Book Description
Illustrated by Patton's decisive moves and distinctive style, executives and managers will learn straightforward, practical lessons in dynamic, results-oriented management. Illuminated by actual statements the general made, chapters cover how to develop a leadership attitude and image, communicate effectively, set goals, establish clear priorities, inspire others, instill loyalty, build a team, coach and mentor, resolve conflict, know the “enemy,” and sustain optimum performance.
Customer Reviews:
Great book on Patton "and" leadership.......2007-05-30
Notwithstanding the devotion of only one part (out of ten) on the background/history of Patton leaving nine on 183 quotations (and elaborations) by or about him, this book made me understand more about this controversially one of the greatest generals/military leaders ever than the few biographies I read of him comibined. That's no exaggeration. Thanks to the author's intelligent pick and insightful analysis. A very helpful management book indeed. In short, highly recommended.
Below please find some of the quotations I like the most for your reference.
51. Never Assume: One day a colonel was under attack by Patton for a decision based on the weather. The colonel explained, "General, we cannot predict the weather. We must assume average weather conditions and plan accordingly." "We never assume anything is average," patton Said. "If we do any assumng, we will assume the worst weather."
52. Learn from the Facts: We passed the scen of the tank battle during the initial German breakthrough. I counted over a hundred American armored fighting vehicles along the road, and, as a result, issued an order, subsequently carried out, that every tank should be examined and the direction, caliber, and type of hit which put it out made of record, so that we would have data from which to construct a better tank.
131. Personal Best: Patton's wife, Beatrice, found her husband kneeling in prayer before a polo match. "Afterward she asked what he'd beeen praying for. 'For help in the pol game,' he replied.'Were you praying for a win?' she inquired. 'Hell no,' he said. 'I was praying to do my best.'"
170. Cultivate Independence: Lack of orders is no excuse for inaction.
*the ultimate warrior*.......2007-05-06
Books on military leadership can be complicated, long and full of ambiguity. Not so with this book. No dry theory. No long explanation. Straight to the point with examples based on integrity and focus on effectiveness. In its kind, it must be the best book ever.
General Patton is my hero!.......2006-06-18
I luv, luv, luv this book. If you are a Patton fan and you love leadership you get two for the price of one. Great history as well as great leadership principles. Down to earth, short, wonderfully written vignettes that capture the essence of General Patton and "real" leadership.
If you love wimpy leadership principles this book IS NOT for you.
Mick Hager
Mick Hager
Author of MONKEY BUSINESS, 7 Laws of the Jungle for Becoming the Best of the Bunch! A Short Tale of a Company That Gets It!
Gibbs Smith Publisher, March 2007
Quick and Dirty.......2005-10-10
Axelrod boils down Patton's leadership principles to a quick hitter that proves valuable to any leader. The book is filled with examples of Patton being hard on his men, knowing that it will ultimately save their lives in combat down the road. Easy to read and nicely chopped up; so the reader can pick it up and put it down when the opportunity presents itself.
Like Nick Lowe sang, "You gotta be cruel to be kind..."
Patton on Toast.......2005-08-30
Leadership depends upon dynamism (action). "Go forward." (p. 53) It means application using past battles as lessons. The author was clear that Patton believed in direct action based on facts. The center of the book stresses Patton's action orientation ad nauseum. The three maxums are speed, simplicity and boldness. In presentation, Patton has the sound of genius and the subtext tells a story of impulsive foolishness, high drama and overcompensation. It is unclear if the author intended to impliy that or if it is misreading in the Paul de Man sense. Pattion was a show and, perhaps, a rebel though that is not clear in the book either. He said "Army regulations are written by those who have never been in battle." (p 248) The author suggests it has something to say about corporate management. What, the author doesn't say. Using polite military terms, the book is S.O.S.(on toast) Go figure. Eric J. Lindblom PhD Harvard
Book Description
Succeed by applying the combat-tested principles of one of America's most successful battlefield leaders.
Customer Reviews:
Should be taught at universities.......2007-01-11
It is hard/cold/ethical/no-nonsense leadership principles.
There is a difference between being a leader and being a manager.
I wish colleges (all arenas including masters in business) taught a class that had this information in it. It is my observation that leadership training of this nature is only taught at high $$ seminars and at Military War Colleges. This book is a high $$ seminar for pennies on the dollar. I keep it on my desk beside my computer monitor and read a page every day then reread the previous day's page. Two minutes in the morning and I now find myself unconsciously following the ideas/concepts I read earlier in the week.
I found myself wanting more meat with every page. . . that is not the design of this book. I am sending a copy to my nephew who just graduated the Naval Academy.
Tactical Leadership for Business Mamagers.......2000-05-07
Through this book Charles M. Province has complied the very best there is in leadership. Read and learn....... This collection of George S. Patton's pithy one liners shows how business managers can successed by applying the combat-tested principles of one of America's most famous battlefield leaders. General Patton was a professional soldier who spent his life inspiring people to accomplish the seemingly impossible. A brief bio & photos of the General help readers visualize one of the great military leaders of all time. The inspirational content will make this book an indispensable companion for busy executives everywhere.
READ AXELROD. This book is terrible in comparison.......2000-03-20
If you read the Axelrod book on Patton it relates to management much better than this attempt. For a man who worships Patton like Province, the connection to business should have been easy, but he was not objective. And relating Patton to Deming? Ridiculous.
Read Ladislas Farago to really learn about Patton.......1999-12-19
This book is taken almost word for word in the intro from the movie "Patton" based on Ladislas' book. It contains typos such as 'D Day' and also does not give any insight into the man. Connecting Patton to Deming seems a bit ridiculous to someone with knowledge of the two men.
Patton did not consider war 'great', per se', and should not be idolized. He enjoyed it and was excellent at it, however he agonized over the men he lost. Perhaps that is the analogy that businessmen should make today.
Management, Patton Style.......1999-11-25
Charles Province did an excellent job of compiling Patton's thoughts on leadership and how it applies to business. It brings a contrast between leadership and management concepts. He also linked the thoughts of Charles Deming to some of the messages. I have used selected points in sharing practical leadership and management principles with my business associates.
Like any book, read it with a critical eye. Management and leadership studies are an evolutionary process. We should never stop learning.
As an officer in the Army, I appreciate the candor of Patton and the book's focus on application. The messages are motivational. I would highly recommend the book as required reading and a forum for discussion.
Amazon.com
On first glance, The Soul of Battle appears to be three different books: biographies of two well-known generals--Sherman and Patton--and one who is virtually unknown today, the ancient Greek leader Epaminondas. Yet Victor Davis Hanson, a classics professor and author of The Western Way of War, makes a compelling connection between these three men. They were "eccentrics, considered unbalanced or worse by their own superiors" who led democratic armies on missions of freedom. Epaminondas crushed Sparta's military dominance of Greece in a single winter, Sherman delivered a deathblow to the slaveholding South in the U.S. Civil War, and Patton was the general most feared by his Nazi enemies in the Second World War. Hanson disputes the conventional notion that soldiers fight only for their buddies, rather than abstract ideals. He writes: "Theban hoplites, Union troops, and American GIs were ideological armies foremost, composed of citizen-soldiers who burst into their enemies' heartland because they believed it was a just and very necessary thing to do. The commanders who led them encouraged that ethical zeal, made them believe there was a real moral difference" between what they and their opponents stood for. Epaminondas, Sherman, and Patton each became extremely controversial for his success, but Hanson argues persuasively that their efforts demonstrate "that on rare occasions throughout the ages there can be a soul, not merely a spirit, in the way men battle." With this idiosyncratic approach, Hanson makes a unique contribution to our understanding of not only these three men and their troops, but also the role of the military in a democratic society. --John J. Miller
Book Description
A SELECTION OF THE BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB AND THE HISTORY BOOK CLUB
Why do men fight? What motivates an ordinary citizen to burn and kill? What, in the end, motivates an army to win?
In The Soul of Battle, Victor Davis Hanson, bestselling author of The Western Way of War, answers these questions in a new and startling way. Hanson offers three incredible stories -- the sagas of history's greatest marches -- that coalesce into a single powerful theory of men and war. Each story involves a democratic army pulled together on short notice, which marched deep into enemy territory to overthrow a government whose morality was fundamentally repugnant to its own. Each army stunned the world by covering many miles and capturing huge numbers of its demoralized foes. In all three cases, Hanson argues, conviction (more than firepower) made the difference against long odds. Hanson's conclusion has far-reaching consequences in our convictionless times: right makes might.
Hanson's three armies were led by controversial figures: George S. Patton, William Tecumseh Sherman, and Epaminondas, a brilliant general from ancient Greece. Hanson describes all three in stunning detail. With only runners to communicate and his men's feet to carry them, Epaminondas's Thebans marched against the Spartan empire in columns up to twenty-five miles long. At the cost of a few hundred casualties, Epaminondas freed thousands of Messenians from Spartan domination. Sherman's famed march to the sea, Hanson says, was equally successful and has been misinterpreted as a destructive, almost criminal campaign. In fact, Sherman's men killed very few Southerners, instead wreaking enormous psychological damage while liberating thousands of slaves. Last, in Patton's breakneck race to the Rhine, American GIs willingly followed their flamboyant leader to hell itself to purge the world of the evil of the Nazis.
What made these marches so successful? In these men and their stories, there are timeless absolutes -- a cause and true leaders. The leaders shared certain characteristics: grim asceticism, an audacity born of moral certainty, and the courage to lead from the front. They have been decried by their enemies as warmongers, yet are better seen as misunderstood geniuses -- humanists whose unorthodox approaches to warfare actually saved thousands of lives. The perfect combination of men and cause is uncommon in history and possible only in democracies. When it happens, the force unleashed cannot be stopped. "No country," warned Patton, "can stand against such an army."
The Soul of Battle identifies a universal truth about war. Hanson shows that under the right conditions, democratic soldiers "can make war brutally and lethally beyond the wildest nightmares of the brutal military culture they seek to destroy." The reverse is equally true. Halfhearted wars are rarely won. Men kill best for a good cause -- and they are right to do so.
Customer Reviews:
WHERE DOES FREEDOM COME FROM?.......2007-06-14
In The Soul of Battle, Victor Davis Hanson traces the historical development of Western methods of battle and also of the free Western societies from which great democratic armies have arisen, starting with the Greeks. If you are interested in the sources freedom and prosperity in a society, and the way wars have been fought, and won, by free democratic armies since the Greeks, this book is illuminating and essential.
In The Soul of Battle, VDH describes the military campaigns of three commanders who led the army of a Western democracy: Epaminondas in ancient Greece, William Tecumseh Sherman in the American Civil War, and George S. Patton in World War II. VDH describes the military tactics and strategies in fascinating detail. He describes how each commander led an army of free, independent individuals, well-trained to act with consummate levels of discipline and camaraderie, to destroy their opponent's ability to wage war, thus to end each war sooner, and thus actually to save lives. He describes that they fought with ingenuity and discipline because they wanted to preserve the freedom they had at home, and to make it safe for their freedom-based way of life to continue.
But perhaps more importantly, VDH describes the social conditions that allow the creation of this kind of democratic army: freedom, self-reliance, property ownership, individualism, civilian control of the military, ability to innovate, freedom of self-expression and inquiry, and equal protection of private property, to name just a few. VDH describes how these conditions created societies of strong, individualistic, freedom-loving citizens, who, when stirred by great urgency, became soldiers, who came together only for the purpose of winning a war as quickly and completely as possible, then disbursed immediately thereafter to their homes to go on with their lives.
This book reveals the line of civic freedom that started with the Greeks and runs through Rome, to Europe, to America and all the western-style democracies we have in the current day all over the world. This book shows how war and battle have fit into the picture through the centuries. Perhaps most importantly, this book helps the reader to see which parts of our laws and customs help to ensure freedom for the future, and thus must be cherished and protected.
All Victor Davis Hanson's books about battle and society are excellent. His thesis that freedom in a society and the ability to win wars are inextricably linked to traditions of liberty, independence and free inquiry, is illustrated by different battles and different adversaries in each book. VDH argues convincingly that these keys to freedom and liberty also account for the prosperity, commitment and know-how that create the ability to win wars in societies that inherited or adopted the traditions of Western culture. In his books, he traces the development of the traditions of freedom, self-expression and individual innovation from ancient Greece through the development of battle techniques and civic traditions in Europe and then to the United States and the rest of the world.
The Soul of Battle is an awesome book, wonderfully interesting, about fascinating events, told so that the reader can see what is important to preserve freedom in our current times. I highly, highly recommend it. Read it. It is simply outstanding. Then read Carnage and Culture, another VDH book. I think you will love it.
Outstanding.......2007-03-10
I openly profess a lack of any military history, but in recent years, since 9/11, I've been drawn to questions regarding leadership in battle. George S. Patton consistently ranks at the top of my list of individuals I wish to study. Coming across "Soul of Battle" has now added William Tecomseh Sherman and Epiminondas to that list.
Hanson does an excellent job painting a comprehensive historical picture of these 3 military leaders for those of my ilk who do not possess the depth of knowledge of history's finer nuances. For those of us who did not study Ancient Greece and dedicated our lives to other trades, Hanson's work is a welcome friend.
What is most impressive about how Hanson portrays these leaders is that he not only spends time talking about the battle itself and the campaign but the more global reasons of how and why the battles were brought about. What forces a group of free men to bear arms and attack with such force a tyrannical government or an enslaving society??? This is the tapestry that is the back drop to why we go to battle and why we fight today. We must know and learn why our preceding generations would pick up a weapon and willingly die. I highly recommend this book.
A timely history lesson in the use of force.......2007-02-04
Hanson's treatise is superb. He offers three examples, spanning 2500 years, of how democratic war craft snatches freedom from tyranny.
The premise is that when a free society is threatened at it's core, when it's been attacked, when it's citizenry understand that the enemy is at odds with a society of freedom, the democracy can be unstoppable when forced to fight. When a genius at war leads that unstoppable force and if the leader is given the latitude to do what has to be done ... the necessary force will gather and fight, and bring home to the tyrant society a disaster that will terminate the threat. The tyrant states Hanson discusses ceased to exist forever after free men took the initiative to the tyrant.
Epaminondas, long forgotten, eradicated the insufferable warmongering slave society of Sparta. Within a season ... the 300 years of absolute Spartan domination of free men would never rise again. No accolades for Epaminondas, only a new society of freed helots. Epaminondas and his army of farmers disappears into the obscurity of citizenry and history.
No union general was more hated in the south than Sherman. Sherman's march of total destruction insured that never would the South be able to rise again or be able to rationalize the 300 year old institution of slavery. The march to the sea was all of 5 weeks but remains in memory like it was interminable. Sherman and his Army of the West disappeared into the citizenry within days of the marches end. With no friend in politics, Sherman fades into society.
We know the Patton story ... fired for misbehavior numerous times, generally hated by contemporaries, his death only days after again being fired with orders to go home was perhaps the ironic outcome for the legacy of the man. The legacy of Patton's 3rd Army lives on. Patton and his 3rd moved further, faster and with the deadliest efficiency of any Army in history. The 3rd Army was in a position to save more lives, but not given the permission. Historians seem to be increasingly suggesting that victory in Europe was a Russian thing, beginning at Stalingrad, that allied airpower destroyed the Reich's ability to keep it's army in the field, that German collapse was days away. The German record of industrial output, army moral and citizen support on the post-Bulge western front is far more revealing as Patton neared the Fatherland. Records and writings indicate production and the highest German moral of the war was shunted to the west in the protection of the fatherland in hopes of a negotiated peace to save occuption. Some in diplomacy appear to have viewed negotiations as an acceptable alternative. Patton alone forced the Nazi eye from the ball and tore through the material and sprit of a defective society. His domination of the European battlefield and destruction of German psyche was absolute. The need for diplomacy was overcome by events and the planning for a winter of 1946 campaign shelved. Patton's elimination of 2 army groups and 1,000,000 prisoners would insure that Germany would never rise again to military dominance. Patton's politics could have precluded the coming Cold War. The 30,000,000 victims of Stalin's and Mao's communistic lunacy were largely still alive when Patton slammed into the diplomatic solution.
Hanson has done good work. These 3 men standout out as the executors of apocalyptic horrors that terminate an enemy forever. This book gives pause to consider the legacy of politics, diplomacy and war craft. Peace proponents today will do anything for peace except perhaps read a book like Hanson's with history's documented lessons
An Excellent Book.......2006-09-24
Victor David Hanson identifies two qualities that in combat are especially lethal when combined: speed and a higher moral purpose. Written before 9-11, this book raises for me facinating and highly relevant questions about our current efforts in the Middle East (e.g., the establishment of democracy and the correlation between our lack of military movement within Iraq and the explosion of terrorism in the country).
This is not reason, it is ideology.......2006-06-07
The underlying premise of this book (democracy = good, tyranny and slavery = bad) is obviously sympathetic. You can't go wrong with that these days, on a fundamental level.
What Hanson has done with this, though, is utterly inexcusable. He's taken every fact and twisted and tortured it until it fits so that each of the people surveyed can be painted in pure black and white, as unambiguous heroes and titans among men. It doesn't matter that Patton took over an army already on the verge of breaking a badly-battered German army, or that the reason Sherman was able to burn his away across the South was because Grant was going toe-to-toe with the only dangerous Confederate army in Virginia. No, in each case, Hanson's favorite guy was entirely responsible for victory, and he manages to twist the contributions of others into proof of their incompetance. It's like, you know, Grant was completely stalled out by Lee! He couldn't get anything done at all! Meanwhile Sherman was doing all the real damage! That Grant guy was a total loser. Or ... before Patton showed up, all the British and Americans were doing was uselessly battering themselves against the Germans! It took Patton's genius to achieve the breakout where those losers were just getting people killed and wasting time!
This stuff is beyond the pale, really. It's intellectually dishonest. It's not history. It's history twisted and tortured to support an ideological bias.
The shame of it is that this is a really interesting topic. Sherman and Patton anyway were real people, ambiguous and conflicted. Patton in fact was probably a nut (and even many of his fans would probably not disagree on this point), but he was a nut who could motivate troops. And I personally always do feel conflicted about what we've done and what has happened in fighting some nasty wars: the fireboming of Dresden, the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Sherman's march to the sea, the genocide of the Native Americans, My Lai, and Abu Grahib. What I want is someone to really look into these things and tell my why free and democratic nations which claim to have strong principles do these things. I don't need someone telling me "it's OK, our society is great, it was all in rightous anger, it had to be done, and anyway, they were all bad guys."
Book Description
Based on the findings in recently released archive papers and letters, as well as extensive library and historical resources, Alan Axelrod offers a compelling profile of the remarkable leadership discipline of a general often called a "military CEO." In fascinating detail, Axelrod reveals that Ike was more than a great military leader; he was also a great executive who couldâand didâwrite a reassuring letter to the mother of a solider one moment and make decisions impacting millions of lives the next.
Follow Ike's path as Supreme Commander from the invasion of North Africa to victory in Europe and learn the lessons of great leadership along the way, including:
- The nature of leadership
- Managing detail without sacrificing the “big picture”
- Ensuring follow-through to execution
- Building a team
- Converting conflict into common cause
- Getting the facts and making plans
- Mentoring, motivating, and inspiring
Customer Reviews:
Great for CEOs of CEOs and those who want to improve their written communication, but so so for the rest. .......2007-07-20
I rated "Patton on Leadership" by the same author a four star with the title "Great on Patton "and" Leadership." I had expected this to be of the same good quality. Sorry that I had been a little bit disappointed. Dont know whether it's the difference of the two characters that Eisenhower is one of decision making and Patton is one of action taking, or the author had deliberately based his new book primiarily on the correspondence written by Eisenhower, or simply the author had overdone it (there are 232 lessons), I found this not interesting and over stretched. I still can remember some good leadership stories I read from "Patton on Leadership." All I can recall from this is that Eisenhower possessed very strong political skills who strived to strike the balance right and use correct tone and words all the time. Great for CEOs of CEOs and those who want to improve their written communication, but so so for the rest.
Customer Reviews:
Good Priciples For Leadership.......2007-03-27
When i was in high-school, i read bits and pieces of this book. Now that i have grown, i have a greater appreciation, and am enjoying the book much more. I would recommend the book to anyone wanting to learn to be a leader.
Kicked in the butt.......2004-02-02
Gen. Patton often proudly stated that "you have to take the enemy by the nose and kick them in the butt". This book is Gen. Patton's Kick in the butt. Most readers know Gen. Patton as "Ole Blood and Guts" or as the general that slapped a soldier. These and other myths about one of America's greatest leaders are dispelled by a soldier who was there! Gen. Patton loved his men and his leadership style revolved around keeping them alive. Learn how Gen. Patton was fourty years ahead and shoulders above by reading this simple account of his philosphies in story that makes you wish you were there.
Leader? Read this!.......1999-10-15
General Patton is here for the next generation of managers and CEO's. Wonderfully written in a style that made me feel I was there. I lived the experiences Mr Williamson lived with Patton, and I have learned. One of the best 'how to' mgt books available. I only wish I had found it sooner...
The Essential Guide for Leadership.......1999-02-13
General George S. Patton, Jr. was one of the greatest heroes this country has ever produced. In addition, he was also one of the most misunderstood. Many thought he was hated by his men, but the truth is that his men loved him. Porter B. Williamson served with General Patton in the I Armored Corps in 1942. Although he did not follow Patton across the Atlantic, Williamson had instilled in him the principles that would follow him for the rest of his life. This book is the best collection of the leadership principles and philosophies of General George S. Patton. Minus the profanity that Patton made famous, this book uses many speeches and talks to the troops that exemplify the leadership principles that helped Patton lead his men to victory. This book is highly recommended for anyone in a position of leadership, and is must reading for anyone seeking a management position.
A Great Lesson.......1998-12-22
As a Naval Officer I have read this book well over ten times. It's lessons show the importance of such leadership qualities as honesty, integrity, care for your men, and the importance of being fair. An excellent book for anyone wanting leadership advice.
Book Description
The Baron Son is an allegorical tale designed as a roadmap to wealth, power, and success. A legend from centuries past, it is the account of a young boy who loses everything, and through struggle, finds the secret to become the richest, most powerful man the world has ever known.
Customer Reviews:
Not your average business/leadership book........2007-01-13
This book is written like a fable, and reminded me of The Richest Man In Babylon. The precepts in this book are part spiritual, part inspirational, part motivational...all relevant, as well as applicable to our daily lives. I enjoyed this book and was truly inspired. I highly recommend this book to everyone who aspires to greatness in life, as well as in the business world.
A great guide to success.......2006-12-12
A most interesting audio book....anyone can benefit from this breakthrough approach to achieving wealth, power and success.
Great read ranks with classics.......2006-09-26
I really enjoyed this book. Mr. patterson and his co-authors have successfully penned what I believe to be a book that is every bit as relevant to anyone seeking success in life as the business/success classics. I enjoyed the style and allegorical nature to the lessons taught, it kept the concepts interesting. Make no mistake this is a great book that if read and followed will lead one on a path to success at whatever endeavor one might choose. I highly recommend this book and am sure I will treasure and reference it for years to come.
The Ultimate Blueprint for Success.......2006-03-14
Any entrepreneur who has ever built a successful business knows the truth of the words in "The Baron Son," as does any disciplined investor or accomplished business leader. As I read a couple of the reviews that complained of the language in this book, I could only laugh as I thought of a quote from Bob Marley, "In the abundance of water, the fool is thirsty." "The Baron Son" is a book that assumes you are intelligent, rather than assumes you are not. There are no pictures, just actionable insight after actionable insight for ethically achieving success and wealth, and leading others to the same. The book is a classic story of struggle. It is about not quitting at the first sign of difficulty or resistance, because you know you are as close to success as you will ever come.
If you want to learn how great ideas that change the world are discovered-it is here. If you want to learn how people rise from the depths of failure to become industry barons-it is here. If you want to learn how people build wealth when they have absolutely nothing-it is here.
"The Baron Son" offers an insider's view of finance and business, you'll find nowhere else. If heeded, there is a wealth of information that will positively impact your company and financial future.
Barely Readable.......2006-03-05
Although I am sure that this book has some good advice, I am unable to read it. The authors wrote the entire book in a style that makes Elizabethan English easy to understand (and I don't mean Elizabeth II!) To top it off, all of the place names and names of the characters are exotic, with lots of consonants and exotic letter combinations. It is a shame since the overall structure of the book seems sound. This book is like driving a luxury car painted in a garish color. My advice is to read something else (like Clayson's "The Richest Man in Babylon").
Book Description
Green and Green. Follow every detail of Patton's actions during Germany's famous World War II counteroffensive.
Customer Reviews:
Very Good.......2004-05-10
This book does an ecellent job telling the story of the role of George Patton's Third U.S. Army in the Battle of the Bulge, the largest battle the United States ever took part in. Not only is it very detailed for a somewhat small book, it also covers the German plan of attack and operation very well despite the subject being primarily the reaction of the Third army. A very good work by a notable historian.Recommended to anyone studying the Battle of the Bulge and the Ardennes counter offensive.
Book Review.......2003-05-07
Michael Greenýs ýGeorge Patton and the Battle of the Bulgeý is one creative piece that explains the details of the Battle of the Bulge. Michael Green has been one of the most profound authors on military issues and World War II related books. The book provided in depth information on what Patton and his third army did when the Germans launched a desperate counter-offensive called ýWacht am Rheiný, translated to be Watch the Rhine where the Nazi defenders charged through the Ardennes. Combat maps, quotes from the soldiers, Patton himself and even from accounts of German soldiers gave highlight to strength and weaknesses of both sides of the war. Real photographs and comments from soldiers interviewed at the time, including the American third army, the German Volksgrenadier divisions making Michael Greenýs ýGeorge Patton and the Battle of the Bulgeý a great book for me to read.
Micheal Green is technically one of the most best authors on Patton and World War II related material, with his array of books already published like Patton's Tank Drive: D-Day to Victory and Patton: Operation Cobra and Beyond. All those experience gained from writing these previous books about Patton helped to make ýGeorge Patton and the Battle of the Bulgeý better and more comprehensive. Michaelýs Wife, Gladys also contributed to his works as his co-author and assistant. As we all know, two brains is always better than one.
ýGeorge Patton and the Battle of the Bulgeý is one meticulously crafted book with details to many fine elements of the war many books overlooked. One hundred sixty pages in font 10 San Serif and pictures describing the war that even tells what weapons the soldiers depicted are using.
ýThe most important favor that influenced Hitlerýs decision to attack the Ardennes was the Allied advance across France to the German boarder, between August and September 1944. Hitler Considered this a more pressing danger to Germany than the Soviet advance in the east. The American crew of a .30-calibre (air cooled) machine gun, fires at German positions somewhere in France. National Archivesý
Details like this make this book an easy reading for the short time that I am pressed.
The book is divided into 4 large chapters/sections, Opening moves, The German attack and American reaction, The road to Bastogne, Clearing the Bastogne area. This concept of simplicity helps the reader to be not confused with useless details that ruin many great books and chapter titles with known settings (i.e. The road to Bastogne) help the reader to feel easy with what they already knew. A great book about the war has always been awarded for its simplicity and this one is no other. The first chapter, Opening moves starts out like this:
ýMany historians and writers have suspected that the idea for the German Ardennes counteroffensive of December 16, 1944. (Know to Americans as the Battle of the Bulge) was first conceived in Adolf Hitlerýs mind sometime during the last two weeks of July 1944.ý
Simplicity and word choice made the book a breeze and without much pain to read. Its like one of the shows from the History channel, the book gives its information in descriptive narratives. ýDespite this lack of confidence, Hitler still retained the respect and admiration of the Armyýs rank and file in late 1944 till the end of the war.ý This kind of writing in my opinion is much easier to read than writing with much high frequency words and have to dig through the dictionary to fully understand what the book is about.
Overall reading this book is a success and I enjoyed reading this book very much. Now I have purchased this book and that is one of the signs of my approval of its ý1337nessý. Counted over 190 pictures to help out my reading and that averages out more than one picture per page. Almost a picture book and still provide enough information for me to take the information from the text and process it with efficiency. This book should definitely be published in hardcover and should be a collectorýs must have for Patton enthusiasts.
Superbly written, like always!.......2003-01-13
Michael Green is hands-down the best author I have ever read on this subject. With his array of military books, I just can't seem to get enough of his well-informed and enlightening books. The pictures in this particular book are just astonishing and greatly complement the articulate and intelligent text. Green has once again taken my breath away with this book! I recommend it highly, as I do all of his books. My wife and I both know that they are at the top of my shelf!
Average customer rating:
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Patton Place
Robin Sal Natrigo
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1420888188 |
Book Description
Patton Place is a factual account of my experiences and those of family members when we grew up together in Western Pennsylvania. Patton was the starting off point, and included the nearby surrounding towns of N. Cambia County. The book follows with our experiences in Rochester, New York. My personal experience after being inducted into the military follows and ends. There were two moves from Pennsylvania to Rochester. We had moved there initially for a short time. Also, we had a move to Columbia, S.C. for another short time; the moving, to say "the least," was hectic and adventurous at the same time!!
Books:
- Personal Styles & Effective Performance
- Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind
- PowerPoint 2003 for Dummies
- Principles of Corporate Finance + Student CD + Ethics in Finance PowerWeb + Standard and Poor's (McGraw-Hill/Irwin Series in Finance, Insurance, and Real Est)
- Principles of Financial Engineering (Academic Press Advanced Finance)
- Redefining Health Care: Creating Value-Based Competition on Results
- SAP MM-Functionality and Technical Configuration
- Selling to Big Companies
- Semiconductor Device Fundamentals
- SPIN Selling
Books Index
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