The Patton Papers, Vol. 1: 1885-1940

The Patton Papers

by George S. Patton Jr., Martin Blumenson (Editor)

One of World War II's most brilliant and controversial generals, George S. Patton (1885-1945) fought in North Africa and Sicily, as commander of the Third Army, spearheaded the Allies' spectacular 1944-1945 sweep through France, Belgium, and Germany. Martin Blumenson is the only historian to enjoy unlimited access to the vast Patton papers.

This is the first volume, covering the years 1885 to 1940, of General George S. Patton’s papers. The period prior to World War Two. The material includes private diaries, letters, speeches, reports, and orders. This provides own uncensored view of his remarkable life.

Genres: History, Biography, Military Fiction, Military History, Nonfiction, World War II

1048 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1972

About the author

George Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.

Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1909. In 1916–17, he participated in the unsuccessful Pancho Villa Expedition, a U.S. operation that attempted to capture the Mexican revolutionary. In World War I, he was the first officer assigned to the new United States Tank Corps and saw action in France.

In World War II, he commanded corps and armies in North Africa, Sicily, and the European Theater of Operations. In 1944, Patton assumed command of the U.S. Third Army, which under his leadership advanced farther, captured more enemy prisoners, and liberated more territory in less time than any other army in military history.

On December 9, 1945, Patton was severely injured in a road accident in Heidelberg, Germany. In the crash Patton received a severe cervical spinal cord injury. Paralyzed from the neck down, he was rushed to the military hospital in Heidelberg. Patton died of a pulmonary embolism on December 21, 1945.

Reviews

[Sheik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without this aristocratic, rich, and vain man, we would be wearing SS uniforms and seiging heil.

War is not a game, not fun.....and when it is necessary, you want a Rommel or a Patton up front.

There are sentiments in this book that will curl your blood. But we must understand this man, in order to understand war.

[Davina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patton is a character. It's interesting to watch his writing mature over time. The youthful Patton is so brash. Although we see the Patton of the Second World War as brash character, it is a more mature man the one that went with Pershing to Mexico. It's noteworthy to see his ongoing efforts to improve the profession. Patton was a man constantly trying to improve the men, equipment, and doctrine of the army. You also get to see a lot of the development of his thinking. I think it's well worth the effort of this book, particularly for the professional.

[Mark K. Vogl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume I (962 pages) of two volumes, this book is filled with letters, diary entries, documents from the first 55 years of Patton's life. It does describe his childhood, his father and mother, his life in California, and Army years through his experiences in Mexico and World War I, and the years leading up to Pearl Harbor. It is a very detailed look at General Patton, at his formation as a personality, at his failures, which included having to do the freshman year in college three times! He is a late developer in terms of intellect, but it is clear that he is a man of great intelligence, and one who took advantage of both his birth right, and the opportunities provided. I truly enjoyed the history, and it did lead to reading Volume II.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Martin Blumenson, noted military historian, does a superb job of sifting and sorting through personal letters, articles, published papers, reports and military records to paint a detailed picture of General George S. Patton, Jr.'s first fifty-five years. As with any collection of "papers," there is some tedium to be endured. But the daily details of life at West Point, the social and military aspects of everyday military life on posts great and small, the preparations for battle, the thoughts on a broad range of topics provide insights gleaned nowhere else. Patton was a genius, of that there can be little doubt. but he was arrogant, egotistical, brazen, loving, tender-hearted, aggressive, meticulous and a horrible speller all at once. A tremendously complex individual, and Blumenson is able to bring all this out without judging the man.

[J. Bryce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great and illuminating collection of personal and official letters, and diary entries, from the pen of the inimitable General George S. Patton, ably edited and annotated by Martin Blumenson, who served on Patton's Third Army headquarters staff.

A Christmas 1974 gift from my grandmother!

[Jonnie Enloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not much to say about this book, except that another generation should be exposed to it, for their own good

[Jonnie Enloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book although about WWII is not as exciting as the earlier years. I found the earlier one fasinating and a much better read