Who said, "All very successful commanders are prima donnas and must be so treated"?

George S. Patton was the military commander who said: "All very successful commanders are prima donnas and must be so treated". General Patton liked the quote. He used it several times publicly during WWII. Patton’s memoir, titled “War As I Knew It”, which was published posthumously in 1947 again uses the quote.

Scholars and historians who have discussed Patton as a man and general point out that he was a commander with a profound understanding of human nature. He had a knack for smoothing out military troubles, the power of winning affection while commanding energy, and the capacity for applying ruthless determination when required by circumstances. His peers said, "He needed to generate an electrifying current and keep a cool head in applying the current."

George Smith Patton, Jr. (George Patton) was born on November 11, 1885 in San Gabriel, California, USA. He died in December 1945, Heidelberg, Germany. He was a U.S. Army officer who was an outstanding practitioner of mobile tank warfare which he applied in the European and Mediterranean theatres during World War II. His strict discipline, toughness, and self-sacrifice elicited exceptional pride within all his ranks. This general was colorfully referred to as “Old Blood-and-Guts” by his men.

During his professional career, his brash actions and mercurial temper several times led to major controversies with his superiors in the military, the U.S. government, and the American press.