Customer Reviews

Last Days of Patton

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Just suppose Patton's life was a long, extended learning process and it took him that long, and his own WWII experience, to come to the right conclusions?

However controversial that may be.

This book did not give you the flattering outlook on General
George Patton that the movie did.In the movie General Patton
was portrayed as being heroic. In this book General Patton was
given an unflattering potrayal.His commanders did not like him
because of his grandstanding.Therefor he had trouble finding
another command.He was finally give the administrative command of Bavaria.He also disliked the Jews.He had a deep hatred of the
Russians and did not trust them as allies.He was accused of plotting war against Russia.This was a very contreversial book
about General Patton.It gives you a totally opposite spin from
the hit movie.

Farago's biography of the events immediately following the end of World War II and leading up to the auto accident which ultimately claimed the life of General George S. Patton Jr. is a sad read. Those familiar with the blustery general as he has been protrayed in the film and in most historical works (where he is in his prime) will possibly be disheartened by this. Yes, Patton comes off as anti-Semitic and pro-German in points, but there is a telling incident in which he answers the letters of several Jewish fathers whose sons died under his command which I think points to the heart of the man - that he was not at his core a bigot, but that he was manipulated by lesser persons around him into for a time assuming that wretched mantle (just as he was directed into administrational tasks unsuited for him by the military). Patton was obstinately not a politician, some will say to his detriment. Yes it brought about his downfall, but in the end, he was his own man - and that is the legacy which is to be admired. He was an individual who recognized his place in the greater scheme of history, did all he could to fulfill it, and then found himself bewildered after the dream was over (like many of history's great personalities). His singlemindedness and sense of purpose are characteristics which are admirable to this day, but we must remember that he was just a man and prone to the failings of men. The fact is, the greatest warrior of the 20th century didn't know how to deal with peace. An interesting book, but very sad.

The main thing that I learned from this book is that due to his time with the Germans, Patton learned to love them and to despise the Jews. He considered the Jews, along with the Russians, "Mongoloids". I find this very disturbing. It appears as if Patton was not a great diplomat, even though he was a tough warrior. This book also discusses how the press were against him and how he was a detriment to Ike's career. I would definately recommend this one.