th Armored Division half-tracks massed on the outskirts of Bastogne", CC BY-SA 4.0; "Cobra King, National Museum of the US Army" by Mace4301, CC BY-SA 4.0; "BG James H O'Neill" by Wbrackney, CC BY-SA 3.0 (all via Wikimedia Commons). Card text: Brenton G. Wallace, Patton and His Third Army (1946). Maps: Hugh M. Cole, The Ardennes (US Army). Weather charts: Kays (US Army, 1982). Film also: Army-Navy Screen Magazine No. 55 (US Army, 1945) and US Army Signal Corps film of Luxembourg and Hamm (1945-46).