Synopses & Reviews
The true story of the friendship-and rivalry-among the greatest American generals of World War II. Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower, General George S. Patton, and General Omar N. Bradley engineered the Allied conquest that shattered Hitler's hold over Europe. But they also shared an intricate web of relationships going back decades. In the cauldron of World War II, they found their prewar friendships complicated by shifting allegiances, jealousy, insecurity, patriotism, and ambition.
Meticulously researched and vividly written, Jonathan W. Jordan's Brothers Rivals, Victors recounts the battle for Europe through the eyes of these three legendary generals who fought to liberate two continents. For the first time in such detail, the bonds between these battle captains are explored, and readers are treated to a rare insider's view of life at the summit of raw, violent power. Throughout three years of hard, bloody warfare, Eisenhower, the Alliance's great diplomat, sought victory in the fighting qualities and tactical genius of his most trusted subordinates, Bradley and Patton. Bradley and Patton, in turn, owed their careers to Eisenhower, who protected them from the slings and arrows of politicians, rival generals, their allies, and the U.S. Navy. The twin pillars of their working relationships were duty and trust. Yet their friendship, so genuine and unalloyed before the war, would be put to the ultimate test as life-and-death decisions were thrust upon them, and honor and duty conflicted with personal loyalty.
Brothers Rivals Victors is drawn from the candid accounts of its main characters, and strips away much of the public image of "Ike" (Eisenhower), the "G.I.'s General" (Bradley), and "Old Blood and Guts" (Patton) to reveal the men lurking beneath the legend. Adding richness to this insider's story are the words and observations of a supporting cast of generals, staff officers, secretaries, aides, politicians, and wives, whose close proximity to Eisenhower, Bradley and Patton in times of stress and tranquility are brought together to produce a uniquely intimate account of a relationship that influenced a war. The story of how these three great strategists pulled together to wage the deadliest conflict in history, despite their differences and rivalries, is marvelously told in this eye-opening narrative, sure to become a classic of military history.
Review
"One of the most distinguished American historians of WWII returns with an outstanding parallel biography of George Patton and Erwin Rommel. The research is thorough, the quality of the writing superb...Showalter ranks as a scholar who has done them justice, making two complex men and a vast panorama of military history remarkably accessible for experts and lay readers alike." —
Publishers Weekly "A smooth, very accessible narrative that is jam-packed with enough interesting insights to keep anyone's inner scholar happy...Both Rommel and Patton come across as surprisingly thoughtful soldiers who were also lead-from-the-front hard-chargers...It is a good story, and the quality of the writing makes it even better. It is vivid, vigorous, laced with unforgettable metaphor, alternately funny and moving." —World War II Magazine
"A distinguished American scholar of World War II gives us an outstanding parallel biography." —Booklist
Review
"A fascinating triple biography. Jordan elegantly describes the ever-changing relationship between America's three most important European ground commanders. His detailed account shows how the responsibilities, and politics, of high command can test even the best of friends."
-Jonathan Parshall, co-author Shattered Sword: The Untold Battle of Midway
"Finally, a major work that examines and highlights the most important American military triumvirate of World War II... General readers will appreciate the fast pace and descriptive prose, while historians and specialists will be impressed by the depth and breadth of research. Jordan's work will put the war into a new perspective for many readers... a must-read for anyone interested in World War II, or who wants to know something about how command decisions are actually made."
-Jim DeFelice, author of Rangers at Dieppe and Omar Bradley: General at War
"This is one of the great stories of the American military, of how Patton, Eisenhower and Bradley, three very different men, came together to change the world. It is told here by Jonathan Jordan with insight and compassion, relish and vigor. I read it in two sittings."
-Thomas E. Ricks, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Fiasco, Making the Corps and The Gamble
"An intimate, well-researched and gracefully-written portrait of three important generals-Jordan succeeds in bringing Patton, Brad and Ike to life once again. Brothers, Rivals, Victors is full of fresh insight and compelling drama. You will have trouble putting this book down."
-John C. McManus, author of Grunts and Alamo in the Ardennes
"Jonathan Jordan uses the intertwined lives of three great soldiers to tell the story of America's supreme military achievement: the campaign that destroyed Hitler's tyranny and freed a continent. The writing is vivid, the admiring portraits of these friends-and rivals-are carefully crafted, and Jordan has a fine eye for the telling detail. A fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable read."
-William I. Hitchcock, author of The Bitter Road to Freedom: A New History of the Liberation of Europe
"The standard line among historians is that there's nothing new to be said about World War II... Jonathan Jordan shows us just how wrong that is... Fastidiously researched and deftly written, Jordan's work is compellingly authoritative and adds to our knowledge something that we have not had-a tale of the intertwined and sometimes discomforting relationships of three American heroes. There is no such thing as the last word on any part of our history, but Brothers, Rivals, Victors comes close."
-Mark Perry, author of Partners in Command: George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower in War and Peace
Review
“Painstakingly researched and highly readable, the latest work by Barron is a significant contribution to the analysis of the great commander, the endurance of his great army, and the resounding American victory in the great battle.”—Michael E. Haskew, author of
West Point 1915: Eisenhower, Bradley, and the Class the Stars Fell On
“In Patton at the Battle of the Bulge, Leo Barron masterfully describes the vigor and sheer determination of Pattons drive.”—Don M. Fox, author of Pattons Vanguard: The United States Army Fourth Armored Division
Synopsis
General George S. Patton. His tongue was as sharp as the cavalry saber he once wielded, and his fury as explosive as the shells he’d ordered launched from his tank divisions. Despite his profane, posturing manner, and the sheer enthusiasm for conflict that made both his peers and the public uncomfortable, Patton’s very presence commanded respect. Had his superiors given him free rein, the U.S. Army could have claimed victory in Berlin as early as November of 1944.
General Erwin Rommel. His battlefield manner was authoritative, his courage proven in the trenches of World War I when he was awarded the Blue Max. He was a front line soldier who led by example from the turrets of his Panzers. Appointed to command Adolf Hitler’s personal security detail, Rommel had nothing for contempt for the atrocities perpetrated by the Reich. His role in the Führer’s assassination attempt led to his downfall.
Except for a brief confrontation in North Africa, these two legendary titans never met in combat. Patton and Rommel is the first single-volume study to deal with the parallel lives of two generals who earned not only the loyalty and admiration of their own men, but the respect of their enemies, and the enmity of the leaders they swore to obey. From the origins of their military prowess, forged on the battlefields of World War I, to their rise through the ranks, to their inevitable clashes with political authority, military historian Dennis Showalter presents a riveting portrait of two men whose battle strategies changed the face of warfare and continue to be studied in military academies around the globe.
Synopsis
Barron captures the fiery generals command presence and the pivotal commitment of his Third Army tanks to relieve the embattled crossroads town of Bastogne.”Michael E. Haskew, Author of West Point 1915: Eisenhower, Bradley, and the Class the Stars Fell On
December 1944. For the besieged American defenders of Bastogne, time was running out. Hitlers forces had pressed in on the small Belgian town in a desperate offensive designed to push back the Allies. The U.S. soldiers had managed to repel repeated attacks, but as their ammunition dwindled, the weary paratroopers of the 101st Airborne could only hope for a miracle.
More than a hundred miles away, General George S. Patton was putting in motion the most crucial charge of his career. Tapped to spearhead the counterstrike was the 4th Armored Division, a hard-fighting unit that had slogged its way across France. But blazing a trail into Belgium meant going up against some of the best infantry and tank units in the German Army. And failure to reach Bastogne in time could result in the overrunning of the 101st and turn the tide of the war against the Allies.
In Patton at the Battle of the Bulge, Army veteran and historian Leo Barron explores one of the most famous yet little-told clashes of the war, a vitally important chapter in one of historys most legendary battles.
INCLUDES PHOTOGRAPHS
About the Author
Leo Barron teaches at the US Army Intelligence Center at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. He has served with the 101st Airborne Division and has seen two tours of active duty in Iraq. His work has been published in World War II, WWII History, and Infantry Magazine.