Pathet Lao (“Land of Lao”). Common name of communist movement in Laos. The official framework of this movement, the Neo Lao Hak Sat (Lao Patriotic Front), was controlled by the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (lprp). The Front was established in 1956, while the Party, formally launched in 1955, resulted from the division in 1951 of the Indochinese Communist Party into three separate national parties for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
The North Vietnamese helped the Pathet Lao gain control of Laos’s eastern provinces in mid-1959 in order to secure the Ho Chi Minh Trail linking North and South Vietnam. From then onwards the leadership, headquartered in the caves of Sam Neua province, directed an insurgency against the Royal Lao Government and withstood the extraordinary bombardment that the US directed against the Trail complex. The Pathet Lao emerged from that experience a tough, disciplined movement capable of dominating its rivals both politically and militarily after “cease-fire” in 1973. WST. See also lags, wars since
INDEPENDENCE.
Pathfinder Force. Established August 11 1942 in RAF Bomber Command under the command of Gp Capt D C T Bennett. Tasked with flying ahead of the main force to mark and illuminate the target. First operation was against Flens-burg, night of August 18 1942.
Pattle, Squadron Leader Marma-duke T St John (“Pat”) (19141941). South African. Flying a Gladiator, Pattle destroyed many Italian aircraft during the Western Desert campaign and in Greece, 1940-41. Flying a Hurricane over Athens, April 20 1941, he died in a dogfight after destroying three German planes. With 40-50 victories (detailed records were lost in Greece), he was possibly among the highest-scoring Allied fighter pilots of World War II.
Patton, Gen George Smith, Jr (1885-1945). US. One of the finest field commanders of World War II - and among the most controversial - whose contribution to the art of armoured warfare was as practitioner rather than theorist. Patton was Pershing’s aide in the Mexican punitive expedition, 191617. In France, 1917-18, he was the first commander of the US Tank School and led 304th Brigade, US Tank Corps, with distinction at St Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne Forest.
In November 1942 Patton commanded Western Task Force in the North African landings. Promoted Lt Gen, he replaced Fredendall in command of II US Corps after its defeat at Kasserine, successfully restoring morale, March—April
1943. Commanding Seventh Army, his triumphant progress during the invasion of Sicily was marked by a much publicized assault on a shell-shocked soldier and he was “sidelined” for months before taking command of Third Army early in 1944.
Patton’s overt arrogance and insensitivity — and the rifts in the Allied command caused by his feuds with other generals, notably Montgomery — must be weighed against his performance as commander of Third Army after the Normandy landings. Driven by his ruthless leadership Third Army raced across France to the German border, the speed of its advance (albeit sometimes achieved at the expense of Patton’s colleagues) keeping its opponents always off-balance. Taking Metz on December 13, Patton made a bold diversion to strike at the German southern flank in the Ardennes and relieve Bastogne, crossed the Rhine on March 22 and advanced through central Germany to meet the Red Army in Czechoslovakia (from which he withdrew under protest, even suggesting an antiSoviet advance into Eastern Europe with German aid).
In May 1945, Patton was appointed Military Governor of Bavaria. Openly expressing his disagreement with Allied occupation policies, he was removed, also losing command of Third Army, in October. He died on December 21 1945, following a road accident. RO’N.
Paula Line see Florence, battle FOR (1944).
Paulus, Field Marshal Friedrich
Von (1890-1957). Ger. Distinguished himself in the Polish and French campaigns as cos of von
Reichenau’s Tenth (later the Sixth) Army. Appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff, September 1940; ordered to plan the invasion of the Soviet Union. The realization of this work. Operation “Barbarossa”, led in January 1942 to his first operational command, the Sixth Army. They performed well, repulsing the Soviet May offensive around Kharkov and, later that summer, spearheading Army Group B’s advance on Stalingrad.
Seriously weakened by the diversion of resources to other objectives, the attack was unable to maintain its impetus. The city was entered, but the German forces were unable to wrest complete control from its defenders. Paulus’ options were limited by the fatigue of his men, the absence of reinforcements and, most significantly. Hitler’s insistence that Stalingrad be captured. The situation continued to worsen, but Hitler refused to allow Paulus to retreat and, on November 19, the Red Army counterattacked and completely encircled Sixth Army.
Paulus’ requests to be allowed to break out were denied and his command therefore wasted away under the attritional effects of combat, cold and fatigue. Finally, on January 31 1943, the day after Hitler promoted him Field Marshal, Paulus surrendered. In captivity he was persuaded to collaborate with the Russians, making broadcasts to Germany and joining anti-Nazi movements. He was eventually released in 1953 and settled in East Germany. MS.
PBY Catalina, Consolidated (US, WWII). Long-range maritime pat-rol/bomber flying-boat; crew 7-9. Prototype flew March 21 1935; first production deliveries to US Navy and first squadron formed October 1936; licenced manufacture in USSR began 1939. PBY-5 ordered for RAF as Catalina; deliveries from early 1941; also to Australia and Canada. Built in Canada. Wartime development improved basic design; sub-types included amphibian versions. Production, 3,290. Two l,200hp Pratt and Whitney R-1830-82/92 engines; max. speed 196mph (314kph); six machine guns, 4,0001b (1,800kg) bombs, two torpedoes, or four depth charges.
World History
