What I Know About War: Patton's War Memories (Illustrated Treasure Edition)

Author: (American) Patton, translated by Zhuo Fu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The original title of this book is "War As I Knew It," edited by Beatrice E. Patton (Patton's wife), with footnotes and quotations written by Colonel Paul D. Harkins, the former deputy chief of staff of Patton. The preface was written by the renowned military biographer Douglas S. Freeman, published two years after Patton's death (1947). Freeman was called by Patton "the greatest military biographer of our time," while Freeman referred to Patton as "a gifted great American soldier" and "the ideal subject for a great biography." He was a humorous and witty person, possessing judgment, passion, and keen insight, interested in everything from horses and rowing to archaeology and anthropology. He was also a wise and strategic thinker, bold in victory, and his bravery in military command could rival that of "Stonewall" Jackson. He had a distinct personality, unafraid to show it, and around him, he could curse at soldiers, and soldiers could curse at him, creating a unique "argumentative style." He regarded war as "the most magnificent competition of humanity" and took pleasure in winning the competition. He said, "Around here, it seems only I truly enjoy the fun of this damn war!"
War historians or enthusiasts, World War II historians or enthusiasts, Patton historians or enthusiasts, biographical literature historians or enthusiasts, "competitive strategy" historians or enthusiasts, professionals or non-professionals.
During World War II, General Patton fought across North Africa, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. During the intervals of combat or in the midst of intense battles, he wrote his own diaries. These diaries later became the "primary material" for writing this book. From July 1942 to the day before his fatal accident on December 5, 1945, he maintained the habit of writing diaries, sometimes "harsh in language" and sometimes "full of complaints." This is the only continuous record of Patton's "battlefield conditions" during World War II, unaltered and unadorned, making it of extremely high historical and academic value.
When George Marshall took over Patton, he wrote three sentences in his notebook: "He can lead his troops through fire and water," "but he must be tightly controlled with a noose," and "hand over armored forces to him at the first opportunity." If the battlefield is a stage, then Patton was undoubtedly a top-tier "dancer." His entire life seemed to be dedicated to war. The mere thought of going to battle excited him, making his language more fluent and his spirit more vibrant. He was almost a fierce "bull." He possessed a "courage" and a "stratagem" that ordinary people did not have. The combination of these two qualities contributed to his later success. He said, "The best strategy to resist a competitor's strategic offensive is to change the rules of the game." He also said, "Those who cannot show their true selves will not achieve great things." This was his "stratagem," which he himself called "cunning courage."