War as I Knew It

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.

Patton's "War as I knew it" captures war and the experiences of it in raw and true form. Dedicated to his craft, Gen. Patton, thru his comentaries and diary entries, walks the reader thru day by day (in some cases minute by minute) accounts of a senior officer. From the "Babtized by fire" landings in 1942 North Africa, to personal reflections and "not so politically correct" comments and observations made after the war.Right or wrong, Gen. Patton spoke his mind...eloquently, profanely and retrospectively. He is quick to criticize yet equally quick to praise. This book is a welcome addition to any military historian's library.

"War As I Knew It" is not an autobiography. It is not a study of World War II. And it is not a doctoral dissertation. It is simply one of the greatest, most insightful accounts of the campaign in NW Europe, beautifully written by one of history's most charismatic and successful generals.The book begins with a collection of open letters written by Patton during the time of his campaigns in North Africa and Sicily. For cesnorship reasons, these letters do not contain much battle information, but they provide a unique insight into the man Patton was, and how he dealt with problems that were not military in nature. He discusses his meeting with French and Arab leaders in attempts to protect his rear while he defeated the Germans to his front. The letters from Sicily are similar, discussing not so much tactics but outcomes, reactions, and the like. These early letters show how much Patton was moved around, and the interesting places that he visited.The main part of the book covers Patton's proudest moments--commanding the U.S. Third Army. This section is wholly unique. Written shortly after they campaign ended with Germany's surrender, Patton describes the actions of Third Army from Normandy to Czechoslovakia. While he does not go into great detail about tactics and such, he provides a window into his own mind. The reader knows what he was thinking when he made his decisions, and the reasons that he made those decisions. In so doing, the reader gets a firm understanding of how an army worked in WW II. Also, he mentions his personal relationships with many different generals...ones you don't read about in history books. In short, this is a first hand account from the man who was a pure warrior.The concluding section is Patton's gift to future leaders. He was a student of warfare, and his own contributions to the art are invaluable. He discusses everything from the conduct of general officers, to what the best tactics for attack are, to how to deal with trenchfoot! In conclusion, anyone who enjoys military history, or just plain good writing, should read this fascinating book written by a man born for war.

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.

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.