I read not long ago where an American commander had some choice words for those in the military who attempt suicide. The high-ranking officer basically said those who seek to end their lives by suicide are selfish and should stop and think about what they are doing by trying to kill themselves.

Just tough it out and do your part, he said.

It was kind of reminiscent of what rock and roller Henry Rollins said about the death of actor Robin Williams. Rollins criticized Williams for dying by his own hand and said the 40,000 people a year in America who die by suicide are people who “blew it.”

This mentality regarding suicide isn’t something new. Take the police magistrate in Pittsburg, Pa., over a hundred years ago. He said he was tired of “this suicide racket.”

According to newspapers which carried the story in 1910, this official presided over what was termed “the suicide belt” which was part of what was once the city of Allegheny.

Lots of people were appearing before him charged with attempting suicide. “A young girl who had taken carbolic acid and had recovered,” was one of those cited in the newspaper article.

Tired of the suicide racket, the police magistrate issued instructions to the police: “If anyone tries to commit suicide and does not go through with it, they make themselves liable to arrest on the charge of disorderly conduct again. In the future all would be suicides who do not make good will be arrested, and I’ll do the rest.”

Basically, over a hundred years-plus span those are three instances where the solution regarding suicide was just be tough; do your job – live – and be responsible.

You mean like “Old Blood and Guts” tough? You mean like Gen. George Patton, the colorful and tough with a capital-T World War II general played to perfection by George C. Scott?

So, what are we to think if the allegations made in “Target Patton” are true?

Military historian Robert Wilcox claimed in the book that American intelligence chiefs wanted to kill “Old Blood and Guts” because he was threatening to divulge America’s dealings with Russia during the war that resulted in the loss of American lives.

Patton was tough tough tough. You better be tough when you wear ivory-handled revolvers. He hated the Russians and wanted to go to war with them.

According to Robert Wilcox, he knew secrets about the war that could have ruined careers. Robert Wilcox said if that tough ol’ bird Patton had talked Dwight Eisenhower probably wouldn’t have been elected president.

According to Robert Wilcox’s book, Wilcox interviewed Douglas Bazata, a marksman who was ordered to kill Patton by Gen. “Wild Bill” Donovan, who headed up the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the CIA.

Bazata said he staged a car crash during which he shot Patton and broke his neck. But “Old Blood and Guts” was so tough he was recovering from his injuries.

Then, Wilcox said U.S. officials turned a blind eye to Russian agents who poisoned Patton and killed him in 1945.

Naturally, it’s confusing.

Be tough but not too tough. The whole thing is confusing and makes my head swim. Not that I’m not tough because my head swims. I am tough … only not too tough …

Bob Morgan is a retired, award-winning journalist and author.