“The difficulty in understanding the Russian is that we do not take cognizance of the fact that he is not a European, but an Asiatic, and therefore thinks deviously. We can no more understand a Russian than a Chinaman or a Japanese, and from what I have seen of them, I have no particular desire to understand them, except to ascertain how much lead or iron it takes to kill them. In addition to his other Asiatic characteristics, the Russian have no regard for human life and is an all out son of bitch, barbarian, and chronic drunk.”

—  George S. Patton

The quote "The difficulty in understanding the Russian is that we do not take cognizance of the fact…" is famous quote by George S. Patton (1885–1945), United States Army general.

Statement (8 August 1945), as quoted in General Patton : A Soldier's Life (2002) by Stanley P. Hirshson, p. 650
Source: [Charles M. Province, The unknown Patton, https://books.google.com/books?id=yXshAAAAMAAJ&q=The+difficulty+in+understanding+the+Russian+is+that+we+do+not+take+cognizance+of+the+fact+that+he+is+not+a+European,+but+an+Asiatic,+and+therefore+thinks+deviously.+We+can+no+more+understand+a+Russian+than+a+Chinese+or+a+Japanese,+and+from+what+I+have+seen+of+them,+I+have+no+particular+desire+to+understand+them+except+to+ascertain+how+much+lead+or+iron+it+takes+to+kill+them.+In+addition+to+his+other+amiable+characteristics,+the+Russian+has+no+regard+for+human+life+and+they+are+all+out+sons-of-bitches,+barbarians,+and+chronic+drunks.&dq=The+difficulty+in+understanding+the+Russian+is+that+we+do+not+take+cognizance+of+the+fact+that+he+is+not+a+European,+but+an+Asiatic,+and+therefore+thinks+deviously.+We+can+no+more+understand+a+Russian+than+a+Chinese+or+a+Japanese,+and+from+what+I+have+seen+of+them,+I+have+no+particular+desire+to+understand+them+except+to+ascertain+how+much+lead+or+iron+it+takes+to+kill+them.+In+addition+to+his+other+amiable+characteristics,+the+Russian+has+no+regard+for+human+life+and+they+are+all+out+sons-of-bitches,+barbarians,+and+chronic+drunks.&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAmoVChMItdm-0viRyQIVyeQmCh2khgS9, 1983, Hippocrene Books, 978-0-88254-641-4, 99]
Source: [English Teacher X, Vodkaberg: Nine Years in Russia, https://books.google.com/books?id=ZR2TBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA2&dq=The+difficulty+in+understanding+the+Russian+is+that+we+do+not+take+cognizance+of+the+fact+that+he+is+not+a+European,+but+an+Asiatic,+and+therefore+thinks+deviously.+We+can+no+more+understand+a+Russian+than+a+Chinese+or+a+Japanese,+and+from+what+I+have+seen+of+them,+I+have+no+particular+desire+to+understand+them+except+to+ascertain+how+much+lead+or+iron+it+takes+to+kill+them.+In+addition+to+his+other+amiable+characteristics,+the+Russian+has+no+regard+for+human+life+and+they+are+all+out+sons-of-bitches,+barbarians,+and+chronic+drunks.&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CBwQ6AEwAGoVChMItdm-0viRyQIVyeQmCh2khgS9#v=onepage&q=The%20difficulty%20in%20understanding%20the%20Russian%20is%20that%20we%20do%20not%20take%20cognizance%20of%20the%20fact%20that%20he%20is%20not%20a%20European%2C%20but%20an%20Asiatic%2C%20and%20therefore%20thinks%20deviously.%20We%20can%20no%20more%20understand%20a%20Russian%20than%20a%20Chinese%20or%20a%20Japanese%2C%20and%20from%20what%20I%20have%20seen%20of%20them%2C%20I%20have%20no%20particular%20desire%20to%20understand%20them%20except%20to%20ascertain%20how%20much%20lead%20or%20iron%20it%20takes%20to%20kill%20them.%20In%20addition%20to%20his%20other%20amiable%20characteristics%2C%20the%20Russian%20has%20no%20regard%20for%20human%20life%20and%20they%20are%20all%20out%20sons-of-bitches%2C%20barbarians%2C%20and%20chronic%20drunks.&f=false, English Teacher X, 2–, GGKEY:2DPNH0X04GB]
Source: [Evi Martyn, Captain Philip Markopoulos a Patton's Hero: An Incredible True Story When Fate and Destiny Outpower Weapons, https://books.google.com/books?id=IdkUq5EixE8C&pg=PA176&dq=The+difficulty+in+understanding+the+Russian+is+that+we+do+not+take+cognizance+of+the+fact+that+he+is+not+a+European,+but+an+Asiatic,+and+therefore+thinks+deviously.+We+can+no+more+understand+a+Russian+than+a+Chinese+or+a+Japanese,+and+from+what+I+have+seen+of+them,+I+have+no+particular+desire+to+understand+them+except+to+ascertain+how+much+lead+or+iron+it+takes+to+kill+them.+In+addition+to+his+other+amiable+characteristics,+the+Russian+has+no+regard+for+human+life+and+they+are+all+out+sons-of-bitches,+barbarians,+and+chronic+drunks.&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAWoVChMItdm-0viRyQIVyeQmCh2khgS9#v=onepage&q=The%20difficulty%20in%20understanding%20the%20Russian%20is%20that%20we%20do%20not%20take%20cognizance%20of%20the%20fact%20that%20he%20is%20not%20a%20European%2C%20but%20an%20Asiatic%2C%20and%20therefore%20thinks%20deviously.%20We%20can%20no%20more%20understand%20a%20Russian%20than%20a%20Chinese%20or%20a%20Japanese%2C%20and%20from%20what%20I%20have%20seen%20of%20them%2C%20I%20have%20no%20particular%20desire%20to%20understand%20them%20except%20to%20ascertain%20how%20much%20lead%20or%20iron%20it%20takes%20to%20kill%20them.%20In%20addition%20to%20his%20other%20amiable%20characteristics%2C%20the%20Russian%20has%20no%20regard%20for%20human%20life%20and%20they%20are%20all%20out%20sons-of-bitches%2C%20barbarians%2C%20and%20chronic%20drunks.&f=false, 2009, AuthorHouse, 978-1-4389-8409-4, 176–]
Source: http://www.military-history.us/2014/03/now-would-be-a-good-time-for-a-bit-of-revisionism/

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update April 18, 2023. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

George S. Patton photo
George S. Patton77
United States Army general 1885–1945

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