Patton's Photographs: War as He Saw It
by Kevin M. Hymel
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Book Summary Information
Author: Kevin M. HymelEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-04-30
ISBN: 1574888714
Number of pages: 158
Publisher: Potomac Books Inc.
Book Reviews of Patton's Photographs: War as He Saw It
Book Review: Incredible Historical Perspective on Patton
Summary: 5 Stars
Throw away all of the previous biographies of Patton (and Patton's own posthumously published diaries) regarding his exploits in World War II unless you read them in conjunction with, and in light of, this book, which stems from an historian's treasure trove of 15 oversized albums of photographs by Patton and other memorabilia he sent to his wife during World War II, often with stories behind the photos and mementos. (His wife, and then one of his daughters after the slapping incidents[s] in Sicily, helped to put the albums together.)
Patton's photo collections, for reasons that are best explained by prior biographers of Patton, lanquished untouched, unviewed, and unused in any history of Patton until the author of this book discovered them in the U.S. Library of Congress in 1996 and was eventually able to publish this selection of those materials in 2006.
The result is an unparalled insight into the mind of one of the greatest military visionaries, strategists, and tacticians of his, or any other, generation.
You cannot claim to understand Patton and his mindset unless, and until, you see the war from his perspective, which this book does in an astounding way as it includes about 150 photographs taken by Patton of things he found to be of interest as he and his armies progressed from North Africa to Sicily to France to Germany.
Also included are about 75 other photographs relating to Patton and his military adventures, including photos taken of him by others and maps/diagrams on which he outlined his strategies and tactics.
The book basically tells the otherwise well-known story of Patton in his various campaigns, beginning in North Africa in November 1942, to the end of the Third Reich and Patton's brief post-war experiences until his untimely death in December 1945 from a vehicle accident (his famous, almost last words, when the doctors arrived on the scene were: "I think I'm paralyzed" [he was, from the neck down and died from complications 11 days later]).
Each chapter of the book is enriched by numerous sidebars about Patton and those around him as well as enhanced by footnotes for the many quotations by, and anecdotes about, Patton sprinkled liberally throughout the text and the captions of the photographs.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I have read dozens and dozens of photographic histories relating to World War II on a wide, wide variety of topics (not to mention hundreds of standard works and texts and the not too occasional foray into historical fiction). (In this regard I disagree with those people who believe - mistakenly - that a book is somehow beneath them and has nothing to offer unless it is a dry, poorly written, dusty tome devoid of illustrations and about some minuscule aspect of history that more often than not fails to put its subject matter into any kind of context because the author suffers from the syndrome of being unable to see the forest for the trees.) This stands out far and above as the best photographic history that I can recall, especially as it relates to a specific person or subject. It is must reading (and viewing) by any serious student of Patton or World War II in general.
Summary of Patton's Photographs: War as He Saw It
While researching an article on Gen. George S. Patton, Kevin M. Hymel made an astonishing discovery. Browsing the Library of Congress's Patton index, he found lists of photo albums. Opening one, he found photos Patton himself took during World War II, a gold mine of historical photographs of which even Blumenson, Patton's official biographer, was unaware.Patton photographed everything that interested him and produced tableaux of the battlefields of North Africa, Sicily, and continental Europe. For Patton, history was everything, and his Leica camera-standard issue for reporters and historians in the U.S. Army-ensured he could provide historians an accurate depiction of events, free from interpretation. His photographs depict the victorious face of war, with GIs on the move, military bridges under construction, and tanks slicing through the countryside. They show defeat as well-smashed German tanks, prisoners of war, and bodies strewn across the landscape. Moreover, they provide a record of where Patton fought, showcasing historic sights and the different terrain from North Africa to Europe.
Now, for the first time, many of Patton's personal photographs are presented in one book for the reader to observe history as Patton saw it. Hymel provides background information and captions for the photographs and occasionally uses Patton's own words to describe the sights. Patton claimed his hobby once saved his life. Stopping to take a photograph in Italy, he witnessed a salvo of German shells exploding on the roadway up ahead, where he likely would have been had he not stopped. With Patton's Photographs, readers can now view that life during the war through the eye of one of America's greatest commanders.
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