The Patton Papers: 1885-1940 [Paperback]

Martin Blumenson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 1998

The Patton Papers, 1885–1940 (the second volume, covering the years 1940 to 1945, is also available from Da Capo Press/Perseus Publishing Group) uses George S. Patton’s private diaries, letters, speeches, reports, and orders to present his own uncensored view of his remarkable life. He served in the U.S. cavalry and as a member of General Pershing’s Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa in Mexico (where Patton first saw combat). His outstanding service during World War I included organizing and leading the Tank Corps in the battles of St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne. From youth through the early years of World War II, here is an unparalleled portrait of Patton as man, soldier, and legend in the making.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"The history of war is the history of warriors; few in number, mighty in influence," wrote George S. Patton, Jr., in 1926, a full 17 years before he would begin to establish himself as one of the United States' finest military leaders.

General Patton was, in the words of Martin Blumenson, "an inveterate diary keeper," and when duty took him away from his beloved wife, he wrote to her every day, sometimes twice. Blumenson culled through this enormous body of material to produce an impressive collection of Patton's writings, providing context for Patton's thoughts and words with helpful editorial interpolations. The odd dual nature that has made Patton fascinating for so long, and inspired such extreme reactions, positive and negative, over the years, is on full display. As Blumenson writes in his perceptive prologue:

"He was unpredictable, capricious, at the same time dependable, loyal. He was brutal yet sensitive. He was gregarious and a loner. Enthusiastic and buoyant, he suffered from inner anguish.... An astonishing mixture of arrogance and humility.

There is hardly a better way to encounter the man than through his own words, on these pages. --John J. Miller

Product Details

• Paperback: 1048 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (August 21, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306808625
• ISBN-13: 978-0306808623
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,470,212 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth waiting for, February 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Patton Papers: 1885-1940 (Paperback)

My recommendation is to not buy the volume "The Patton Papers 1885 to 1940" until the publisher makes "The Patton Papers 1940 to 1945" available. There is no doubt that Patton's writings during and directly after World War 2 are more interesting to students of history, though by far more controversial (read: politically incorrect). Because of this, I derive little comfort from reading on Amazon that "We do not have a reprint date for this title, but expect to be able to ship it to you within 3-5 weeks." A lot of politically incorrect writing appears to mysteriously become "unavailable" in this day and age, while the politically correct never does. I have placed an order for the volume "not available at this time" ("The Patton Papers 1940 to 1945") and will order Volume 1 (1885 to 1940)after Volume 2 arrives. A case in point is that Field Marshal Montgomery's politically incorrect writing after the war was classified for 50 years and only recently released. I'm sure the same people regret not sealing Montgomery's writings for 100 years.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Volume 2 of the Greatest Work on Patton, May 16, 2001

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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Patton Papers: 1885-1940 (Paperback)

Think you know about Patton? "The Patton Papers" provides insight into what Patton was and how he became what he did. No other book comes close.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Volume I of the Greatest Work on Patton, May 16, 2001

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This review is from: The Patton Papers: 1885-1940 (Paperback)

No other work comes close to "The Patton Papers." Serious students of war cannot let the opportunity to read "The Patton Papers" slip away.