Patton: A Genius for War
by Carlo D'Este

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Book Reviews of Patton: A Genius for War

Book Review: One of the best military biographies around.
Summary: 5 Stars

One of the outstanding features of Patton's personality that stands out from D'Este's book is his superior intellect. Patton had read much of classical literature, and could quote long passages from the Bible, the Iliad, Shakespeare, and other works. Indeed, so profound was Patton's learning, so powerful was his intellect, that he was able to best a Harvard professor of history on a history quiz, and he was able to demonstrate a stronger command of the Bible and Biblical passages than then-Archbishop (later Cardinal) Francis Joseph Spellman of New York. And because of his deep and abiding love for history, and fascination with war, Patton made himself an absolute expert and master on the military arts and sciences. For many military leaders, war was a vocation. For Patton, it was an avocation, and while it is an exaggeration to say that Patton loved war, it is not an exaggeration to say that he was never more fully himself than when he was engaged in battle--whether those battles were during the punitive expedition to capture Sancho Panza, World War I, or World War II. Patton's fascination with war allowed him a certain degree of eerie prescience in preparing for future military conflicts. As D'Este notes, Patton explored "the back roads" of Normandy in 1913 with a Michelin map--a full year before the outbreak of World War I, and 31 years before Operation Overlord--because he was convinced that he would fight battles there someday.

Patton's remarkable accomplishments are all the more impressive given the fact that he suffered from dyslexia. His love of reading--especially reading books about history and warfare--is astounding to consider when one remembers that Patton learned to read at a very late age. D'Este does the reader a favor by producing Patton's letters with spelling and punctuation mistakes intact, so that the reader is able to understand how dyslexia affects written communication. And he points out that dyslexia is also responsible for rather dramatic mood swings in those who suffer from it--which perhaps serves to explain some of Patton's extremely erratic behavior throughout his life.

It should be noted that D'Este is a retired lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Army, and a military historian--which means that he was well-situated to discuss the course of World War II in general, and the nature of Patton's campaigns in particular. Whether discussing the famed Louisiana Maneuvers, or the actual conduct of Patton's Seventh Army--and later the famed Third Army that became operational after the Overlord landings were completed--D'Este is most competent in helping the reader understand and appreciate the nature of the fighting, and Patton's role in World War II as a commanding general who contributed much to the winning of the war. D'Este points out that Patton helped revolutionize armored warfare before World War II started--a rather remarkable feat, given the fact that Patton was trained as a horse cavalryman--and that his tactics in prosecuting armored warfare are still followed today--most notably by the famous "Jedi Knights", whose tactical doctrines closely mirrored Patton's own preferred method for fighting an land warfare campaign, and who helped implement the brilliant military strategy and tactics that led to overwhelming American military victories in Operations Desert Storm, and Iraqi Freedom. Patton consistently urged his ground forces to be aggressive, to take the fight to the enemy, to refuse to be content with merely holding their positions, and to refuse to be put on the defensive. His favorite aphorism was Frederick the Great's "L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace!" And he implemented Frederick's advice relentlessly--thus making himself the American commander most respected and feared by the Germans.

Of course, Patton did commit some terrible and astonishing blunders as an American military commander. As D'Este points out, Patton's extensive study of military history should have alerted him to the folly of conducting siege warfare during the Lorraine campaign--when Third Army's rapid progress came to a near complete halt thanks to dreadful weather conditions, and Patton's inability to adjust to them. While the target city of Metz eventually fell to Third Army, Patton's leadership was scorned as "weak and timid," and cited as the major reason why German forces were able to hold out so long. Then there was the raid on a German POW camp in Hammelburg--a raid which cost many American lives due to poor planning and execution, and which was likely conducted because Patton learned that Lt. Col. John Knight Waters--Patton's son-in-law--was interned at the camp. But for the most part, Patton earned his legacy as a bold, daring and brilliant military commander, who had far more successes than failures. And D'Este ensures that we learn about Patton's diplomatic skills--skills which have come into disrepute for Patton's inability to keep his mouth shut at delicate times, but skills which also allowed Patton to emerge as a successful administrator in Morocco when the Allies took over the country. Patton's diplomacy was a triumph in Morocco--allowing the Allies to win the hearts and minds of the civilian population, as well as the support of the Moroccan leadership in the struggle to wrest control of North Africa from the Nazis.

D'Este's portrayal of some of the other leading figures in World War II is most revealing. Contrary to his popular designation as "the GI General" (thanks to the work of Ernie Pyle), General Omar Bradley, who would later win five stars and a rank as General of the Army, is shown to be quite mercurial and a martinet. Contrary to what was shown in Patton, Bradley despised Patton, and sought to undercut him at every turn. When Bradley and Patton were allies, it was mostly out of convenience--at times when Bradley did not know Patton well enough to dislike him, or when Bradley and Patton had a mutual interest in opposing the actions of Field Marshal Sir Bernard Law Montgomery. Concerning Montgomery, D'Este reveals yet another misportrayal in Patton--the alleged rivalry between Patton and the British general. According to D'Este, the rivalry was entirely one-sided--with Patton thinking that Montgomery sought to undercut him, and with Montgomery actually stating and demonstrating that he had a very high regard for Patton and the American military (as opposed to Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander--whose opinion of the American military was permanently colored by the disaster at the Kasserine Pass and the Battle of Sidi-Bou-Zid). And D'Este does an excellent job in fleshing out the complicated relationship between Patton and General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

There were some weaknesses in D'Este's work. He harped too much on Patton's dyslexia and how it affected his emotional state--a couple of repetitions would have sufficed to drive the point home to the reader. Repetitions about Willie's lazy and cowardly nature are similarly overdone. D'Este also has the strange and incomprehensible habit of editing out some of Patton's swear words in certain writings--while leaving others intact. And at times, D'Este slips into the vernacular in a manner that is somewhat strange for the reader--he says that Patton acted at times like "a damned fool," which is strange given D'Este's effort to avoid the vernacular throughout the rest of the book.

In the end, however, these are small concerns. D'Este's biography is marvelous--one of the best I have ever read. I recommend it most strongly--especially if you are interested in military affairs, and epochal military figures. George S. Patton Jr. was a complicated man to understand, but D'Este has completed the effort in superb and gripping fashion.

Summary of Patton: A Genius for War

"This massive work is 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 warrior." --Calvin L. Christman, Dallas Morning News

"D'Este tells this story well, and gives us a new understanding of this great and troubled man."-The Wall Street Journal

"An instant classic." --Douglas Brinkley, director, Eisenhower Center

Historical Books

• Subjects > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical
• Leaders & Notable People > Military
• History > Military > World War II