Patton: A Biography (Great Generals) - Softcover

'An engaging minibiography...Patton's race across France has become legendary, but Mr. Axelrod reminds readers that it was the result of careful planning' -The Washington Times   'Like Patton at his best: polished, precise and persuasive' -Kirkus
'An excellent choice for the initial volume in Palgrave's Great Generals series... a solid if brief introduction to Patton's life and career.... Axelrod has captured Patton's checkered legacy in a balanced biography suitable for anyone looking for a concise introduction to the commander German Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt pronounced the Allies' best' -Publishers Weekly   'Concise, incisive, and authoritative, Axelrod's Patton is a clear and entertaining biography of the famous general that captures both his complicated personality and the monumental events that made him perhaps the most controversial warrior in American history. For those who don't know Patton, it is a superb primer. For those who do, it is a balanced and insightful presentation of his life and the philosophical drive, personal and military, which propelled him to both greatness and scorn. Axelrod has cut through the politics and chaff to get to the man' -Robert K. Wilcox, bestselling author of First Blue and Wings of Fury
'Axelrod's powerful prose and historical insight bring the epic bronze monument of George Patton to vibrant life in glorious tones, personal secrets and dramatic action. A compelling story that is a pleasure to read and read again - and to rely on as a rock-solid reference book' -Colonel Jack Kingston, National Security Consultant   'Axelrod has written an excellent and compelling brief biography of an American aristocrat of violence, a scourge of the battlefield driven by a hunger for glory, whose enduring lesson for soldiers and commanders alike is that war is not about perfection but about opportunity' -Colonel Ernest Fisher (USA, ret.), Ph.D., Former Senior Historian, United States Army and author of Guardians of the Republic: A History of the Non-Commissioned Officer Corps of the United States Army   'Few generals achieve the status in the popular mind where their last name alone conjures up an image of martial prowess and preposessing personality strong enough to threaten to turn the man into the image. Surely George S. Patton is one such figure for Americans, but thanks to Alan Axelrod's marvelous compact biography the human Patton and the warrior are both revealed in startling relief. Clearly and concisely we are taken to the core of Patton's generalship' -Theodore F. Cook, co-author with Haruko Taya Cook of Japan at War: An Oral History

George S. Patton embodied contradiction: a cavalryman steeped in romantic military tradition, he nevertheless pulled a reluctant American military into the most advanced realms of highly mobile armored warfare. An autocratic snob, Patton created unparalleled rapport and loyalty with the lowliest private in his command; an outspoken racist, he led the only racially integrated U.S. military unit in World War II; an exuberantly profane man, he prayed daily and believed God had destined him for military greatness; a profoundly insecure individual, he made his Third Army the most self-confident and consistently victorious fighting force in the European theater. From Patton's boyhood battling dyslexia and becoming an avid reader, to his leadership strategies that modernized the U.S. army, Alan Axelrod delivers a fascinating account of Patton's life and legacy.