Historical accounts describe General George S. Patton as a military commander who valued aggressive offensive operations above all other strategic...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Historical accounts describe General George S. Patton as a military commander who valued aggressive offensive operations above all other strategic considerations: ______
Which quotation from military historians most effectively illustrates the claim?
Patton demonstrated exceptional coordination between tank units and infantry forces throughout his campaigns.
Patton believed that bold, decisive attacks were the essence of warfare. Defensive tactics held no appeal for him whatsoever.
General Patton's leadership was marked by his exacting standards and his ability to inspire troops under pressure.
Patton showed remarkable tactical flexibility, adapting his approach based on battlefield conditions and enemy movements.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Historical accounts describe General George S. Patton as a military commander who valued aggressive offensive operations above all other strategic considerations |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture and Core Elements
Main Point: Historical sources characterize Patton as a commander who prioritized aggressive offensive tactics over any other military strategy.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes a specific historical claim about Patton's strategic priorities, then requires supporting evidence to substantiate this characterization. The emphasis on above all other strategic considerations indicates we need evidence showing not just that he liked offensive operations, but that he valued them more than alternative approaches.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to identify which quotation provides the strongest evidence for the claim about Patton.
What type of answer do we need? A quotation that demonstrates both Patton's preference for aggressive offensive operations AND shows this preference superseded other strategic considerations.
Any limiting keywords? N/A
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The correct quotation must show two key elements: Evidence that Patton favored aggressive offensive operations, and evidence that this preference ranked above other strategic approaches or considerations.
Patton demonstrated exceptional coordination between tank units and infantry forces throughout his campaigns.
- Discusses coordination between different military units.
- Shows tactical competence but doesn't address his strategic preferences.
- No evidence about valuing offensive operations above all other considerations.
Patton believed that bold, decisive attacks were the essence of warfare. Defensive tactics held no appeal for him whatsoever.
- States Patton believed bold, decisive attacks were the essence of warfare.
- Explicitly says Defensive tactics held no appeal for him whatsoever.
- Directly supports both parts of the claim: preference for offensive operations AND dismissal of alternative approaches.
General Patton's leadership was marked by his exacting standards and his ability to inspire troops under pressure.
- Focuses on leadership qualities and troop inspiration.
- Doesn't address his strategic preferences or priorities.
Patton showed remarkable tactical flexibility, adapting his approach based on battlefield conditions and enemy movements.
- Emphasizes tactical flexibility and adapting based on battlefield conditions.
- Actually contradicts the claim by suggesting he adapted strategies rather than consistently prioritizing offensive operations above all else.