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George Patton (Military History)

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  1. Introduction
  2.  
  3. George Smith Patton Jr. is a major figure in both American and military history. He has achieved a renown exceeded by perhaps only MacArthur, Eisenhower, and Churchill in the pantheon of World War II figures. The literature on his life and career is large and falls into five broad categories. First, Patton has been the subject of innumerable biographies ranging from hero-worshipping by associates, friends, and admirers to iconoclasm by those uncomfortable with the darker aspects of Patton’s character. A ubiquitous element in virtually all Patton biographies, however, is the struggle to reconcile his warrior image with his cultured and thoughtful nature. The second category consists of published articles, books, and graduate theses on specific aspects of his career. A substantial number of studies covering Patton’s Tunisian, Sicilian, and North-West European campaigns exist. Patton has also been the subject of many theses written by serving officers at American service schools. No American World War II commander has been the subject of a service school thesis more frequently than Patton. The third category consists of campaign studies that fit Patton into the larger strategic narrative. Fourth, there is a very large body of commentary on Patton by his superiors, peers, subordinates, and associates. The commentary is almost never benign; rather it varies from one extreme to another. Finally, Patton’s own writings published from the early 1920s to 1945 stand alone as the thoughts of a thoroughly professional soldier grounded in a deep appreciation and understanding of military history and theory. This article provides a pathway through the major Patton sources and highlights the principal controversies surrounding him.
  4.  
  5. General Overviews
  6.  
  7. Patton’s life and career are well covered in overview format in numerous print collections, including biographical dictionaries, and web sources. Researchers looking for brief synopses of Patton’s life in print can consult Dupuy, et al. 1992 and Boatner 1996. Dawson and Spiller 1989 includes cross references and bibliography. Province 1983 is not scholarly but provides a good orientation to the general themes and controversies surrounding Patton. Many Internet sites cover Patton’s life and career in outline. Biography OnLine is useful for the undergraduate.
  8.  
  9. Biography OnLine.
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  11. A short overview of Patton’s life and career.
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  13. Boatner, Mark, III. The Biographical Dictionary of World War II. Novato, CA: Presidio, 1996.
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  15. The entry on Patton is organized chronologically and contains an overall evaluation at the end.
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  17. Dawson, Joseph, and Roger J. Spiller. American Military Leaders. New York: Praeger, 1989.
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  19. Unlike most overviews of Patton, Dawson and Spiller offer critical assessment of his generalship and character.
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  21. Dupuy, Trevor N., Curt Johnson, and David L. Bongard. The Harper Encyclopedia of Military Biography. New York: HarperCollins, 1992.
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  23. Describes Patton’s career in chronological fashion with little commentary or analysis.
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  25. Province, Charles M. The Unknown Patton. New York: Bonanza, 1983.
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  27. Distinguishes and assesses some of the major controversies surrounding Patton. A useful overview for undergraduates.
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  29. Bibliographies
  30.  
  31. Good bibliographies of Patton exist in in numerous printed sources devoted to Patton. In terms of web resources, Patton, George S. 1885–1945 was compiled by the Bibliography Branch of Muir S. Fairchild Research Information Center, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama and was last updated in 2006. George S. Patton, Jr. A Working Bibliography of MHI Sources identifies the materials held by the United States Army History and Education Center at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, and was last updated in 2012.
  32.  
  33. George S. Patton, Jr. A Working Bibliography of MHISources.
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  35. This extensive list is broken down into general sources: pre–World War II, Patton as an author, Patton as a coauthor, World War II, the postwar period, and special aspects of Patton’s life.
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  37. Patton, George S. 1885–1945.
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  39. Organized by Internet sources, books, documents, periodicals, and videos. Several entries have links to the sources.
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  41. Journals
  42.  
  43. Patton has been extensively covered in various popular military magazines and academic journals. His World War II career is documented in Time, Newsweek, Life, Saturday Evening Post, and others. Undergraduates can benefit from articles on Patton in magazines like World War II, Armchair General, Strategy and Tactics, and After the Battle, but much of the material is extracted from previously published works and offers little fresh analysis. Patton has been covered extensively in American service journals and military history journals, with the former representing the largest body of writing. Patton’s interwar articles appeared in the Cavalry Journal, which is no longer published under that title. Martin Blumenson, the most prolific Patton writer, published many of his articles in Army. Several articles have also appeared in Armor and Parameters: US Army War College Quarterly. The short length of the articles in these journals makes them appropriate for undergraduates.
  44.  
  45. Armor.
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  47. This journal replaced The Armored Cavalry Journal in 1950, which had replaced The Cavalry Journal in 1946. Articles are relatively short and contain limited sourcing.
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  49. Army.
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  51. Articles are relatively short and do not contain sources.
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  53. Cavalry Journal.
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  55. Patton wrote several articles in this journal in the 1920s and 1930s.
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  57. Parameters: US Army War College Quarterly.
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  59. Articles are longer than those generally found in Army or Armor and contain more sourcing.
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  61. Primary Sources
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  63. Researchers benefit greatly from the existence of the published collected papers of Patton and the two men most responsible for his World War II career, Eisenhower and Marshall. An indispensable source for studying Patton is Blumenson 1972–1974, a two-volume collection of his papers from 1885 to 1945. Blumenson, a US Army official historian, wrote the volume on Third Army in Lorraine. His editing of the papers was done at the request of the Patton family. Chandler, et al. 1970 contains Eisenhower’s contemporary opinions and evaluations of Patton in letters to Marshall and other important figures. Bland 1981–2003 is an important complementary source to Chandler because it reveals Marshall’s support for Eisenhower in dealing with Patton. The Third US Army, After Action Report (After Action Report: Third U.S. Army, 1 August 1944–9 May 1945. Vol. 1, Operations) is an essential source for any scholar, but is not recommended for the undergraduate due to its density and technical language. The Combined Armed Reasearch Library Digital Archives is user-friendly and searchable. The Patton Society website is easy to navigate and useful for the undergraduate.
  64.  
  65. Bland, Larry I., ed. The Papers of George Catlett Marshall. 5 vols. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1981–2003.
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  67. Contains important correspondence between Marshall and others concerning Patton’s career and controversies.
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  69. Blumenson, Martin. The Patton Papers. 2 vols. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1972–1974.
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  71. Volume 1 covers Patton’s life to 1940 and Volume 2 covers the World War II period. Blumenson sought to show Patton’s professional development and personal side. Material includes letters, portions of Patton’s diary, lectures, and articles.
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  73. Chandler, Alfred D., Jr., Stephen E. Ambrose, Joseph P. Hobbs, Edwin A. Thompson, Elizabeth F. Smith, eds. The Papers of Dwight D. Eisenhower: The War Years. 5 vols. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1970.
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  75. Contains considerable correspondence between Eisenhower and Patton and between Eisenhower and others about Patton. Covers the major Patton controversies in detail.
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  77. Combined Arms Research Library Digital Archives.
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  79. The World War II Operational Documents digital database contains numerous after-action reports of units that served under Patton.
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  81. The Patton Society.
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  83. This site is maintained by Charles M. Province and contains a wide range of Patton material including his writings. Province has transcribed the majority of Patton’s articles and essays and collected them into one volume. Word document and lacks original pagination.
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  85. After Action Report: Third U.S. Army, 1 August 1944–9 May 1945. Vol. 1, Operations. Regensburg, Germany: Third United States Army, 1945.
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  87. Includes Volume 2, Staff Section Reports. An indispensible source for research on Third Army. Contains all of Patton’s operational directives. The two volumes are very large and may not be available in many archives. However, a digital copy can be found in the Combined Arms Research Library Digital Archives.
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  89. United States Army History and Education Center Digital Collections.
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  91. Contains many different primary materials, from Patton’s writings and unpublished memoirs of associates to photographs. The database is searchable but some material is in metadata only.
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  93. Comparative Studies
  94.  
  95. The comparative approach continues to be used by writers seeking to evaluate the skill-sets and character of different commanders. Gavin 1965 explores the similarities between Patton and MacArthur. Berlin 1989 compares Patton against fellow US Army corps commanders in terms of military education and experience. Blumenson and Stokesbury 1990 compares Patton against Montgomery in the context of the work’s overall theme that there is no formula for command. Kingseed 1993 provides a unique look into the early evaluations of MacArthur, Eisenhower, and Patton by their superiors. Puryear 2003 examines MacArthur, Marshall, Eisenhower, and Patton in an attempt to validate a leadership thesis based on patterns of successful leadership behavior. Taaffe 2011 explores George Marshall’s criteria for selecting commanders, including Patton. The contribution of Hanson 1999 takes the study of Patton in a new direction by comparing him with Epaminondas and Sherman to explore the moral basis of their success as liberators.
  96.  
  97. Berlin, Robert H. “United States Army World War II Corps Commanders: A Composite Biography.” Journal of Military History 53.2 (April 1989): 2–13.
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  99. Contains information on Patton’s relative age, previous command experience, and army education.
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  101. Blumenson, Martin, and James L. Stokesbury. Masters of the Art of Command. New York: Da Capo, 1990.
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  103. Originally published in 1975. Patton is contrasted with Montgomery and the authors assert that in terms of operational method they were more alike than different.
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  105. Gavin, James M. “Two Fighting Generals: Patton and MacArthur.” Atlantic Monthly 215.2 (February 1965): 55–61.
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  107. Gavin asserts that Patton and MacArthur should not be judged in terms of civilian standards of behavior. They both prepared themselves totally for fighting and winning wars.
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  109. Hanson, Victor David. The Soul of Battle: From Ancient Times to the Present Day, How Three Great Liberators Vanquished Tyranny. New York: Free Press, 1999.
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  111. Hanson devotes some 120 pages to an analysis of Patton’s leadership of a citizen, democratic army and asserts that he is probably not fully understood or appreciated even now. Stresses the spiritual conviction that drove him.
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  113. Kingseed, Lieutenant-Colonel Cole C. “Dark Days of White Knights.” Military Review 73.1 (January 1993): 67–75.
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  115. Explores the challenges faced by Patton early in his career as the result of average evaluations. Asserts that Patton survived such assessments because he created his own luck by pursuing his profession with passion and ultimately performing when given the chance.
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  117. Puryear, Edgar F., Jr. Nineteen Stars: A Study in Military Character and Leadership. Novato, CA: Presidio, 2003.
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  119. Originally published in 1973. Asserts that Patton possessed the dual qualities of consideration and respect for his men and subordinates and the drive to get things done. His ruthless driving capacity was fundamental to his success as a leader.
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  121. Taaffe, Stephen R. Marshall and His Generals: U.S. Army Commanders in World War II. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2011.
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  123. Taaffe asserts that Marshall placed greater value on youth and stamina than on birthplace or birthright. Patton proved the exception to the youth criterion because Marshall genuinely believed in his toughness and valued his willingness to fight.
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  125. Biographies
  126.  
  127. Patton has been the subject of many biographies, and the biographical format continues to be popular among historians. Biographies appeared immediately after the war in 946, and the fascination with Patton’s personality and character shows little sign of diminishing. Patton biographies, however, vary greatly in quality. The General George S. Patton Story is an often overlooked film source, and would be valuable to the undergraduate in the visual age. Farago 2005 was the basis of the 1970 film Patton and should therefore be examined by researchers. Essame 1974 is a focused examination of Patton’s command technique and explores the idea that he could have achieved more had he not been held back by his superiors. Blumenson 1985 represents a distilled understanding of Patton after a lifetime of study, but leaves room for different interpretations by others not so close to the subject. Blumenson is digestible for undergraduates. D’Este 1996 remains the most comprehensive and objective treatment of Patton to date, but is a weighty read for undergraduates. A distinctly negative biography of Patton is Hirshon 2002. Researchers looking for an objective critique of recent biographical method as it pertains to Patton scholarship should consult Cirillo 2003.
  128.  
  129. Blumenson, Martin. Patton: The Man Behind the Legend, 1885–1945. New York: William Morrow, 1985.
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  131. Blumenson provides a laudatory treatment of Patton and asserts that it was his dyslexia that drove him to succeed and to recoil from any sign of weakness. The book contains a sparse bibliography and no sources.
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  133. Cirillo, Roger. “Review of Stanley Hirshon’s General Patton: A Soldier’s Life.” Journal of Military History 67.1 (January 2003): 283–285.
  134. DOI: 10.1353/jmh.2003.0016Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  135. A critique of Hirshon’s methodology. Cirillo asserts that Hirshon developed his arguments on narrow sourcing and out of context, and neglected to check emotional and prejudiced diaries and letters against events. He did not read Patton’s own operational and tactical guidelines for Third Army and therefore exhibited questionable judgment in interpreting military events. Useful for grounding the undergraduate in methodology and for reminding the scholar of the necessity for objectivity.
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  137. D’Este, Carlo. Patton: A Genius for War. New York: Harper Collins, 1996.
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  139. D’Este asserts that no soldier in the history of the US Army prepared himself more assiduously for high command than did Patton, and that he possessed an instinctive sense of what had to be done in battle to win. Contains a significant bibliography.
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  141. Essame, H. Patton: A Study in Command. New York: Scribner’s, 1974.
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  143. Essame, a British officer, asserts that Patton was one of the greatest commanders in history and could have brought the war to a close in 1944 had he been given more freedom of action.
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  145. Farago, Ladislas. Patton: Ordeal and Triumph. Yardley, PA: Westholme, 2005.
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  147. Originally published in 1964. Farago gained access to the Patton diary without the family’s permission, and frequently put words in the mouths of individuals that are impossible to corroborate.
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  149. The General George S. Patton Story (1960).
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  151. Narrated by Ronald Reagan. Uses archival footage including a clip of a speech by Patton with an introduction by General Doolittle, in Los Angeles on June 10, 1945.
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  153. Hirshon, Stanley P. General Patton: A Soldier’s Life. New York: HarperCollins, 2002.
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  155. An iconoclastic assessment of Patton. Hirshon asserts that he was a careerist who attained high rank through political support. Argues that all other biographers have misinterpreted Patton and questions their research.
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  157. Family Recollections
  158.  
  159. Several family members have published recollections of Patton. Ayer 1964 was the first and is unique. Ayer, Patton’s nephew, served as a FBI agent during World War II and had the opportunity to see his uncle in action at certain points, especially during the fall of 1944. Patton 2004 is written by a grandson seemingly fatigued by the burden of living up to the image of his grandfather, but provides interesting personal details about Patton’s early life. Patton 2012 is another recollection by another grandson, but is useful for understanding Patton’s relationship with his son during the war. Patton’s son, George S. Patton IV, never wrote a memoir, but his recollections of his father can be found in Sobel 1999.
  160.  
  161. Ayer, Fred. Before the Colors Fade. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1964.
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  163. Ayer provides firsthand observations of his uncle and deals with the major controversial episodes including the slapping incidents in Sicily, the Hammelburg raid, and Patton’s relief from command of Third Army. Ayer’s description of the slapping episodes is controversial.
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  165. Patton, Benjamin. Growing Up Patton: Reflections on Heroes, History, and Family Wisdom. New York: Berkley, 2012.
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  167. Asserts that Patton was more than just a warrior; he was also a family man. The first part of the book explores the relationship between Patton and his son through their correspondence during World War II. Includes never before published letters between Patton and his son during the war as well as never before published family photographs.
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  169. Patton, Robert H. The Pattons: A Personal History of an American Family. Washington, DC: Potomac, 2004.
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  171. Asserts that Patton combined a relentless professionalism with immaturity and spontaneity and that he possessed neither the ability nor the inclination to alter his personality to fit the sensibilities of others.
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  173. Sobel, Brian M. The Fighting Pattons. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1999.
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  175. Patton’s son offers insight into his relationship with his father during World War II, and his appreciation of him as he pursued his own military career.
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  177. Memoirs
  178.  
  179. Patton died in late 1945 before he could complete his memoirs based on his diary. War As I Knew It, however, was published in 1947 by his wife and helped initiate the “battle of the memoirs’” among senior World War II commanders. Patton 1995 is an essential source for researchers, but its limitations need to be fully understood. Semmes 1955 is from the perspective of a friend who served under Patton in the 304th Tank Brigade in World War I. Codman 1957, Allen 1977, and Wallace 2000 are flattering, but still useful, memoirs by Third Army staff members. Patton figures prominently in virtually all the memoirs of senior World War II commanders. Bradley 1999 offers the perspective of Patton’s immediate subordinate and immediate superior in Tunisia, Sicily, and North-West Europe. The 1970 movie Patton was based on this memoir. Bradley 1999 represents the author’s second attempt at describing his place in World War II after having digested forty years of the battle of the memoirs. Eisenhower 1997 reflects the views of the Supreme Commander, at one and the same time Patton’s close friend and military superior.
  180.  
  181. Allen, Robert S. Lucky Forward: The History of Patton’s Third U.S. Army. New York: Manor, 1977.
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  183. Originally published in 1947. Allen, a key member of Patton’s intelligence staff, based the book on the journal he kept during his time with Third Army. Heavily biased in favor of Patton and Third Army.
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  185. Bradley, Omar N. A Soldier’s Story. New York: Modern Library, 1999.
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  187. Offers the perspective of Patton’s immediate subordinate in Tunisia and Sicily and his immediate superior in northwest Europe. Originally published in 1951 four years after War As I Knew It appeared. Patton is a central, almost dominating, figure in Bradley’s memoirs. Bradley reflects on all the important controversies surrounding Patton. Ghosted by Bradley’s aide Chet Hansen.
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  189. Bradley, Omar N., and Clay Blair. A General’s Life. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1983.
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  191. Bradley died before the completion of the book and Clay Blair declared that in actuality it is half-Bradley and half-Blair. Bradley never saw some of the World War II sections, but the general tone of admiring Patton’s martial skills and detesting his character and personality are an accurate reflection of Bradley’s true feelings.
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  193. Codman, Charles R. Drive. Boston: Little Brown, 1957.
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  195. The recollections of Patton’s senior aide-de-camp from the end of the North African campaign. Based on Codman’s letters to his wife during 1942–1945. Readable, but lacking in objectivity.
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  197. Eisenhower, Dwight D. Crusade in Europe. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997.
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  199. Originally published in 1948. Eisenhower discusses Patton’s personality and temperament for certain types of warfare. Offers candid comments on his affection and admiration for Patton and the problems caused by Patton’s controversial statements and actions.
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  201. Patton, George S. War As I Knew It. New York: Houghton, Mifflin Harcourt, 1995.
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  203. Originally published in 1947. Edited and purged by Patton’s wife, Beatrice, and Paul D. Harkins who served with Patton throughout World War II. Harkins also annotated the work. Contains some of Patton’s letters home during World War II and portions of his diary. Though useful the book fails to truly capture Patton’s character revealed under the stress of war and personality conflicts. Contains a new introduction by Rick Atkinson.
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  205. Semmes, Harry. Portrait of Patton. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1955.
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  207. Semmes had access to Patton’s diary and discusses the dual nature of his character.
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  209. Wallace, Brenton G. Patton and His Third Army. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole, 2000.
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  211. Originally published in 1946. Wallace, assistant chief-of-staff G3 (Liaison), provides firsthand observations on Patton. Martin Blumenson provides an introduction which assesses the pitfalls of writing memoirs so soon after an event.
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  213. Pre–World War I
  214.  
  215. Patton’s pre–World War I life and achievements are covered in the various biographies, but there are few stand-alone studies of distinct periods or episodes. A rare study on Patton’s performance in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm is Wilson 1997. Patton’s exploits as an aide to General Pershing during the Punitive Expedition to Mexico in 1916 are briefly covered by Blumenson 1977. Williams 2003 is a fuller treatment and remains the only book written on the subject to date.
  216.  
  217. Blumenson, Martin. “Patton in Mexico: The Punitive Expedition.” American History Illustrated 12.6 (October 1977): 34–42.
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  219. Blumenson describes the powerful influence that Pershing’s strength of will and professionalism had on Patton.
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  221. Williams, Vernon L. Lieutenant Patton and the American Army in the Mexican Punitive Expedition, 1915–1916. 3d ed. Abilene, TX: Old Segundo, 2003.
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  223. Originally published in 1983. A relatively short study of Patton’s actions during the expedition. Readable and useful for the undergraduate.
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  225. Wilson, Harold E., Jr. “A Legend In His Own Mind: The Olympic Experience of General George S. Patton, Jr.” OLYMPIKA: The International Journal of Olympic Studies 6 (1997): 99–114.
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  227. Asserts that Patton consciously distorted his Olympic record and criticizes biographers for relying on Patton’s writings rather than the official report of the Vth Olympiad.
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  229. World War I
  230.  
  231. Patton’s experiences in World War I are covered in all the standard biographies, but information is also accessible in other studies. Rogge 1988 provides an assessment of Patton’s command of the 304th Tank Brigade and Hoffman and Starry 1999 contains a fuller discussion of Patton’s command of the tank brigade in action.
  232.  
  233. Hoffman, George F., and Don A. Starry, eds. Camp Colt to Desert Storm: The History of U.S. Armored Forces. Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 1999.
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  235. Dale E. Wilson offers a detailed description of Patton’s command of the 304th Tank Brigade during World War I, including his planning and execution.
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  237. Rogge, Robert E. “The 304th Tank Brigade: Its Formation and First Two Actions.” Armor 97.4 (July–August 1988): 26–34.
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  239. Describes Patton’s planning for the use of the brigade and implies that he should have avoided the temptation to go forward and command from the front.
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  241. Interwar Period
  242.  
  243. Literature on Patton in this period focuses on his military education and his evolving thoughts on horse cavalry and mechanization. Blumenson 1976 is the best source for Patton’s time at the Army War College during 1931–1932. Those seeking to understand the tension between Patton’s faith in horse cavalry and evolving appreciation for mechanization should consult Daley 1997. Eisenhower 1988 provides insight into the professional price paid for speaking out against horse cavalry. Woolley 1985 discusses the extent to which Patton reconciled old and new theories of war.
  244.  
  245. Blumenson, Martin. “George S. Patton’s Student Days at the Army War College.” Parameters 5.2 (1976): 25–32.
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  247. Contains a good overview of Patton’s 1932 college thesis “The Probable Characteristics of the Next War and the Organization, Tactics and Equipment Necessary to Meet Them,” a visionary document that was forwarded to the War Department for consideration.
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  249. Daley, John. “Patton Versus the ‘Motor Maniacs’: An Inter-War Defense of Horse Cavalry.” Armor 106.2 (March–April 1997): 12–14.
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  251. Daley argues that Patton’s defence of horse cavalry was based on his carefully considered professional opinion, and not on any careerist impulse to ingratiate himself with conservative superiors.
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  253. Eisenhower, Dwight D. At Ease: Stories I Tell to Friends. New York: Tab, 1988.
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  255. Originally published in 1967. Eisenhower devotes a chapter to his association with Patton and their interest in tanks between the wars.
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  257. Woolley, William J. “Patton and the Concept of Mechanized Warfare.” Parameters 15.3 (1985): 71–79.
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  259. Woolley offers two assertions. First, that by the late 1930s Patton’s thinking had evolved from subordinating tanks to other arms to giving them a lead role, but that this evolution was episodic, primarily driven by assignments directly linked to tanks. Second, he incorporated mechanization into his own traditional outlook on war, rather than rejecting that traditional outlook.
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  261. World War II
  262.  
  263. Literature on Patton’s World War II career is large and can be broken down into the training period in the United States, his campaigns during the war, and his postwar experiences. His campaigns are covered in the U.S. Army in World War II official histories, commonly referred to as the “Green Books.” Researchers are directed to the appropriate volumes including Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West (1993); Sicily and the Surrender of Italy (1986); Breakout and Pursuit (1993); The Lorraine Campaign (1988); The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge; and The Last Offensive (1993), all available online from the US Army’s Center of Military History. There also exists considerable film footage of Patton and his speeches, an often underutilized source for appreciating Patton’s speech and mannerisms. Two particular themes stand out. First, writers have endlessly debated Patton’s contribution to victory. He is often criticized for exploiting the hard fighting done by others, especially in Sicily and Normandy. Whether or not Patton could have reached the Rhine in the fall of 1944 is another ongoing debate. Patton was the subject of several controversies at the time which continue to resonate with researchers today.
  264.  
  265. U.S. Army in World War II. Green Books.
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  267. The official history of the US Army in World War II contains considerable information on Patton. The Lorraine Campaign is solely devoted to Patton’s operations between the end of the Normandy campaign and the Battle of the Bulge.
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  269. Training in the United States
  270.  
  271. Literature covering this period focuses on Patton’s command of 2nd Armored Division in the 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers and his command of the Desert Training Center in Indio, California, starting in March 1942. Gabel 1992 covers Patton’s performance in the maneuvers in detail, and addresses the criticisms offered by the commander of Army Ground Forces, General Leslie J. McNair. Houston 1995 explores Patton’s attempts to maximize the potential of 2nd Armored Division.
  272.  
  273. Gabel, Christopher R. The U.S. Army GHQ Manoeuvres of 1941. Washington, DC: Office of the Chief of Military History, 1992.
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  275. Originally published in 1991. Describes Patton’s unorthodox and bold handling of 2nd Armored Division.
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  277. Houston, Donald E. Hell on Wheels: The 2d Armored Division. Novato, CA: Presidio, 1995.
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  279. Describes Patton’s early influence on the development of tank doctrine and his command of the division during the 1941 maneuvers.
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  281. North Africa and Sicily
  282.  
  283. Patton’s experience in North Africa and Sicily was varied and controversial. The most interesting aspect of Patton’s command of the Western Task Force is perhaps not the landings in Morrocco, but his handling of the difficult political situation there involving French authorities and the sultan. Blumenson 1973 offers a reasonable assessment of Patton’s diplomatic skills in Morocco, and alters the impression of Patton as simply a one-dimensional warrior. This short article is appropriate for undergraduates. The best source for Patton’s experiences in Sicily is D’Este 1988, which covers the slapping episodes and the disputes with Bradley and competition with Montgomery in detail. Johnson 2009 is a valuable, focused study of the circumstances leading to Patton’s relief of two division commanders.
  284.  
  285. Blumenson, Martin. “Patton as Diplomat.” Army 23.7 (July 1973): 26–30.
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  287. Argues that Patton effectively employed veiled threat, ceremonial skill, and personal charm to maintain American political power in Morocco without undermining French authority or Arab sensibilities.
  288. Find this resource:
  289. D’Este, Carlo. Bitter Victory: The Battle for Sicily. New York: HarperCollins, 1988.
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  291. Describes the deteriorating relationship between Eisenhower and Patton due to several incidents including the airborne disaster, allegations of ordering the shooting of prisoners, and the slapping incidents.
  292. Find this resource:
  293. Johnson, Major Richard H., Jr. Investigation into the Reliefs of Generals Orlando Ward and Terry Allen. Fort Leavenworth, KS: School of Advanced Military Studies, 2009.
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  295. A critical examination of Patton’s relief of Ward in Tunisia and Allen in Sicily. Johnson asserts that Patton relieved them for a combination of political and military reasons. Johnson contradicts the position of D’Este on Ward and Allen.
  296. Find this resource:
  297. Northwest Europe
  298.  
  299. Patton was a central figure in the campaign in northwest Europe and played a role in the major operational and strategic controversies. The literature on the Normandy campaign alone is enormous, but Weigley 1981 is good start point. It addresses the key controversies of the failure to close the Falaise Gap and is comprehensive in its treatment of the US Army during the entire campaign in northwest Europe. Literature on Patton in Lorraine has focused on the question of whether or not he could have broken through the Siegfried Line if unrestrained. This campaign is intimately connected with larger issues of Eisenhower’s Broad Front strategy and supply. Good short overviews of the campaign are Gabel 1985 and Zaloga 2012. Gabel’s is a distinctly critical treatment. Kemp 1981 contains significant information about the Metz fortifications. Ganz 1989 explores Patton’s handling of personality conflict between a division and corps commander under the strain of rising casualties during the campaign. Sources discussing Patton’s role in the Ardennes are innumerable. Those seeking to understand the nuts and bolts of Patton’s reorientation of Third Army to the north, and its comparison to modern US Army corps operations, should consult Kindsvatter 1986. Scholars looking for a full treatment of Patton’s generalship throughout the entire course of the Ardennes campaign should consult Rickard 2011. A brief overview of the controversial Hammelburg raid can be found in Oldinsky 1976. A fuller treatment is Baron 1981.
  300.  
  301. Baron, Richard. Raid! The Untold Story of Patton’s Secret Mission. New York: Putnam, 1981.
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  303. Baron, a prisoner of war in Hammelburg, decribes the raid to free American prisoners of war. Abraham J. “Abe” Baum commanded Task Force Baum.
  304. Find this resource:
  305. Gabel, Christopher R. The Lorraine Campaign: An Overview, September-December 1944. Fort Leavenworth, KS: Combat Studies Institute, 1985.
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  307. Gabel blames the length of the campaign on Patton’s optimism in early September and his failure to practice economy of force.
  308. Find this resource:
  309. Ganz, A. Harding. “Patton’s Relief of General Wood.” Journal of Military History 53.3 (July 1989): 257–273.
  310. DOI: 10.2307/1985873Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  311. An in-depth examination of the reasons why Patton relieved his long-time friend John Shirley Wood, commander of 4th Armoured Division. Ganz argues that Wood’s relief was really tied to his criticism of the way armor was being employed, especially by his corps commander, Manton S. Eddy.
  312. Find this resource:
  313. Kemp, Anthony. The Unknown Battle: Metz 1944. London: Frederick Warne, 1981.
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  315. Asserts that the course of the campaign was determined by circumstances beyond Patton’s control. Lives were needlessly wasted in September attacking fortified positions, but Patton adapted well by the start of the November offensive.
  316. Find this resource:
  317. Kindsvatter, Major Peter S. An Appreciation for Moving the Heavy Corps: The First Step in Learning the Art of Operational Maneuver. Fort Leavenworth, KS: US Army Command and General Staff College, 1986.
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  319. An indispensable statistical source for investigating Patton’s turn of Third Army from Lorraine north into the southern flank of the German penetration in the Ardennes. Asserts that there was nothing extraordinary about the accomplishment.
  320. Find this resource:
  321. Oldinsky, Frederick E. “Patton and the Hammelburg Mission.” Armor 85.4 (July–August 1976): 13–18.
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  323. Asserts that the raid by Task Force Baum was not a complete failure because it succeeded in its diversionary mission, inflicted damage on the Germans, and had a negative psychological effect on them. Oldinsky also suggests that Patton could not know for sure if his son-in-law, Lieutenant-Colonel John K. Watters, was in the Hammelburg prison camp.
  324. Find this resource:
  325. Rickard, John Nelson. Advance and Destroy: Patton as Commander in the Bulge. Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 2011.
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  327. Asserts that Patton was forced to fight in the Bastogne corridor by Eisenhower and Bradley, a decision which led to a battle of attrition, and that Patton’s plan to attack the German rear areas was feasible. This is the only book that specifically cites the time and levels of priority of Ultra messages known to have been received by Third Army.
  328. Find this resource:
  329. Weigley, Russell F. Eisenhower’s Lieutenants: The Campaigns of France and Germany 1944–1945. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981.
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  331. Asserts that Patton represented the one example of genuinely inspired leadership during the campaign. Weigley’s discussion of Patton is in the context of his belief that the US Army sacrificed sustainable combat power for mobility. This work is also useful for studying Patton’s generalship in the remainder of the European campaign. Not recommended for undergraduates.
  332. Find this resource:
  333. Winton, Harold R. Corps Commanders of the Bulge: Six American Generals and Victory in the Ardennes. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2007.
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  335. Argues that Patton could not have forced the Germans to withdraw from the Ardennes by attacking into their rear area across the Our River.
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  337. Zaloga, Steven J. Metz 1944: Patton’s Fortified Nemesis. Oxford: Osprey, 2012.
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  339. Argues that Patton’s performance should be assessed by the resources available, the weather and terrain factors, and compared against the progress of other Allied armies at the time. Contains photos of fortifications and innovative color panoramic maps.
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  341. Immediate Postwar Period
  342.  
  343. An underlying theme throughout is Patton’s difficulty in mentally transitioning from fighting to administration. Patton’s military governorship of Bavaria led to a serious clash with Eisenhower over the denazification program, which ultimately resulted in his removal from command of Third Army. Fisher 1951 provides an interesting look at Patton’s unease with peace, and Allen 1971 reveals some of Patton’s frustration over policies and his desire to openly challenge them. Hudson 2001 provides insight in Patton’s handling of Bavaria. Considerable controversy surrounds Patton’s death in late December 1945. Conspiracy theories have persisted, asserting that he was killed in order to prevent him from criticizing American postwar policy toward the Soviets and Eisenhower’s denazification program. Farago 2011 was the first full treatment, and is also useful for studying Patton’s governorship of Bavaria. Wilcox 2014 represents the latest interpretation of Patton’s death with new evidence which will likely fuel the controversy. The video clip General George S. Patton Jr. Funeral 1945 conveys the tone of the ceremony.
  344.  
  345. Allen, Robert S. “Patton’s Secret: ‘I am Going to Resign. Quit Outright, not Retire.’” Army 21.6 (June 1971): 29–33.
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  347. His 1945 decision to leave the army in order to speak out without constraint.
  348. Find this resource:
  349. Farago, Ladislas. The Last Days of Patton. Yardley, PA: Westholme, 2011.
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  351. Originally published in 1981. Farago explores Patton’s proconsulship of Bavaria, his anti-Soviet attitudes. Contains an introduction by Farago’s son, John M. Farago.
  352. Find this resource:
  353. Fisher, Colonel George J. B. “The Boss of Lucky Forward.” Combat Forces Journal 1.10 (May 1951): 20–26.
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  355. Fisher, Third Army’s chemical officer, provides observations on Patton’s difficulty in accepting the end of the fighting.
  356. Find this resource:
  357. General George S. Patton Jr. Funeral 1945. US Army.
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  359. Film footage of Patton’s funeral in Heidelburg.
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  361. Hudson, Major Walter M. The U.S. Military Government and Democratic Reform and Denazification in Bavaria, 1945–1947. MA diss. US Army Command and General Staff College, 2001.
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  363. A good source for understanding Patton’s views on Eisenhower’s denazification policy. The bibliography contains significant primary source material.
  364. Find this resource:
  365. Wilcox, Robert K. Target Patton: The Plot to Assassinate General George S. Patton. Washington, DC: Regnery History, 2014.
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  367. Wilcox claims that an OSS Jedburg assassin, Douglas Bazata, told him that the head of the OSS, William Donovan, ordered him to kill Patton.
  368. Find this resource:
  369. Method of War
  370.  
  371. Patton’s operational and command methods continue to be studied by academics and soldiers. A general theme in the literature is that Patton’s staff was average. This belief was primarily driven by Bradley’s negative opinion. A counter-current is also apparent, however, and Snakenburg 2014 is a broad-based study examining the staff culture of Third Army, and the importance of the staff to Patton’s operational method. Larson 2008 discusses Patton’s view of the roles and responsibilities of his chief of staff, while Munch 1990 examines the functioning of the staff in a specific context, Third Army’s redeployment north into the Ardennes. In terms of Patton’s use of intelligence Bigelow 1992 provides a good overview and is appropriate for undegraduates. Koch 1971 is an important work by Patton’s G-2 that represents an intimate portrait of Patton’s use of intelligence. Swedo 2001 develops specific conclusions as to the impact that Patton’s faith in Ultra had on operations. A brief analysis of Patton’s internal control of information and intelligence within Third Army is Williams 1975. Spires 2002 is the single-best study of Patton’s understanding and use of air power.
  372.  
  373. Bigelow, Michael E. “Big Business: Intelligence in Patton’s Third Army.” Military Intelligence 18.2 (April–June 1992): 31–36.
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  375. Asserts that Patton had a profound appreciation for intelligence of all types and a deep understanding of the capabilities of intelligence gathering assets.
  376. Find this resource:
  377. Koch, Oscar W. G-2: Intelligence for Patton. Philadelphia: Whitmore, 1971.
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  379. A valued source on Patton’s appreciation and use of intelligence. Koch describes how intelligence was valued in Third Army, how Patton expressed his Essential Elements of Information, and how enemy intent was constantly checked against enemy capability. Also discusses the characteristics of a good G-2.
  380. Find this resource:
  381. Larson, Robert. “Hobart R. Gay and Hugh J. Gaffey.” In Chief of Staff: The Principal Officers Behind History’s Great Commanders. Vol. 2, World War II and Korea. Edited by David T. Zabecki, 130–140. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute, 2008.
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  383. Asserts that Patton used Gay and Gaffey as assistant commanders capable of taking action in his absence.
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  385. Munch, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul G. “Patton’s Staff and the Battle of the Bulge.” Military Review 70.5 (May 1990): 46–54.
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  387. Asserts that Patton’s success was built on the mutual trust established between Patton and his staff. The trust was a product of the expectations of performance Patton set, and his willingness to leave the staff to their work.
  388. Find this resource:
  389. Snakenburg, Major Mark K. Born Lucky: The Institutional Sources Behind the Third United States Army Headquarters’ Procedures in Northwest Europe, 1944–45. Fort Leavenworth, KS: School of Advanced Military Studies, 2014.
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  391. Snakenburg addresses the historiographical tendency to marginalize the contribution of Patton’s staff in favor of a Patton-centric approach. Although Patton acted as his own G-3, the staff operationalized his will by collecting, analyzing, synthesizing, and sharing information across the Third Army chain of command.
  392. Find this resource:
  393. Spires, David N. Patton’s Air Force: Forging a Legendary Air-Ground Team. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institute, 2002.
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  395. Describes the relationship between Patton and Otto Weyland, commander of the XIXth Tactical Air Command. Asserts that Patton fully appreciated the contribution of air power and did not infringe on Weyland’s command of the air forces.
  396. Find this resource:
  397. Swedo, Major Bradford J. XIX Tactical Air Command and ULTRA: Patton’s Force Enhancers in the 1944 Campaign in France. Cadre Paper No. 10. Maxwell Air Force Base, AL: Air University Press, 2001.
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  399. Swedo concludes that Ultra clearly influenced Patton’s operations and allowed him to adopt economy-of-force measures to contend with his expanding area of responsibility.
  400. Find this resource:
  401. Williams, Brigadier-General Robert W. “Moving Information: The Third Army Imperative.” Army 25.4 (April 1975): 17–21.
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  403. Asserts that Patton recognized information flow within Third Army was source of weakness and created the Army Information Service to correct the deficiency.
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  405. Professional Development
  406.  
  407. Patton was utterly devoted to self-study and the producing of new ideas from that study. A short overview of Patton’s reading interests is Patton 1952. The contribution of Dietrich 1989 is to demonstrate how wrong the public knowledge of Patton is by carefully revealing the depth of his study and the results derived from it. The fullest and most insightful treatment of Patton’s private study is Nye 1993. The book, organized chronologically, explores how Patton acquired and used his military library and how he employed marginal notes and file cards to develop his ideas on numerous military subjects. Patton wrote several articles for the service journals before heading overseas during World War II. Those interested in Patton’s time in Mexico should examine Patton 1917. On Patton’s views on tanks and mechanization Patton 1920 and Patton 1933 are recommended. Researchers interested in Patton’s understanding of the human side of war should consult Patton 1931.
  408.  
  409. Dietrich, Steve E. “The Professional Reading of General George S. Patton, Jr.” Journal of Military History 53.4 (October 1989): 387–418.
  410. DOI: 10.2307/1986107Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  411. Dietrich asserts that Patton was a diligent and objective reader, unafraid to challenge the theories and conclusions of any author.
  412. Find this resource:
  413. Nye, Roger H. The Patton Mind: The Professional Development of an Extraordinary Leader. Garden City, NY: Avery, 1993.
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  415. Nye asserts that Patton’s intensive study directly led to a fast, relentless, and destructive form of warfare yielding minimum friendly casualties.
  416. Find this resource:
  417. Patton, George S., Jr. “Cavalry Work of the Punitive Expedition.” Cavalry Journal 27.113 (January 1917): 426–433.
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  419. Patton describes the deficiency in cavalry fire tactics, control and discipline, target designation and signally, and the exercises designed to correct them.
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  421. Patton, Major George S., Jr. “Tanks in Future Wars.” Infantry Journal 16.11 (May 1920): 958–962.
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  423. Drawn from previous papers and lectures. Patton reacted strongly against the prevailing opinion that tanks would not be used again. Asserted that the tank corps should be maintained as a separate entity to maximize its effectiveness.
  424. Find this resource:
  425. Patton, Major George S., Jr. “Mechanized Forces.” Cavalry Journal 42.178 (July–August 1933): 5–8.
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  427. Argued that in general mechanized forces and horse cavalry would operate together in the next war, and that it was foolish to grant too much potential to mechanization––a “new ism”––at the expense of “old age-tried arms.”
  428. Find this resource:
  429. Patton, Major George S., Jr. “Success in War.” Cavalry Journal 40.162 (January 1931): 26–30.
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  431. A rich source of Patton’s insights into the psychology of war and its intangible qualities. He believed that moral force was superior to physical force.
  432. Find this resource:
  433. Patton, Beatrice Ayer. “A Soldier’s Reading.” Armor 61.6 (November–December 1952): 10–11.
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  435. Patton’s wife offers that he was just as interested in studying unsuccessful campaigns as he was in successful ones, and that he was deeply interested in the practical application of his studies to the actual terrain. Contains a list of Patton’s favorite books.
  436. Find this resource:
  437. Influence
  438.  
  439. Patton’s legacy and warrior image continues to exert considerable influence on scholars and the public. Prioli 1987 is an example of the fascination with Patton the warrior living in the wrong age. Patton remains front and center in the public consciousness in America. The belief in Patton as a winner has encouraged the invocation of his name in current political discussion to lament the loss of the warrior spirit, and the loss of a war-fighting ethos focused on winning. Hanson 2005 critiques the Iraq War through the lens of Patton’s relentless philosophy of war. Daniel 2014 explores the idea of Patton as a counterinsurgent in three different contexts: the 1916–1917 Punitive Expedition to Mexico, the 1942 North Africa campaign, and in 1945 as military governor of occupied Bavaria. Patton’s continued popularity has many nuanced reasons, but that popularity cannot be explained without acknowledging the impact that the 970 film Patton had on the American public. Sarantake 2012 provides a detailed history of the making of the film. In 1986 George C. Scott revived his portrayal in the Last Days of Patton for CBS which recounted his traffic accident, his time in hospital, and ultimate death. Patton continues to be the subject of film and TV treatment. Patton-360 is a multipart TV series devoted to the retelling of his campaigns and battles.
  440.  
  441. Daniel, J. Furman, III. “Patton as a Counterinsurgent? Lessons from an Unlikely COIN-danista.” Small Wars Journal (25 January 2014).
  442. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  443. Argues that Patton was a successful counterinsurgent because he applied his great knowledge of history and adapted to the situation on the ground.
  444. Find this resource:
  445. Hanson, Victor David. “What Would Patton Say about the War in Iraq?” USA Today Magazine 133 (March 2005): 14–16.
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  447. Hanson suggests that Patton would condemn static occupation and negotiations with undefeated insurgents. Such action would contradict the American philosophy of decisive advance and unconditional surrender once war begins.
  448. Find this resource:
  449. The Last Days of Patton. 1986. CBS.
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  451. Based on Farago’s The Last Days of Patton, this was a made-for-television film and aired on CBS. George C. Scott reprised his role as Patton.
  452. Find this resource:
  453. Patton. 1970. 20th Century Fox.
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  455. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. Screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola. Won the Academy Award for best picture in 1971. Oliver Stone offered that it was one of the few movies to directly influenced American history in that Richard Nixon decided to invade Cambodia after watching the movie. Stone strongly implied that the Khmer Rouge genocide was attributable to Nixon’s fascination with the film.
  456. Find this resource:
  457. Patton-360. 2009. History Channel.
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  459. Ten-part series using computer graphic illustration, archival footage, personal diary quotes, and commentary by historians and veterans to tell the story of Patton’s generalship.
  460. Find this resource:
  461. Prioli, Carmine A. “King Arthur in Khaki: The Medievalism of General George S. Patton, Jr.” Studies in Popular Culture 10.1 (1987): 42–50.
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  463. Asserts that from an early age Patton envisioned himself as a romantic, heroic warrior.
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  465. Sarantake, Nicholas Evan. Making Patton: A Classic War Film’s Epic Journey to the Silver Screen. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2012.
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  467. Provides a good description of the efforts to make the film and the personalities involved including Omar Bradley, Ladislas Farago, Robert Allen, and the Patton family.
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