Patton's Madness

Book excerpt: Dwight Eisenhower called General George S. Patton “mentally unbalanced” and “just like a time bomb,” and indeed, the egotistical, mercurial, aggressive Patton is perhaps as well known for his questionable behavior and eccentric beliefs as for his daring battlefield exploits. In a brief but probing assessment of Patton’s life based on strong research in primary sources and knowledge of psychology, Jim Sudmeier considers the mind of Patton: what made this military genius tick? To what extent was Patton’s boldness and brilliance as a general, his willingness to welcome risk and danger, connected to his unstable personality? Sudmeier presents a myth-shattering reconsideration of one of military history’s most famous commanders.