Patton, Montgomery, Rommel: Masters of War
Starred Review. In WWII the U.S., Great Britain and Germany each produced a ground commander who stood out from the rest and who has come to define their countries' respective ways of war. Brighton combines archival and published sources with his experience as curator of the Queen's Royal Lancers Museum to compare these three men of war: George Patton, Bernard Law Montgomery and Erwin Rommel. All were showmen. All had [s]wollen egos... easily bruised. And all possessed an unrivaled enthusiasm for combat. Montgomery emerges as not only a battle manager but a battle captain ready to stay the course and accept the accompanying losses. Rommel's will took a different form, responding directly to the new demands of armored warfare. He took chances against odds and against orders—and his willpower overcame the risks from the enemy and the inertia imposed from his superiors. The rollicking, mocking Patton epitomized the dash of the cavalry in his willingness to dare, then dare again, pursuing outcomes that could not be calculated in advance. Clausewitz called audacity essential for greatness. Brighton demonstrates it in action, moving into the top rank of general audience military writers with this effervescent, perceptive triple biography. 4 maps.(Nov.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.