First of all, I'd like to thank the author for this magnificent biographical work. When you read a book that moves you the way this one does....the author deserves our highest praise. From the first page on....you'll quickly realize how well D'Este writes. Select a passage from any page in the book, and you'll be hard pressed not to continue reading from that point forward. Even the 100 or so pages of footnotes at the end are the most informative and interesting that I've ever perused.

D'Este didn't hurt his cause either by selecting George S. Patton as his biographical subject. This mammoth offering chronicles the life one of America's greatest heroes of the 20th century....and perhaps the most controversial as well. Patton's life was complex, intense, and full of controversy at every turn. A very determined and goal oriented person from youth, Patton's call to military life continued a long standing family tradition of outstanding military service dating back to the Revolutionary War. An excellent military strategist, Patton could move an army like no other general before him, but personal conflicts and difficulties with his superiors and the press alike....proved to be his Achilles heel.

This book is very detailed, yet easy to read. As an added bonus.....you'll find 2 sections filled with superb photography, plus numerous campaign maps scattered throughout the text. As an avid reader....I consider this to be one of my all time favorite biographies.

J.B. Kruz
KruzKontrol

Carlo D'Este, a military historian and a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, has written an amazing study of an important American war hero. The reader will not only learn about military developments that led to allied victory, but they will also get a real feel for the amazing personality that was George S. Patton, Jr. Only a few biographies leave you with the feeling that you have personally met the subject. This book is one of them. Anyone considering taking on the work of becoming a biographer should read this book and use it as a model.

When most people think of Patton, they think of the 1970 film staring George C. Scott. D'Este knows this and begins his study with a chapter setting up this movie as a straw man. The film was extremely powerful, but it was ultimately a work of fiction and Omar Bradley, a general who despised Patton, played a large role in its production. D'Este also asks the simple but difficult questions of: who was the Patton. and why does he deserves another biography. The answer to these questions takes up 977 pages. We learn that the harsh, profane image he presented to his troops and the public was just that, an image. He was deeply religious, and was willing to take risks that only a man with the sincere believe that providence favored him would chance. He was extremely sensitive, loved poetry, understood what it took to send men into combat and was deeply troubled that soldiers under his command would die because of orders he gave. He was one of the best generals the allied coalition had and it was no accident. He had ability and worked hard at doing an extremely difficult job: killing.

The most significant factor in shaping Patton's life was his dyslexia. Not only is dyslexia a learning disorder, it also entails a whole host of emotional and psychological consequences, including: feelings of inferiority, sharp mood swings, and a tendency to boast. Patton had all these traits and more. Given this disability, he had a difficult time as a cadet at West Point. He did well enough, though, to enter the cavalry.

His natural talents as an army officer quickly became clear, but he also knew how to play the bureaucratic game. General John Pershing became a mentor of his and he excelled during the First World War, rising to the temporary rank of colonel. He was personally responsible for establishing the organizational table and most of the doctrine of the new tank corps. During these days of experimentation with armor, he made an important friendship with Dwight D. Eisenhower. Both, however, understood enough about service politics to return to their original branches. The interwar period was time of extreme frustration. It was only as the threat of war loomed that his career began to move forward.

D'Este covers familiar ground during the war years: the campaign in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, the slapping of two enlisted men, the Knutsford incident, exile, and his drive across France, the Battle of the Bulge, and his removal from command. The author shoots down a number of myths. Patton and British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery had profound respect for one another and the rivalry that developed between them came late in the war. Bradley never respected the ability of either Patton or his staff. Bradley also had a long feud with Montgomery and was the individual most responsible for advancing the "our blood, his guts" view of Patton. The media helped, though. Patton had horrible relations with the reporters, which contributed to the amount of attention focused on the slapping and Knutsford incidents. His friendship with Eisenhower saved him after he assaulted two soldiers. Patton thought his friend had no backbone and was would sell him out. After Patton's ill considered remarks about the Russians in Knutsford, Ike was ready to send him back to the U.S. It was only the intervention of the General George C. Marshall, the chief of staff of the U.S. Army, that saved him. He did order a chaplain to write a prayer for good weather and later decorated the man with a Bronze Star, but not during the Battle of the Bulge as the film "Patton" suggests. D'Este, however, notes that during this battle Patton was at his best, calling it his finest hour.

D'Este has a novelist's touch for details. The circumstance of Patton's death and the services honoring him are moving. Discussions of Patton's cowardly bull terrier, Willie, along with the relationship he had with the officers and enlisted men on his staff enable D'Este to give a full picture. D'Este's own military experiences inform this study. He pays attention to details that might have escaped an author with less expertise: Patton's use of maps, his organizational ability, and how he effectively employed assets such as intelligence. The research is impressive and it will be a long time before this book is ever surpassed.

ENN Book Review -05/12/97 - 22:00CDT

By C. L. Staten, EmergencyNet News Service

Shortly after my visit to the local hospital, and during a somewhat extended illness at home, I have had the good fortune to read a lengthy but very satisfying title by a retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. and military historian, Carlo D'Este. The subject of this biography is admittedly a personal hero and the subject of some deep reading on the part of this reviewer on several past occasions. In fact, at the onset of the manuscript, I wasn't sure what more there was to learn about George S. Patton, Jr.. Thankfully, D'Este's treatment of Patton is an amazingly well-balanced and unbiased analysis that will be regarded by some as a non-traditional treatment of the World war II hero.

This is a full-fledged portrait of Patton, from his childhood, through his military service, and up to and including his untimely death at the end of the war. It doesn't spare the reader the blemishes of Patton's life, nor an insightful analysis of his generally acknowledged military genius. Interestingly, this work actually explores the possibility that much of what Americans commonly know about George S. Patton Jr., including his infamous profanity, may have been a facade intended to fool others.

D'Este spends a great deal of time dwelling into the family and private life of Patton, as well as exploring some of the psychological implications of events that shaped his life. He correctly observes, that given Patton's parentage and upbringing that there are few other things that he could have been except a "warrior." From the time that he was old enough to listen to the stories around the fireplace, he was educated about a deep-seated family tradition of military service and sacrifice for the country. These stories and his formal education at VMI and West Point undoubtedly, firmly, shaped his destiny.

Also of note in regard to Patton's education is the not well known fact that he suffered from dyslexia. D'Estes review goes to some lengths to discuss the effects of this condition and the possible emotional ramifications that it can have on its victims. D'Estes expounds on the works of Dr. Harold Levinson, a renowned Dyslexia expert, who contributes much of Patton's eventual success (and subsequent emotional distress) to his normal feelings of inferiority caused by the dyslexic disorder. Levinson's hypothesis includes an opinion that Patton's drive, authoritarian demeanor, macho attitude, and warrior mentality may have all been rooted in compensating for his life-long illness.

Finally, D'Estes covers the strategic war in Europe in great depth. He reviews some of the facts concerning stories associated with Patton's slapping of two enlisted men in Sicily, Patton's alleged feuds with Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, and his continued "political disputes" with Gen. Mark Clark, Gen. Omar Bradley, and Gen. Dwight Eisenhower. One commonly accepted fact does remain undisputed by D'Estes diatribe...Patton was one of the most successful generals on the allied side. D'Estes well documents the fact that through a combination of audacity, bulldoggedness, and clever tactics he managed to take more ground in a shorter time frame than any other general in the war.

All in all, "Patton; A Genius For War" comes highly recommended. Parts of it do contain mature language, which may not be suitable for children. But, that is only in keeping with Patton's philosophy of "giving it to 'em straight and dirty...so they'll understand it." This book gives significant insight for the serious World War II history student, as well as providing a "behind the scenes" feel that contributes to any readers understanding of a complex and turbulent time in the world's history. It you like detailed WWII history, and especially one of its most controversial generals...buy this book.

Mr Patton is obviously affected by his relationship to his famous grandfather, the legendary General George S. Patton Jr. The author reveals that he is in the minority within his family for not pursuing a military path. This informative and richly entertaining history of the family of one of America's legends turns out to be a catharsis. It is apparent in his thesis that the Patton forefathers were not a model for General Patton, but a crescendo. It was well written; the author has ensured that his research did not contain gaps. In reading the Pattons, a Personal History of an American Family, one feels like the question has been answered, "Why was Patton such a jerk." He had the original rendezvous with destiny.

A truly inspiring work -- when I heard that Jonathan Yardley had dubbed it on the best books of that year, I had to read it... And it is. Should be required reading for anyone interested in history, especially their own.

I am myself admittedly a Patton aficionado, and I must say, this book reveals an even more complicated man and colorful family history than I realized. But what in my view truly distinguishes this book from other recent studies of General Patton is that its fascinating subject matter does not obscure the author's smooth, beautiful, often funny - but always precise and deliberate - literary style. Unlike so many of our more popular modern historians: this guy can actually write!

It has material SELECTED in order that we, the future students of history,not have a clue as to what really happened during that historical period. The "Selectivity"just accidently left out the period 1940-45. Can't let that information get out! Others may begin suspecting censureship elsewhere!

Not a big history buff, but I had to read this for a class.
Very interesting! Blumenson actually served with Patton in the Third Army HQ in Europe and also in Korea.

But don't stop at this volume - The Patton Papers 1940-1945 finishes Patton's unique story. These years weren't forgotten as another reviewer said, just in another book.

Blumenson lets Patton speak for himself though a huge number of personal letters, lectures, papers and other materials. You can watch the young Patton grow through trial (being held back after his first year at West Point), and triumph (his heroic actions combat during WWI), into the famous fighting general of WWII. Don't let the long length of the book put you off. I found it to be absolutely absorbing. By the end of the book you feel that you know Patton, his family and his friends and that you have some idea of what made him who he was.

Blumenson obviously has deep respect for Patton but he also does not shy away from Patton's serious flaws in character and behavior. Even before the well known incidents of WWII, some of the things Patton wrote, did and said were really mean, crude and / or embarrassing. He was an accomplished brown noser and jealous of his peers to the point of paranoia at times. Its all here to see.

Of course, I also highly recommend the second half of the story in the Patton Papers 1940 - 1945 by the same author.

Although there is no doubt in my mind that Patton is one of the most brilliant generals of 20th century USA, Blumenson seems to be a bit biased towards this controversial figure. He rationalizes all of the various controversies that surrounded Patton to put Patton in the best light. There is no controversy, or 'dirt' dug up on Patton here. Otherwise a fairly quick and very interesting examination of the life of Patton.

For readers who want a top-notch biography of Patton without committing to an 800-page or 1000-page tome, this is the book. Blumenson makes excellent use of Patton's personal letters, especially those to Patton's wife, to reveal the human side of his tough-as-nails persona. Patton with nervous indigestion? Patton feeling worthless and inferior? Who would have guessed! Highly recommended for those interested in historic figures and military history, but who don't want to get bogged down in minutae such as detailed battlefield tactics. This book focuses on the man, as it should, and not so much on the wars that made his career. That being said, my only complaint is that for the chapters about actual warfare the book could have used some basic large-scale maps of North Africa and Western Europe, especially France, showing the route of Patton's advances and major battles. I sometimes felt lost as Patton rolled through one village after another to attack the enemy.

I saw the movie with George C Scott, and was inspired to learn more about Patton, and this was the first book I picked up. It turns out that this was the right one, as it is fast reading, relatively short, and gives a good overview of the man behind the legend. I feel that the author is objective, and is not biased, which must be hard. He talks about Patton's weaknesses as well as his strengths. He even discussess Patton's later years when he became delusional and described the Jewish people as "lower than animals". I particularly liked the end, where it states that if Patton had lived, he would not be the legend that he is today. I have since read "The last days of Patton", an entire novel, which is only covered here in one short chapter. Of course, this is not a bad thing if you have not read a Patton book before. I HIGHLY recommend this one as a first Patton book to read or give as a gift to a friend.

The author has put together a complete order of battle and interesting information about the many formations and leaders that served with the 3d Army. Unfortunately, there are errors that call to question the accuracy of everything in the book. At least 2 and perhaps 3 pictures are completely misidentified as to the people included and their role in the war. The authors take on the Knutsford Incident is different than every other historian of note and contrary to what is known from Pattons own diaries. All-in-all readers should be highly suspect of some of the conclusions reached in the book and seek other views of Patton as well.

Patton commanded the US 3rd Army in the Second World War. He was the USA's best armour general, a master of fluid warfare, always attacking in the most unlikely places, constantly surprising the enemy. This excellent book gives a detailed account of the strength and structure of Patton's armies.

In France during the First World War, Patton established a tank training school and commanded a tank brigade. At this time, the US Army treated tanks as a support to foot infantry. Patton made them the main component of a balanced, fully mobile, combined arms division made up of tanks, armoured infantry, armoured field artillery and armoured engineers, supported by tactical air, signals and logistics units.

In 1942 and 1943, during the Second World War, he commanded US forces in Morocco, Tunisia, and Sicily. Early in 1944 he was given command of the 250,000 strong 3rd Army. He made them one of the best organised, armed and equipped armies of the Allied armed forces and instilled them with great fighting spirit. Success in battle proved how good his preparations were. 3rd Army played a key role in the headlong Allied armoured thrust to Germany after D-Day. In the summer of 1944 they broke through the Nazi defences in Normandy and advanced rapidly across France; in March 1945 they crossed the Rhine into Germany. They fought across France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia, liberating 82,000 square miles of territory including 1500 cities and towns.

They captured 1.28 million prisoners of war, killed 47,500 and wounded 115,700 enemy soldiers.

Patton was a great General!!! Need to know when this book was written. Looking for a book written in 1945 about Gen. Patton.

I picked up this book by accident when I purchased a lot of 6 military books on Ebay. I owned it, so I figured that I may as well read it. Luckily, for me, I was not disappointed with Mr. Farago's detailed description of Patton's last days. It reveals the tragic ending to one of American's greatest heroes from WWII.

The book showed me three key lessons about Patton that I did not know before reading it. First, Patton did a pretty horrible job after the fighting was over. He was not well liked outside of the ETO, which prevented him from finding a command in the Pacific Theatre. Therefore, he was selected by default to help run post-WWII Germany. More specifically he was given authority over Bavaria, the original area where Nazism took root. In Farago's analysis, Patton was ill suited for this job, and he did a rather poor job of executing his duties. Farago shows how Patton's professional frustration prevented his ability to get the job done, and also reveals that Patton had some rather disturbing personal beliefs about the Jews. For anyone who views Patton as their personal hero, I recommend that you read this book to get the whole picture, you may not be pleased with what you find.

Secondly, I learned about the tight relationship between Ike and Patton. I have read Ike's "Crusade in Europe" and that book did not really spell out the history between the two men. Their personal relationship played a key role in helping keep Patton "in the game" at several junctions, and was a definite plus for Patton. Farago explains that Patton took advantage of his friendship with Ike one too many times which resulted in his eventual demise.

Lastly, this book goes into great detail about the accident that resulted in Patton's eventual death. It is a tragic tale which is worth reading. It is sad to think that one of our greatest warrior's from WWII died after the war in a rather random traffic accident.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It is well written, and an easy read. I recommend it to anyone interested in General Patton, or American leadership during the war. It has some material that you may not find in other books about the ETO.

Farago's biography of the events immediately following the end of World War II and leading up to the auto accident which ultimately claimed the life of General George S. Patton Jr. is a sad read. Those familiar with the blustery general as he has been protrayed in the film and in most historical works (where he is in his prime) will possibly be disheartened by this. Yes, Patton comes off as anti-Semitic and pro-German in points, but there is a telling incident in which he answers the letters of several Jewish fathers whose sons died under his command which I think points to the heart of the man - that he was not at his core a bigot, but that he was manipulated by lesser persons around him into for a time assuming that wretched mantle (just as he was directed into administrational tasks unsuited for him by the military). Patton was obstinately not a politician, some will say to his detriment. Yes it brought about his downfall, but in the end, he was his own man - and that is the legacy which is to be admired. He was an individual who recognized his place in the greater scheme of history, did all he could to fulfill it, and then found himself bewildered after the dream was over (like many of history's great personalities). His singlemindedness and sense of purpose are characteristics which are admirable to this day, but we must remember that he was just a man and prone to the failings of men. The fact is, the greatest warrior of the 20th century didn't know how to deal with peace. An interesting book, but very sad.

The main thing that I learned from this book is that due to his time with the Germans, Patton learned to love them and to despise the Jews. He considered the Jews, along with the Russians, "Mongoloids". I find this very disturbing. It appears as if Patton was not a great diplomat, even though he was a tough warrior. This book also discusses how the press were against him and how he was a detriment to Ike's career. I would definately recommend this one.

'Patton's Third Army' is a term unique in military history. The man and the army have been forever linked. Other armies fought in World War II, but their commanders never achieved the prominence of Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr. It was his army and it fought as he fought; aggressively, and he kept the Germans guessing where he would attack next. Now, the story of Patton's Army, from its formation in England to its race to the German border, is told in Patton: Operation Cobra and Beyond by Michael and Gladys Green. In clear text and numerous photographs, Green delivers an exciting, blow-by-blow account of the Third Army at its height as it barrels across France, hindered more by fuel problems than German resistance. Green's approach concerns the corps and divisions that made up the army and with Patton's spirit of fast-driving, rapid-firing warfare. After a quick introduction touching on Patton's life and his experiences in North Africa and Sicily, the book settles into a monthly tale of the Third Army. In England, Patton visited his corps and divisions and gave his troops his now famous 'give 'em hell' speeches. His main mission for the D-Day invasion was tricking the Germans into believing he would lead the invasion of France at the head of the First Army Group. Using fake radio traffic and phony tanks and equipment, the Allies lead the Germans into believing Patton was headed for the Pas-de-Calais, northwest of Normandy. The rouse worked. Hitler kept his 15th army at Calais while the Allies fought inland from their toe-hold at Normandy. Patton arrived in France in time to help Gen. Omar Bradley plan Operation Cobra, the Allies breakout of the hedgerow country where units were advancing only half an acre a day. With the success of Cobra, the Third army became operational and Patton began his dash across France. This is also where the book takes off as Patton's three corps, VII, XV and XX, come on line and Patton sends them racing from one objective to the next. Green does an excellent job of pointing out how Patton differed from his fellow commanders. As soon as Third Army became operational he pulled back all forward divisions and replaced them with tank divisions, guaranteeing more mobility and firepower on the battlefield. In fact, the book follows the tank divisions more closely than the infantry, highlighting their bold maneuvers, particularly those of the 4th Armored Division. From the breakout, the book follows Patton's pursuit from the Falaise Pocket to the Seine River to the fortress of Metz. The battles around Falaise and the Seine show the Third Army at its best. The sheer onslaught of armored divisions, supported by excellent airpower seems to just roll over the hapless Germans. It is at this point that the mighty Third Army out-ran its supply line while, at the same time, General Dwight D. Eisenhower decided to divert the bulk of Patton's supplies to Fieldmarshall Bernard Montgomery. From then on, Patton's campaign falls into a series of missed opportunities. By the time the Third Army is resupplied, heavy rains strain advancement while eliminating air support. The Germans, revived by Patton's pause, regroup to defend their ground better. Patton's campaigns of October and November slow to a crawl as casualties mount. But the Third Army, with Patton's iron will to fight despite setbacks, prevails and continues its mission of advance and destruction. The book closes with the first days of December, the last planned attacks of the third Army, before the German counter offensive would prove Patton's ability to deal with an enemy on the attack. Patton: Operation Cobra and Beyond delivers a superb account of the Third Army's exploits early in European Theater of Operations. For a commander and an army so well known for success during the Battle of the Bulge, the book provides an excellent window to the success and experience that allowed Third Army to do so well in the Ardennes. The photos help complete the picture of an army and it's leader in combat. The book is a great introduction to combat in Europe. While it does not shed any new light on the subject, it is an excellent, one-volume look at America's most successful army in Europe and its colorful commander.

Michael Greene'sOperation Cobra and BeyondReview by Charles M. ProvinceAs the founder and president of The George S. Patton, Jr. Historical Society, I am obliged to purchase a copy of every "Patton book" that comes on the market, quality notwithstanding. Be it a well written or poorly written book makes no matter. Be it a pro-Patton or anti-Patton book makes no difference, either. Each and every one belongs in the Patton Society's library.I am glad to have the opportunity of acknowledging that Michael Greene's new book Patton's Dash Across France is one of the good books. It is a book I will purchase and be delighted to place into the Society's library. I heartily recommend it.Greene has taken on a very difficult job in that he has tried to squeeze the entire Third Army's World War II record into a mere thirty thousand word book. He has, however, admirably accomplished his goal.Greene's knack of understanding which of the smallest details are the most pertinent in relation to the overall "Big Picture" allows him to succinctly explicate the role of the Third Army in the overall European Theater of Operations and to untangle the complex organizational structure of Patton's Army. His explanations encompass all levels of command, from Army and Corps to Division and Battalion all the way down to company level and the infantry rifle platoon. Most people in the United States todayincluding many who have served in the military-possess very little understanding of the upper echelons of command, i.e. what commanders do and why they do it and how they accomplish the massive job of running an army. Greene has penned a book that is not only interesting to avid history buffs but one that could be used as a primer of military organization for neophyte readers.Greene gives explanations of some major problems encountered by the U.S. Army during its initial attack on the European continent. Problems other than those posed by the German Army. The matter of hedgerows comes to mind. Although hedgerows are mentioned innumerable times in many books, unless a reader has seen one, they probably don't really know what they are or what they look like. Dating from Roman times, hedgerows caused incessant and disastrous problems for the Allies both in time lost and more importantly lives lost. Ile hedgerows were easily as much a deterrent as were the Germans. Greene explains all.Patton was one of the first U.S. Army officers to fully understand and use airplanes for air cover. Greene describes the relationship between Patton's Third Army and Brigadier General Otto P. Weyland's XIX Tactical Air Command (TAC). Greene reports that when the Third and the XIX met, it was love at first sight. Patton and Weyland worked so closely together that Patton even used them for flank cover when Walton Walker's XX Corps lacked the necessary men and material to adequately cover the Loire River.For avid Patton fans the real story of Patton's Third Army starts with chapter three, Patton's Third Army On The Offensive. Within weeks of being unleashed, the mighty Third was attacking Germans on all four points of the compass. Aggressiveness was the byword of the Third Army‹infused by the most aggressive army commander in the European Theater of War.One of the most interesting parts of chapter three‹to me at least-was Greene's report on what became known as "Patton's Household Cavalry." Originally named the 6th Mechanized Cavalry Group, their name was officially changed to the "Army Information Service." It was a highly specialized unit that Patton used for the purpose of reporting activities of combat units down to battalion level. According to Patton, "You can never have too much reconnaissance. Use every means available before, during, and after battle. Reports must be facts, not opinions; negative as well as positive." Or, as Patton once summed up the purpose of G-2 intelligence units, "Information is like eggs‹the fresher the better."Another plus on Greene's side of the ledger is his use of Patton's quotes (both verbal and written) to simplify and explicate Patton"s actions, opinions, and personal thoughts‹the experience and beliefs that helped him to make his decisions and what he really thought of other army commanders and his bosses in higher echelons. The technique also gives the reader a good idea of Patton's personal leadership style.Charles M. ProvinceThe George S. Patton, Jr. Historical Society

Aker has a nice book about the military history of the Yom Kipper War. The perspective details why the war happened, what took place during the war, and the aftermath in a consise 135 pages with references. Since the war lasted only 18 days, I found this book about right in how to detail this war.
This book was written in 1985, so detailed sources from the Soviet archives were not available at the time. It also details the war more from an Israeli perspective rather that an Arab one, so it is slightly biased. Also, at times it was rather dry. However Aker does a brillant job of boiling down the war to the main points and the big picture. If one wants to know more about this war, then this is a good book to start with.

Gen. George Patton may have been the most successful battlefield commander of World War II. And he had a reputation for honesty and fiercely-expressed opinions. So I was disappointed by this relatively slim volume of reminiscences about his experiences in Africa, Sicily, Italy, and western Europe during that conflict. The introduction written by Douglas Southall Freeman, the great biographer of Robert E. Lee, tells us that Patton "kept a full diary from July, 1942, until Dec. 5, 1945," four days before his fatal accident," and Southall asserts that the diary entries are "always candid, frequently critical, and occasionally caustic." I regret to report that I did not find that to be the case. The notoriously fiery Patton temper is rarely on display here, which prompts me to suspect that the diary entries were heavily sanitized for publication. (Patton's widow was the original editor this book, which raises my level of suspicion.) It is possible, however, that Patton, himself, exercised extreme discretion in deciding what to commit to writing. In either case, the result generally makes for dull reading.

Some of what Patton has to say is intriguing. Patton frequently compares the casualties of the Third U.S. Army, which he commanded in France, and those of the enemy, and German casualties are consistently much higher. Patton's nickname was Old Blood and Guts," but there is, in fact, reason to believe that he was more economical with his men's lives than the conventional wisdom occasionally suggests. Patton's competition with the British commander Field Marshal Montgomery is frequently on display. In August 1944, Patton reports that Montgomery wanted all American forces to stop their advance across France so Montgomery's could make a "dagger thrust with the Twenty-First Army Group at the heart of Germany." Patton's colleague Gen. Omar Bradley was skeptical, stating that it would be "more like a 'butter-knife thrust." In November 1944, Patton was visited in the field by Averell Harriman, the United States' Ambassador to the Soviet Union, who told Patton Josef Stalin had said: "The Red Army could not have conceived and certainly could not have executed the advance made by the Third Army across France." A lengthy footnote reports that, in December 1944, Patton ordered his chaplain to prepare a "prayer for good weather" because the general was "tired of these soldiers having to fight mud and floods as well as Germans." When the chaplain attempted to demur by saying, "Sir, it's going to take a pretty thick rug for that kind of praying," Patton replied: "I don't care if it takes the flying carpet, I want the praying done." According to Patton, when he saw Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, the Allies Supreme Commander, shortly after the Battle of the Bulge, Eisenhower never mentioned the efforts of the Third Army, and Patton clearly was hurt. (In March 1945, Patton clearly was pleased when Eisenhower attended a Third Army briefing and was "most complimentary.") And Patton shows no remorse for the notorious incident when he slapped a soldier in a hospital who clearly was suffering from a psychiatric disorder.

But the chapter on the Battle of the Bulge is more typical. It contains some useful detail about one of Patton's most successful operations, but it is almost complete devoid of color and personality. For instance, one passage states: "On [Dec. 31, 1944], the Germans made seventeen counter-attacks against us, all of which were repulsed." Is that all Patton had to say? A couple of pages later, he adds: "At midnight on the night of December 31, all guns in the Third Army fired rapid fire for twenty minutes on the Germans as a New Year's greeting. When the firing ceased, our forward observers stated that they could hear the Germans screaming in the woods." Now that's interesting!

Patton's account of his campaigns during World War II is an important document. I only regret that more of Patton's personality did not come through here. One other interesting historical note: The footnotes, which are very helpful, were prepared by Col. Paul D. Harkins, who served as Patton's Deputy Chief of Staff. After his promotion to general, Harkins commanded the United States's forces in Vietnam in the early 1960s. Harkins clearly was a better staff officer than a commander.

A great book even after all those years. The reader gets a pretty good impression of Patton's personality an his way of thinking. The first part of the book covers his experiences in Northern Africa and Sicily from 1942 on. Besides the military aspects he describes how he learned to know the local cultures and we are reminded how well educated he was in some other sciences than war. The second and biggest part deals with the operations conducted by his Third Army from France to Germany, Czechoslovakia and Austria. Very informative are his views of Eisenhower, Bradley and Montgomery as well as the German side especially concerning the Battle of the Bulge. The third part is a personal view of tactics, the military generally and his career. All in all a great book for people interested in military history as well as leadership. A little drawback, as in many books covering military history, is the lack of good maps, the few maps in the book only give a very general impression of the campaigns.

General Patton was one of the more interesting figures history has produced. As a military history expert, I always prefer to read memoirs by the 'actors' themselves. Read this one. Rent Patton. Read Ladislas Farago's book (on which the movie was based). Then read this book. When you're done, tell me (whether you like the man or not) that you aren't at least impressed with the man's skill as well as knowledge of the enemy (specifically, the Soviet Union near the end of the war).

You will not be disappointed.

If you read the Axelrod book on Patton it relates to management much better than this attempt. For a man who worships Patton like Province, the connection to business should have been easy, but he was not objective. And relating Patton to Deming? Ridiculous.

This book is taken almost word for word in the intro from the movie "Patton" based on Ladislas' book. It contains typos such as 'D Day' and also does not give any insight into the man. Connecting Patton to Deming seems a bit ridiculous to someone with knowledge of the two men.

Patton did not consider war 'great', per se', and should not be idolized. He enjoyed it and was excellent at it, however he agonized over the men he lost. Perhaps that is the analogy that businessmen should make today.

Through this book Charles M. Province has complied the very best there is in leadership. Read and learn....... This collection of George S. Patton's pithy one liners shows how business managers can successed by applying the combat-tested principles of one of America's most famous battlefield leaders. General Patton was a professional soldier who spent his life inspiring people to accomplish the seemingly impossible. A brief bio & photos of the General help readers visualize one of the great military leaders of all time. The inspirational content will make this book an indispensable companion for busy executives everywhere.