Ladislas Farago (1906–1980)

I was so disappointed with the discursive mess of Killing Patton: The Strange Death of World War II's Most Audacious General that I had to read something that actually addressed the potential conspiracy head-on. This does that. Apparently, if these quotes and excerpts of Patton's writing can be believed, Patton was an ultra-nationalist, anti-Semite, Nazi coddling commie hater that was a potential embarrassment to Eisenhower. Still, his death appears to be no more than a tragic car accident show more made mysterious by an unfortunate lack of investigation and autopsy. No, no real evidence of a conspiracy to get the potentially embarrassing Patton out of the way... show less

Finished Patton: Ordeal and Triumph by Ladislas Farago.

A fitting tribute to our greatest tactical General of World War II who was an early convert from Cavalry to Armored Warfare.
Farago wrote an outstanding cradle to grave biography on George Patton that came in with 832 pages of reading not including maps.

A West Point educated soldier, who was was a cavalry officer who transitioned to tanks in his service in World War I.

Never a soldier who relegated one arm of service below another he show more was ardent practioner of combined arms warfare who saw the value of infantry, artillery and armor fighting together.

A professional soldier who saw and embodied especially with his beloved Third Army the U.S. version of Blitzkrieg.

From Torch, to Sicily to the post breakout of phase (Cobra) in France he acted quickly and decisively at the Falaise Gap, he quick reorientation of his forces to fight at the Bulge. To his crossing of the Rhine before Monty to the final cleanup in Germany.

A 5 star biography on George Patton. I wholeheartedly recommend to scholary readers on Patton. show less

A laudatory biography of the American soldier who was puffed up to present a foil to Erwin Rommel. There are maps, and some explorations of the less wonderful sides of his character.

Farago presents nineteenth century history as if the dynastic politics characteristic of Tudor/Hapsburg/Valois times were still in operation. While it makes for interesting reading, the actual influence of royal families by this time seems substantially less than Farago would have the reader believe.