Patton: A Genius for War

by Carlo D'Este

Book Overview

Biography at its very best. Literate and meaty, incisive and balanced, detailed without being pedantic. Mr. D'Este's Patton takes its rightful place as the definitive biography of this American... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060164557
• ISBN13: 9780060164553
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 977 Pages
• Weight: 3.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.2" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

A classical work of a classical military Man.

This is definitely a must-read for any World war II historian and a student of military history and tactics it will get you inside the head of the decision making process of waging war to win.

Brilliant Biography

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 Old Army Style

George Patton, a veteran of the Pershing expedition to Mexico in 1916 (where he killed three of Pancho Villas men, one a key subordinate, in a man to man gunfight), World War I (where he commanded the fledgling US Tank Brigade and was wounded and decorated for valor), and World War II, is one of the most misjudged and underrated combat commanders in American military history.An expert tactician, strategist, and trainer, he was proud, profance, outspoken, a soldier's soldier, led from the front, shared his men's hardships, led was was undoubtedly the best American field army of the war, and was the only American general the Germans feared.Carlo D'Este has written the definitive biography of this soldier and general, warts and all. He covers Patton's life from muzzle to buttplate, pulls no punches, and provides a human picture of a man that has definitely risen to legend. The descendant and father of soldiers, Patton led his troops and units in the old army way. An experienced combat officer, he had more experience than either Eisenhower or Bradley, and was a better general than both as well as Montgomery. This book has presented more information on Patton the man than any other. It is well-written, and riveting-you can't put it down. A moody, morose, devoted family man and dedicated soldier, Patton deserves more study, as do his campaigns. This book gets past the hype and delivers a solid punch as good, solid military history, and delivers the total picture of a man driven to be an aggressive, talented combat commander who knew his profession and contributed mightily to the final victory in World War II.

Superb! A Rich and balanced portrait of a great leader.

"Patton" A Genius for War " is an outstanding biography of General George S. Patton. After seeing some less than glowing critical reviews of this book, I was hesitant to read it, expecting it to be over-long, somewhat disjointed and unorganized. But, I plunged ahead anyway, and found the book to be a genuinely pleasant surprise - superbly written, richly detailed, balanced, and obviously well researched and organized. The portrait of Patton which emerges is that of a man destined for greatness on the field of battle from the beginning. Here is seen the scion of a Virginia family steeped in military tradition since the Civil War (two ancestors died as heroes to the Confederacy during that conflict). Here is the young man with a tremendous intellect and drive to succeed; suffering from, and successfully compensating for, dyslexia and feelings of inadequacy brought on by this disability. And, here is the army officer who believed he was destined for greatness, demonstrating a natural genius for war throughout his long military career; a highly patriotic, proud, and profane general, capable of quickly moving an entire army across Europe; yet afflicted with the hubris which ultimately led to his firing as Third Army commander at the end of World War II. "Patton: A Genius of War" is a wonderful biography of a highly complex and yet deeply flawed man. For readers interested in getting beyond the image of Patton presented by the movie, this book is a must read.

The most insightful account of Patton available

I found D'Este's expose of Patton truly compelling. Like many, I was first introduced to Patton via George C. Scott's portrayal in the movie. This biography delves so much deeper into not only Patton the great general, but Patton the man.I disagree with review of the reader in Korea. D'Este's account results from unique, brilliant & exhaustive research. About half the book is dedicated to Patton's pre-WWII fame. His formative years as a child, his unique bond with his Aunt, the courting and 35-year marriage to his beloved wife Beatrice (who was a tremendous supporter of her husband & responsible in no small part for his successes), his first action hunting the infamous Pancho Villa - all this and much more mixed together to produce a unique & complex officer.An excellent read for anyone wishing to explore the innerworkings of all that became and was Patton.

Patton; A Different View

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 diat