General George S. Patton was one of the most famous—and arguably most effective—American generals of the Second World War. His leadership of the Desert Training Center in the Mojave Desert provided excellent preparation for the North Africa campaign. A strict disciplinarian, Patton never asked his men to endure conditions he wouldn’t face himself. Under his command, U.S. troops avenged their early defeat at Kasserine Pass. A gifted tactician, Patton understood that mobility made possible by mechanization was key to modern combat. Though an accomplished horseman, he recognized that horses had…
