Customer Reviews

Patton Papers 1940-1945, Vol. II

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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

Blumenson lets Patton speak for himself though a huge number of personal letters, lectures, papers and other materials. You can watch the young Patton grow through trial (being held back after his first year at West Point), and triumph (his heroic actions in combat during WWI), into the famous fighting general of WWII. Don't let the long length of the book put you off. I found it to be absolutely absorbing. By the end of the book you feel that you know Patton, his family and his friends and that you have some idea of what made him who he was.

Blumenson obviously has deep respect for Patton but he also does not shy away from Patton's serious flaws in character and behavior. Even before the well known incidents of WWII, some of the things Patton wrote, did and said were really mean, crude and / or embarrassing. He was an accomplished brown noser and jealous of his peers to the point of paranoia at times. Its all here to see.

Of course, I also highly recommend the second half of the story in the Patton Papers 1940 - 1945 by the same author.

I have the original 2 volume Scribners edition of this book that is why I gave it 5 stars.I bought this edition because it is a excellent book and I thought this would be a nice edition to own. This edition despite its price ... is very poor quality.The words are not clear on the page,the pictures are blurry at best, and there's no dust jacket just a hard cover with a dark faded picture on front and back,but the price is clearly marked on the upper left back cover... PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS EDITION OF THE PATTON PAPERS YOU'LL BE DISAPOINTED.I did and I was.Instead buy the older Scribners volumes at a second hand book store or the Da Capo paperback edition which is also very good.

In this, the first volume of his memoirs, author Martin Blumenson, shows background influences that would develop George S. Patton into America's most famous general of World War II. Blumenson paints an authentic, if not an all together flattering, picture of the man he obviously admires giving this work even more credibility. His primary source is impeccable: Patton's own correspondence composes most of the text.

The key events are all discussed: Patton's early upbringing which placed him near, but not at the apex of class conscious American society at the turn of the century. His obsession to reach the summit would forever be a driving force in his life. Next was is military education at The Virginia Military Institute and West Point followed by his marriage to Beatrice Ayres which greatly aided his standing socially and economically. This was followed by service with his mentor, General of the Armies, John, J. "Blackjack," Pershing in Mexico and again in France in WWI where he served as chief architect of American tank forces. The men he trained here would ultimately make this old horse cavalryman, a legend.

Patton was both a shameless social climber, and a most serious student of his profession. He seemed equally motivated by the relentless drive to succeed and his abject fear of failure. Vain, pompous, profane, well read, and militarily proficient, he would go on to become, arguably, the greatest General on either side in WWII.

This book is more than the history of a man; it is the history of the U.S. Army from the turn of the century until the countdown to WWII. Easily read and understood, it is an outstanding addition to the library of any serious student of our nation's military history. A great read. 5 Stars!!

Harold Y. Grooms

For anyone interested in Patton, whether as military leader or fascinating character study, Blumenson's work is a gold mine.
As might be expected, some of the elements of the famous personality are visible from the earliest days: the perfectionism and capacity for unstinting labor, the startling arrogance and brutal political opinions, (more Caesarian than American); the uncanny sense of destiny; the unrivalled expertise. The calculated bluster and profanity, the cultivated "war face", and other actorish features of the public persona are less apparent, simply because they were less likely to be committed to paper. (Patton often seemed to be writing for posterity, even in family letters.)
Patton's own words and Blumenson's expert annotation and editing clearly reveal a man dedicated to his profession, and determined to succeed; by hard-earned skill and knowledge, but also by shameless politicking and worldclass brownnosing.
Patton's 1940-45 papers are available from Da Capo in a companion work.
(The "score" rating is an unfortunately ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)

Not a big history buff, but I had to read this for a class.
Very interesting! Blumenson actually served with Patton in the Third Army HQ in Europe and also in Korea.

But don't stop at this volume - The Patton Papers 1940-1945 finishes Patton's unique story. These years weren't forgotten as another reviewer said, just in another book.

Anyone who is a Patton fan; please start from the beginning. I think that it is terribly important to understand the history behind what made the man who he was. WWII was the medium in which Patton manifested the gernerally known "Patton" ... the result of all life experience leading up to that one period in history. There is much more revealed in this first volume that one can learn and I highly recommend it. It is a great read, at times funny, others very graphic, it will make you feel as if you knew the man and were a part of the history. In fact, I liked it so much (the paperback), I located a set of Houghton Mifflin, FIRST PRINTING, Patton Papers in mint condition for my collection. They read wonderfully, unlike the poor HB reprints. One must pay a small fortune though.

It has material SELECTED in order that we, the future students of history,not have a clue as to what really happened during that historical period. The "Selectivity"just accidently left out the period 1940-45. Can't let that information get out! Others may begin suspecting censureship elsewhere!