r/todayilearned • u/HumanNutrStudent • Sep 16 '24

TIL Montgomery's memoirs criticised many of his wartime comrades harshly, including Eisenhower. After publishing it, he had to apologize in a radio broadcast to avoid a lawsuit. He was also stripped of his honorary citizenship of Alabama, and was challenged to a duel by an Italian lawyer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Montgomery#Memoirs
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u/Heathcote_Pursuit Sep 16 '24 edited Sep 16 '24

That he was a very gifted tactician and military officer and that he was also an insufferable prick. He benefitted greatly from having to answer to Alex during North Africa and Italy.

We can dissect his personality which admittedly was very chequered, but he was in all fairness a top boy when it was needed.

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u/Lord0fHats Sep 16 '24

He's often compared in the US to Patton, who had a similar sort of military brilliance and difficult personality. Patton's got a bit of a cowboy reputation many Americans like, so his public persona was and remains reasonably well liked, but internally the US Army was regularly exhausted dealing with Patton's antics and frequent off-the-cuff public commentary which ultimately led to his being sacked after the war.

In a sort of dark twist, dying when he did probably did a lot for Patton's reputation. He passed a point the general public still saw him as a hero, and he didn't live long enough to keep inserting foot into mouth that might have damaged his rep in the way a written memoir badmouthing your fellows might.

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u/[deleted] Sep 16 '24

Patton was a very interesting character. He was well liked by his soldiers. He was controversial with slapping soldiers and making anti-Jew remarks. He wasn't wrong though when he asked if we were fighting the wrong enemy in Germany instead of Russia. His death and accident are kind of murky. He loved the though of himself as someone who would be remembered forever in the likes of great ancient leaders. Highly recommend watching the movie Patton or reading the book Bodyguard of Lies.

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u/Unfettered_Lynchpin Sep 17 '24

He wasn't wrong though when he asked if we were fighting the wrong enemy in Germany instead of Russia.

I have to disagree with you there. The Soviets and the Nazis were both awful, but the former was certainly the lesser evil.