MONTY AND PATTON: Two Paths to Victory

Of all the Allied generals who caught the headlines in the Middle East and Europe in WWII, two stand out. Neither held supreme command, but both had a magnetism and flair that set them apart from their contemporaries. Both achieved successes on the battlefield, both went out of their way to court the headlines and both made serious mistakes that attracted adverse publicity. Their names were Bernard Montgomery and George Patton.There were numerous similarities in their early years. Born 'scorpions', two years apart, they had checkered careers at military academy, were commissioned within a year of each other and they were both wounded in France in WWI. However, there were important differences - one was born into the family of a Victorian churchman, the other into a wealthy American family; one became an infantryman, the other a cavalryman, and as such they displayed the basic characteristics of these two combat arms - Monty, for very good reasons, careful and meticulous; Patton dashing and devil-may-care. But despite these differences, Monty and Patton demonstrated similar traits throughout their lives - a total dedication to their careers, professionalism, selfishness, arrogance, a desire for the limelight and an unhesitating use of friends in high places to further their careers or achieve their aims. Neither was a particularly pleasant person - but then generals are not meant to be pleasant in war. Needless to say they did not like each other.This book summarizes and compares the lives of that 'little fart' Monty and that 'foulmouthed lover of war' Patton, but does not attempt to prove that one was a greater man or commander than the other. It shows clearly that they were both great generals and that they both made essential contributions to victory in Europe in WWII. Eisenhower said of Monty: 'I don't know if we could have done it without him. It was a sort of battle. Whatever they say about him, he got us there'; and of Patton he declared: 'His presence gave me the certainty that the boldest plan would be even more daringly executed. It is no exaggeration to say that Patton's name struck terror at the heart of the enemy' Michael Reynolds is the author of Sons of the Reich, Casemate 2002, Eagles and Bulldogs in Normandy, Casemate 2004, Men of Steel, DaCapo 2001, Steel Inferno, Sarpedon 1997, Dell 1999, Devil's Adjutant, Sarpedon 1995, Casemate 2004