Bill O'Reilly's 'Killing Patton' claims that the general was killed on Stalin's orders
Bill O鈥橰eilly鈥檚 latest book in his series about the deaths of historical figures, 鈥淜illing Patton,鈥� hits bookstores today and puts forth the theory that the World War II general was murdered on Joseph Stalin鈥檚 orders.
In an interview with , O鈥橰eilly, who also co-wrote 鈥淜illing Kennedy,鈥� 鈥淜illing Lincoln,鈥� and 鈥淜illing Jesus鈥� with writer Martin Dugard, pointed to a car crash that left Patton paralyzed. It occurred in Germany in 1945 when his vehicle hit a US Army truck after the truck came into his path. He died less than two weeks later.
鈥淲e believe he was poisoned in the hospital鈥� by Russian forces, O鈥橰eilly told USA Today, because Patton was speaking out against them.
鈥淗is final moments can鈥檛 be examined or explained,鈥� O鈥橰eilly told the New York Post鈥檚 . 鈥淚鈥檓 not conspiratorial, but documents surrounding it have disappeared. I hope the Army or Pentagon reopen the case.鈥�
As for the titles of the books in his series, O鈥橰eilly told USA Today, 鈥淚'm a snappy guy. I do things in a flamboyant way. I want to get your attention.鈥澛�
He said the book doesn鈥檛 only center on the World War II general of the title but examines the conflict as a whole.
鈥淲artime things exist of which we have no idea,鈥� O鈥橰eilly said in an interview with Page Six. 鈥淥ur side wasn鈥檛 all good. Eisenhower and Patton, who had mistresses, were glory seekers, not buddies. In this book, they鈥檙e human beings.鈥�
Here's a sample of the "Patton" audiobook.
O鈥橰eilly and Dugard鈥檚 last few books have been bestsellers. The previous title, 鈥淜illing Jesus,鈥� occupying the first, second, and third spots on the IndieBound hardcover nonfiction bestseller list for multiple weeks after its release last September.
But if O'Reilly's books have been popular, they have not been free of controversy. 鈥淜illing Lincoln鈥� sparked debate after its publication in 2011 when some readers complained of what they said were errors in the book. The staff at Ford鈥檚 Theatre made headlines when they refused to stock the book in the theater鈥檚 gift shop because of claims that it was inaccurate.
鈥淚f the authors made mistakes in names, places, and events, what else did they get wrong? How can the reader rely on anything that appears in 鈥楰illing Lincoln鈥�?鈥� historian Edward Steers Jr. wrote in a review of the book that appeared in the magazine North and South 鈥� The Official Magazine of the Civil War Society.
