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Product Description

Book Description

Adored by many, loathed by some, General George S. Patton, Jr., was one of the most brilliant military strategists in history. War As I Knew It is the personal and candid account of his celebrated, relentless crusade across western Europe during World War II. First published in 1947, this absorbing narrative draws on Patton's vivid memories of battle and his detailed diaries, from the moment the Third Army exploded onto the Brittany Peninsula to the final Allied casualty report. The result is not only a grueling, human account of daily combat and heroic feats - including a riveting look at the Battle of the Bulge - but a valuable chronicle of the strategies and fiery personality of a legendary warrior. Patton's letters from earlier military campaigns in North Africa and Sicily, complemented by a powerful retrospective of his guiding philosophies, further reveal a man of uncompromising will and uncommon character, which made "Georgie" a household name in mid-century America. With a new introduction.

About the Author

Rick Atkinson is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Long Gray Line, about West Point's class of 1966, and Crusade: The Untold Story of the Persian Gulf War. He is currently the Berlin Bureau chief for the Washington Post.

George Smith Patton, Jr., 1885-1945, served as Pershing's aide in Mexico in 1916, rose from captain to major general between the world wars, and headed the illustrious Third Army in World War II.

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Customer Reviews

16 Reviews

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Average Customer Review

3.9 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A Good Supplemental Source, Nov 22 2007

By

James Gallen (St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: War As I Knew It (Paperback)

War As I Knew It" is the World War II memoirs of General George S. Patton, beginning with the Operation Torch landings in North Africa in 1942 and continuing to the German Surrender on May 8, 1945. Patton died a few months after the end of the war. I suspect that this explains its fairly unpolished style.

This book is, essentially, World War II as Patton observed it. It verifies many of the scenes and dialogues which we enjoy in the movie "Patton". It does not get into deep analysis of the war or explanations of his actions. It is good in reporting the movements of the various units under his command. There is very little about the rivalry between himself and Montgomery or the competition for resources between the Third Army and others. From reading this you would not learn that there was any controversy over the slapping of a soldier in the hospital. One must look elsewhere for a realization that the relationships between Patton and Eisenhower and Bradley were crucial and changed as the war progressed.

I read this book in the hopes of getting a better understanding of Patton's approach to the war which he led. In this I was moderately disappointed. I do recommend it as a second book on Patton through which to obtain a deeper understanding, but would not recommend it as a first book. As a first hand report on the war, I do not rate it up with Eisenhower's "Crusade in Europe" (see my Amazon review). For an understanding of Patton, I recommend "Patton: Ordeal and Triumph" by Ladislas Farago (see my Amazon review) as a starting point with "War As I Knew It" as a supplemental work.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Never Take Counsel of Your Fears, Dec 24 2003

By

john purcell "johneric99" (Purcellville, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: War as I Knew It (Paperback)

General George S. Patton, Jr.'s diaries and letters were assembled into this book in 1947, two years after his death. His widow Beatrice Ayer Patton served as a capable editor. This edition has some new material and was reprinted in 1995 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of V-E day.

Unfortunately with Patton's premature and unusual death in December 1945, (calm yourselves, conspiracy theorists) the post-war world lost its opportunity for the war's greatest memoir and its most unpredictable political leader. War As I Knew It is the next best thing, a full account of the leadership and strategic thinking of our greatest warrior.

Readers will travel with Patton from his arrival in North Africa in 1943, through the campaigns in Sicily, Western France, Belgium, the Bulge, and ending in May 1945 in Austria. Lesser known events are related such as the initial fighting with the French in Africa. In many cases, Patton revisits towns and territory that he had first seen as a young officer in the First World War.

Surprisingly, the book is also full of humorous stories such as unusual encounters with African tribal leaders, British generals, and French politicians. Cameo appearances include Marlene Dietrich, General T. Roosevelt (son of the President, who participated in the Normandy Invasion), and historical figures like William the Conquerer who influenced Patton's tactics.

Patton greatly plays down the events that led to his downfall, only briefly mentioning the slapping incidents, although he does make a very forceful argument that malingerers are a great threat to morale and need to be punished with extreme measures. The press conferences in London and Boston that led to his dismissal from the Third Army are basically outside the scope of this book, as they occurred after V-E Day and receive only a footnote.

On another level the book is chocked full of real insights into leadership that are probably more relevant today than in the 1940's. Patton is a clear proponent of focused planning, communication, speedy execution and offensive action.

Here are some examples:

It is vital to good morale that decorations get out promptly and on an equitable basis.
Staff officers of inharmonious disposition, irrespective of their ability, must be removed.
Time (speed) is more valuable than co-ordination.
In war,the only sure defense is offense, and the efficiency of offense depends on the warlike souls of those conducting it. Successful generals make plans to fit circumstance, but do not try to create cirmcumstances to fit plans.
Whenever a man gets a medal, he usually attempts to outdo himself and gets killed, whereas in order to produce a virial race, such men should be kept alive.
I believe in fighting until lack of supplies forces you to stop, and then dig in.

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4.0 out of 5 stars General Patton's Diaries, Jun 12 2003

By

William L. Gilstrap - See all my reviews

This review is from: War as I Knew It (Paperback)

The book is composed of excerpts from the diaries of General Patton. It isn't the complete diaries but is fun and interesting. It's good to read something, in his own words, of how the general actually thought. It seems that General Patton had intended to write a book called "War as I Knew It". He didn't live long enough after the war to get it done. He does expound some about his philosophies and why he put on his war face to give the impression of being hard boiled, when in many ways he was very sentimental. He did not want to get soldiers killed needlessly. He made the "tough guy" act in order to inspire his men and psych them up for the job they had to do. His rough, hard, & extremely thorough training made his troops among the best-trained and combat ready troops in the army. The hard training was to condition and train the men to know what to expect and how to react so they would not get killed for lack of condition or not knowing what to do. General Patton's biggest problem, not controlling what he said in public, is not treated very much in this book. His war principals are outlined at the end of the book. It's a rather short read and quite entertaining.

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Most recent customer reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Interresting
This book was difficult for me to follow. It seemed to be written more like a diary or personal notes and maybe he didn't have time to fill in the blanks. Read more

Published on April 13 2003 by Ron Law

5.0 out of 5 stars War As I Knew It
First published in 1947, War As I Knew It is the captivating memoir of George S. Patton, Jr., the legendary American general, incendiary warrior, and unparalleled military... Read more

Published on Sep 4 2002