Patton, Montgomery, Rommel: Masters of War by Terry Brighton

Patton, Montgomery, Rommel: Masters of War Reviews

• 
  Timothy Boyd

  Very well written and researched book. The 3 most iconic generals from WWII are perfectly contrasted from their beginnings through out the war. Excellent read. Recommended
• 
  Michael

  A very balanced account of the skills and personalities of the three most influential commanders in the European theater. The book does a nice job of describing their combat experiences, their wins and their losses. The author is scrupulous about examining each of the three in a fair manner. Yet, this book left me feeling flat when I finished reading it.
  
  Rommel’s fascination with, and support of, Hitler up to the final moments of his life is fully detailed here. His complete acceptance of the Nazi program and belief system – even though he never joined the actual party – is well laid out. There is no doubt that he was a fervent supporter and was not just a “good German soldier”. Patton was beyond just bombastic and profane. His well-known episodes of losing control and slapping soldiers in hospitals for being cowards as well as his multiple affairs are described. Which I have no idea why that was necessary to be included in this book. Montgomery comes across probably as the worst of the bunch. He is a general who manages to win one battle in one setting and then applies that same philosophy the rest of the way. When he does not get the resources he wants, or is denied the command he seeks, he purposely slows his progress down and causes numerous casualties to his fellow commanders as a way of showing that he should have been given this support or command all along. How many thousands of unnecessary casualties were caused by this self-absorption? The sad truth is that Field Marshal B.L. Montgomery was probably the most incompetent senior officer of any major combatant in World War II. It is doubly sad because when Montgomery's senior Allied command position is combined with his severe limitations as a tactical commander, it added months to the end of the war and tens of thousands of Allied soldiers to the butcher's bill.
  
  Much of this information I have read before in other books. I was hoping that it would answer the simple question, why were they were so great? Rather I have read another biography on their life which I already know.
  
• 
  Joel Myers

  What this book lacks in specific military detail it makes up in clear and compelling narrative about three larger than life personalities that drove the greatest war. Succinct and thematic with an excellent even hand.
• 
  Steven Peterson

  This book has an interesting premise--the interactions among three generals in World War II--George Patton (USA), Bernard Montgomery (UK), and Erwin Rommel (Germany). The juxtaposition of their jousting with one another provides a useful takeoff point for analysis. More interesting--the jousting is also within an alliance, with Montgomery and Patton not on the best of terms.
  
  The book traces the backgrounds of each of the three generals, including their experience during World War I and in the inter-war period. But the centerpiece is the interactions among them in the Second World War.
  
  The book does a nice job of describing their combat experiences, their wins and their losses. The author is scrupulous about examining each of the three in a fair manner. The warts show up as well as the strengths.
  
  One point. The author creates a sense that these are three very special generals. Certainly, they have received much publicity over time and have been generally looked at positively. But there were other generals--some superior to any of these three--that seem to get rather short shrift in this work. Germany? Rommel certainly did well in Northern Africa, but this was a rather minor theater with relatively small forces, compared with other theaters. Other generals, such as Guderian and Manstein, were better.
  
  Overall, the book is pretty well written and the narrative moves along. On its own terms, it does a pretty nice job of juxtaposing the three generals.
  
• 
  John Landes

  Really enjoyed this book. Author takes you to the depths of WW2 on the European front, and dives into these three main Generals lives.
• 
  Jared

  3.5 stars
• 
  Michael Alligood

  Well-researched and fantastically written.
• 
  Patrick

  VERY good so far. Triple biography about three fascinating men leading up to and through World War II. I had little dribbles of knowledge about these men and the South African front in WWII, but I didn't even have all the dots to connect into the big picture. Now I've got a working knowledge of the strategic and tactical reasons for the whole thing. I also get the basics of the Sicily/Italy campaign, and now I'm reading the planning for the Normandy Invasion. Personality conflict, ego, and political necessities played as much a part of these conflicts as strategy and useful goals. Thousands of men died more than once to send the right message. This probably isn't the type of thing most of my Goodreads friends will read, but I think it's fascinating.
  
  Finished. The D-Day invasion, campaign to finish Germany, and end of these men was intriguing too. Without Monty from Britain, the organizational aspect of the huge D-Day invasion likely would not have been successful, but without his overcautious and glory-seeking habits, the Allies would likely have made faster progress once they were there and won the war sooner.
  
  Rommel was forced to commit suicide because he was willing to negotiate peace without Hitler and possibly knew about an assassination attempt. He knew Germany could not win soon after D-Day, but Hitler wouldn't hear of it. "Just fight better!" The assassination failed because of the briefcase bomb under a table getting bumped about 18 inches.
  
  Patton died in a car wreck in occupied Germany. Crazy, egotistical, selfish, which often overshadowed his clear view of the larger strategic picture.
  
  Monty lived a long time and fought with Dwight Eisenhour and others about who was to blame for mistakes in the war.
  
  The book helps you know the characters and the basics of the entire European theater in WWII. Loved it!
• 
  Ravi Singh

  Definitely the three most celebrated generals of WW 2 if not the best. Here's a book that tackles all three and their individual characteristics together for the reader to compare. The author uses a parallel narrative starting from their childhood and builds it up. Their most famous battles are discussed in sufficient detail to identify their personal traits and strategies. The book has been written in a objective way which is a refreshing change from the usual eulogizing manner most others are on these three. It is clear that these three performed a far greater role as celebrated heroes for their respective nations than just their generalship. Arguably Rommel was truly brilliant for having achieved so much with so little, while Patton was ahead of his times and done in by his own inability to suffer fools. Meanwhile Montgomery owes much of his fame more to the British need for a hero and all that was done for him rather than any individual brilliance. Which is not to say he wasn't a great general, but probably not in the league of the other two. A must read read for military men as it is packed with wonderful nuggets on leadership and personal traits and charisma which can make all the difference.
• 
  Calzean

  There are much more detailed autobiographies on these three Generals. By covering their lives and military achievements the author focuses on a few key points. What made them stand apart from their contemporaries? Why it was important for them them to have big egos. And the professional classes between them - not on the battlefield but for bragging rights.
  Each man had tremendous will power, charisma and carried a particular mystique. Monty is characterised as aloof, arrogant, self-righteous and willing to take credit for the work of others. Patton was colourful, but racist, anti-semite and failed to acknowledge the damage of war on the mental state of his men. Rommel was the trail blazer who put into place the tactics of using modern weaponry on the battlefield. All three were ruthless in sending men to their deaths; sometimes Monty did this for the weird reason to prove his argument right or to prevent Patton from achieving a certain victory.
  The book has many sliding door moments. What if each man had died in WWI from their wounds, what if a car accident, an aircraft accident or Paton had not been a neighbour to Eisenhower....?
  An easy book to read and one that gives a picture of what did happen or could have happened in WWII.
• 
  Chris

  I listened to the audio book and liked it. If you have ever seen Saving Private Ryan and remember the scene between Ted Danson and Tom Hanks discussing the cities that had to be taken and Danson said of Monty, “that guy is overrated” this book gives you the detail about why. Monty does have success in Africa though after that seems to have lost his nerve for attrition.
  
  This book does a good job of covering all 3 generals lives from beginning to end without all the minutia of a full biography.
  
  This book will give you some history about combat strategy from Carl von Clausewitz and how each General interpreted it his own way and differently.
  
  I definitely recommend this book, it is an important piece of history.
• 
  Joe Oaster

  Great book about three of the biggest personalities in the ETO. I have read much on all three, love Patton and never liked Montgomery who I found to be an obnoxious glory seeking stuck-up leader. This book did not sway my argument at all. I found Montgomery to be a little short of a pompous A$$. Rommel, a genius who fought gallantly with the little support but his loyalty to Hitler will always give me black marks in history.
  
  Patton, an effective leader with non-traditional methods is not perfect but was well loved by his men.
  
  Great book on the conflicting personalities.
• 
  Glory

  A very interesting, revelatory book! The mingling of the three biographies was a nice mix, and I felt good about myself for having learned about three important figures in WWII in one book. It taught me more about the general timeline of the European theater than any history textbook or article I'd read. A personal perspective, such as those found in biographies like these, always aids in the learning of the big picture.
• 
  Rick Davis

  Very good book comparing the personalities and characteristics of all three generals. The author details many of the problems that Eisenhower faced with Patton and Montgomery.
• 
  Terri

  Fascinating collateral biographies of three of WW II’s most famous generals. I enjoyed this book very much.
• 
  Russellmacphailcomcast.Net

  excellent book
• 
  Haur Bin Chua

  Three prominent characters during WW2 depicting their contrasting leadership and battle tactical styles.
  
  Rommel for one was portrayed as the ultimate soldier who happened to be on the wrong side of the fence. Famous for his blitzkreig across Western Europe, he developed a close personal ties with Hitler. His success on the battlefields are largely attributed to his leadership from the front and intuition to make the right decisions even against instructions from his superiors. Despite that, his ultimate downfall during WW2 was down to Hitler’s irrationality in waging wars on two fronts, depriving Rommel with the required resources against the well supplied Allies. With faltering Nazi Germany, Rommel was said to be involved in plotting an assassination attempt on Hitler. He was given the option of taking the poison or being trialed and he chose the former, which preserved his reputation in Germany and protected his family.
  
  Montgomery, on the other hand, was portrayed as someone who was given too much credit in the history books of war. With his win against a undersupplied Rommel in El-Alamein, the British propaganda machine played up Montgomery’s prowess as the British hero in the war. Known as a meticulous and cautious general, he is known to only move when he has garnered sufficient resources he needed. And because of this, he was at loggerheads with Churchill and Eisenhower who needed quick victories to appease their political opponents. Nevertheless, with his meticulous planning of Operations Overlord, the Allies were able to establish a beachhead in Normandy, which catalysed the eventual Allies’ victory. As a field commander, his penchant to lead through detailed planning in his caravan meant lost opportunities and failed operations once things don’t go according to plan for example Operations Market Garden. During the final push towards Berlin, he was at odds against the Supreme Commander Eisenhower to consolidate the army through a single thrust rather than broad front strategy. With a giant ego and tendencies for overplayed self-praise, Montgomery was not held in high regards by his fellow generals.
  
  Finally on Patton, the American version of Rommel. Pioneering the armoured warfare in America, Patton was also a practitioner of blitzkrieg. Similar to Rommel in leading from the front lines, Patton is known for his style of always advancing and ignoring his flanks, effectively pushed the Americans through large parts of Western Europe. However, his brash personality proved to be his Archilles heel. In an incident where he slapped an able-bodied soldier who was psychologically unfit to carry on the war, he was hung out in the American press and did not play significant role in Operations Overlord. However, with his larger than life reputation, the Allies used him as a decoy in Operations Fortitude where the Axis forces were deceived to believe that the invasion will happen at Calais instead of Normandy because of Patton’s presence there. Highly ambitious and no lack of self confidence, he blamed Eisenhower and Montgomery for starving him with the fuels and ammunition to push decisively into Berlin. He eventually beat Montgomery across the Rhine but died in a car accident after winning the war.
• 
  Joe Faust

  So I've read a lot about Patton, a little about Rommel, and next to nothing about Montgomery - so I found this parallel biography of the three very enlightening.
  
  My biggest takeaway is that Montgomery was pretty much the British version of the American Civil War's General George McClellan - a great organizer, but timid when it came to going to battle unless overwhelming odds could be achieved. But while McClellan tended to cool his heels, Monty would fight - and seems to have made his entire career on one bloody success at El Alamien, while the rest of his plans ended in failure or underachievement. But that's okay, because none of those failures were ever his fault. It was Ike's for not supporting him, or else sweet lemons, his failures intentional to support the US side of the fighting. He turns out to be a fascinating character here, and I'll likely look up a bio more focused on him in the future.
  
  Patton and Rommel are here, too, with author Brighton showing the good, bad, and ugly of all three, including the details behind The Rommel Myth - that he was the "Good German" the allies needed for the propaganda part of the war. That said, it's unknowable just how much Rommel was involved in the plot to assassinate the Fuhrer he was so blindly loyal to, although he certainly could have been the key to an early Nazi surrender had things gone differently.
  
  A great read, and a great introduction to these three warriors for those wanting to dip their toes into the water.
• 
  Silvertip

  Being a bit of a history buff, especially WWII, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Terry Brighton did a great job of defining the character of 3 of the most important generals of the war - George S. Patton , Bernard Montgomery and Erwin Eugen Rommel.
  
  It was interesting to learn the fact that all 3 men were born in November between 1885 and 1891 making all 3 Scorpios. So it is no surprise that all 3 were arrogant, publicity-seeking and, each in his own way, great warriors.
  
  This is no this happened on this date story. Brighton gives insight into how each man handled situations and people. Overal this was a very revealing bit of history well written and documented.
• 
  Noah

  This book gripped me from the start and I could hardly put it down. To be clear, this is not a book on the history of WW2; rather, it is a juxtaposition of three men and how their egos and personal successes and failures informed the rivalry between the three. The insight into their personal thoughts and motivations was fascinating. I would suggest this book most highly to people who want to hear about Patton or Montgomery because their interactions and rivalry in publicity is really the greater part of this book with Rommel seeming to be more of a backdrop on which the two allied generals play out their dislike of one another.
• 
  Jack Martin

  Great Historical Read
  
  Best read in the dozens of books i have read on WW II. As good or better than Atkinson's Trilogy of North Africa, Italy and Normandy/Battle of The Bulge.
  Having visited the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach plus all the others and the striking difference of the German Cemetery I am in awe of the Greatest Generation and the freedom I live with in America.
  God Bless America.
  JM
  
• 
  Mike Calabrese

  I learned something new about WW2 from this book.
  
  I've read a number of WW2 books but never knew about the friction between the US and British generals. My dad was in Normandy and Bulge and he never mentioned this. You'll have to read the book to find out what that friction was all about. This was a good read.
• 
  Nolan

  I was pleasantly surprised that a British historian would take a negative tone regarding British General Montgomery. He seems to have achieved universal brick bats for his performance.
  
  There's excellent information here; you just need to read it without spending a lot of time doing other things. It felt to me like a pretty dense history that deserved my concentration.
• 
  John Stevenson

  Fascinating overview of each of these generals. Each was a genius in their own way. Patton and Rommel were tragic heroes while Montgomery was an ego maniac. Highly recommend this book if you want to know the drivers of the European theater of WW ll.