I dont know about that. I mean, Patton was a great General and all, probably the best the U.S. has ever had, but he did under estimate the value of a good heavy tank. In reference to the production of the M26 Pershing:

"Patton interpreted the armed forces doctrine to a T and cited it as his reason for not favoring the M26. He said that the tanks of an armored division were not supposed to fight other tanks, but bypass them if possible and attack enemt objectives to the rear."

"Patton felt that because the M4 tank was lighter and required less fuel than the M26, it would be faster and more agile and was better equipped to perform the mission of the armored divisions"

Pages 28 & 29, "Death Traps: The survival of an American Armored Division in World War II" by Belton Y. Cooper

Mr. Cooper recalled these events from a meeting he and other Officers had with Patton before the Normandy Invasion. He talks quite extensively on these few pages about Patton, and while I'd be more than happy to transcribe them all, Im not sure my Boss would be all that happy about it.

Mr. Coopers book btw, is really a great read. If you havent read it yet, you should pick it up!

__________________

"One asks oneself; Why not me?
But a bullet does not ask about me or you"

~Leutenant Alfred Regeniter, 3rd Battery, Sturmgeschutz, Brigade 276, holder of the Knights Cross