George Patton's Victory Essay

“Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory.” These words, spoken by General George Patton prior to his triumphant tour in World War II, portray a mentality toward conflict shared by many great leaders throughout history. The shared belief, that no matter the strength of the opposition, victory is always obtainable through sheer determination and proper leadership, applies to all forms of conflict. Applicable in war, social struggles, and revolutions, Patton’s determination for victory resonates in the words of King Henry V of England (from Shakespeare’s Henry V), American founding father Thomas Paine, and Civil Rights leader Martin Luther

King Jr (MLK). Faced with vastly different forms of opposition, each of these men demonstrate successful leadership through written/spoken word, spurring their followers to victorious action. Though each of these leaders face insurmountable challenges, through their varying arguments of heroism, national solidarity, and peaceful union, they each achieve victory in the end.
Patrick Henry unifies the American patriots, fomenting national solidarity and wartime vigor preceding the fight against Great Britain. A small collection of 13 colonies, early America would have to face Great Britain, the largest military power in the world, to gain their independence. Henry knew the odds were against them, issuing a powerful call to arms in his “Liberty or Death” speech given in early 1775, just days before the first battle of the Revolutionary War. Acknowledging the common belief that “[America is] weak- unable to cope with so formidable an adversary,” Henry demonstrates awareness of the near impossible task at hand, establishing his ethos by promoting the legitimacy of his character before shifting into persuasion. Crafting an inductive argument, Henry lists ample evidence of failed attempts at diplomatic resolution with the crown: “our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced…violence and assault; and we have been spurned…from the foot of the throne.” By reminding the people of the various ways they have been wronged, he begins to excite the audience, rousing animosity toward the common enemy. Concluding his induction, he states, “If we wish to be free- we must fight,” making a bold call to action, and asserting his authority by defying Congress’ continuing petitions for resolution. Leading the charge with his skill as an orator, Henry continues to instill patriotism with logic, providing reason supporting revolution, in his question: “when shall we be stronger?” Here, he appeals to newfound strength found in the gradual formation of “national” unity, as all 13 colonies share in the reception of Great Britain’s abuse. Next, he promotes action by drawing on the emotions of the audience, asking “shall we acquire means of effectual resistance by supinely lying on our back…until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?” His imagery implies a lack of fighting would be cowardice and lead to unwanted embarrassment for the fledgling nation, inducing the audience’s belief in war as the best course of action. As he transitions to the conclusion of his speech, Henry utilizes a classic, but effective tactic for persuasion: invoking a higher power. He states: “we [the colonists] are not weak,” “we shall not fight our battles alone,” “there is a just God who…will raise up friends to fight our battles for us,” not only implying that God approves of a potential war, but also asserting that He will bring the Patriots to victory. Calling upon God, Henry builds incredible arête, associating his cause with the highest of moral beings and most commonly worshipped deity of colonial America. To close, Henry makes a powerful emotional appeal, questioning whether the “sanctity of life that is worth “the price of chains and slavery,” continuing his theological theme, alluding to the ancient Hebrew enslavement by the Egyptians. Setting an example for all to follow, Henry moves the colonists to revolution, concluding that life enslaved to Great Britain is not worth living, exclaiming his most famous line: “Give me liberty or give me death!” Demonstrating his willingness to die in the pursuit of freedom again builds Henry’s arête, outlining the genuine nature of his leadership, putting his life on the line against an invincible enemy to better the lives of the population. Henry employs both ethical and pathetic appeals in his call to action, leading by example, and demonstrating an undying passion for the wellbeing of the colonies.
Outnumbered against a powerful enemy, King Henry makes ethical promises of
greatness, honor, and glory, inspiring his men to a resounding victory.

Leading the English into the Battle of Agincourt, King Henry sees his men wearied from the grueling two-month trek across France, and facing a French army of over “threescore thousand” (Shakespeare, 4.3.3). Exhausted, outmatched “five to one,” (4.3.4) without cavalry or armor, English morale quickly fades as they begin to accept defeat. But, King Henry steps in, delivering his famous “St. Crispin’s Day” speech, leading his men by example, and describing the immortal legacy to be won by staying to fight. His phronesis abounding, proclaiming “if it be a sin to covet honor, I am the most offending soul alive,” (4.3.31-32) Henry exhibits wisdom of man’s innate desires, - glory, honor, legacy- all things accrued by victory. Persuading the men to adopt attitudes of confidence, Henry promises “from this day to the ending of the world…[we] shall be remembered,” (4.3.60-61) using his authority as king to encourage his men to pursue arête in the form of military excellence. A sensible leader, by setting an example for his men to follow, he invigorates a shared desire for glory and honor in his men, motivating them to fight valiantly. Referring to the army, including himself, as “we happy few, we band of brothers,” (4.3.62) he de-elevates himself from position of king, assuming the role of soldier, showing his support for the men surrounding him. This emotional appeal, established through his diction of “brothers”

and “happy few,” instills a solidarity between him and his men, impassioning cooperation and a shared vision of success. Henry’s motivation ultimately accomplishes this success, his men crushing the French, suffering few casualties, achieving their desired immortal legacy. [Cumulative Sentence] Leading by example, Henry defeats the seemingly insurmountable opponent, employing several authoritative and emotional appeals in persuading his men to fight for glory.
Through his appeal to the opposition, MLK focuses on peaceful union, identifying commonality between both sides, defending the morality of his cause.

The year is 1963. Martin Luther King Jr. sits in a Birmingham, Alabama jail cell, arrested for leading a peaceful Civil Rights protest, his leadership shining bright in each stroke of his pen on paper. In contrast to the Henry’s, MLK conveys his message via written word, preaching peaceful conflict resolution, rather than calling for bloody war. Facing injustice in the form of racial discrimination, MLK responds to the criticisms of the white Birmingham Clergy who called his “non-violent direct action” (sit ins and marches) “unwise and untimely.” MLK demonstrates leadership through his calm, patient, and factual arguments, explaining the struggles faced by the Civil Rights movements due to injustices from church leadership and “moderate whites.” Addressing the clergy’s complaint of the “untimely” nature of his protest, MLK writes, “freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed,” addressing the innate difficulties of his work. Here, MLK acknowledges the challenging nature of seeking such a grand social change, but he also provides factual examples of successful large-scale movements like “the nations of Asia and Africa… moving at jet like speed toward political independence.” His continual references to fact, citing Supreme court case rulings to support his statements on segregation,

and quoting St. Thomas Aquinas when referencing the clergy’s flawed interpretation of moral law, serve to establish MLK’s logos, supporting his argument with agreed-upon truth and reason. He next establishes his arête in his determination to one day gain full freedom, invoking certain defining ideals of the United States to champion his cause. Basing his confidence that he will “reach the goal of freedom…all over the nation” in the principle that “the goal of America is freedom,” MLK aligns the Civil Rights movement with the United States’ national identity of liberty and justice for all. Therefore, “[his] destiny is tied up with America’s destiny,” overcoming segregation just as the nation frequently overcomes division and war. By establishing his rationale and building high moral credibility, MLK sets an example for those involved in the Civil Rights movement to follow, demonstrating virtuous leadership and peaceful conflict resolution, responding to his imprisonment by writing a letter, not calling for war. Lastly, MLK closes his piece by reminding the clergy of the qualities they have in common with him, attempting to break down barriers imposed by their insistence on segregation. Stating his desire to “meet each of [the clergy] not as a…Civil Rights leader but as a fellow clergyman,” King unites himself with the clergy as “Christian brother[s]” and fellow countrymen. In doing so, he once again distinguishes the purity of his moral code, refusing to define relationships by their differences, but only by their similarities and union. MLK’s nontraditional leadership expresses itself through his peaceful actions, and kind, yet effective arguments defending his morality against an institution of segregation.
Each challenged with a vastly different situation, Patrick Henry, King Henry V, and MLK Jr [Parallelism] all demonstrate positive leadership in the face of a seemingly insurmountable foe. All three find victory (posthumously in MLK’s case), victory [Anadiplosis] which originates in the determined attitude each adopts in his respective speech/letter. Through the power of their words, they motivate their followers, they move them to action, they accomplish the impossible [Asyndeton], not even considering a possibility of defeat. Living with confidence, inspiring oneself to success, and seeking self-improvement in the face of adversity, such an attitude naturally lends itself to leadership. [Periodic sentence] Though not every day will be a victory, possessing determination and a hard work ethic, able to persevere even in loss, ensures a positive attitude no matter the outcome. Possessing determination to give maximum effort championing a cause one is passionate about, and the ability to improve oneself based on victory/failure, combined with a natural expectation for success in all endeavors, yet still able to deal with loss, are the signs of a true leader. These qualities come with great responsibility, as all leaders are called to use their talents to serve their fellow man, just as the Henry’s and MLK did. Like General Patton said, it isn’t the weapons or technology that win a war, but the leadership and determination of the men fighting in it- a concept applicable to all conflicts in life.