Patton at Bay: The Lorraine Campaign, September to December, 1944 / Edition 1

by John Rickard

Overview

For General George S. Patton, Jr., the battle for Lorraine during the fall and winter of 1944 was a frustrating and grueling experience of static warfare. Plagued by supply shortages, critical interference from superiors, flooded rivers, fortified cities, and the highly-determined German army, Patton had little opportunity to wage a fast armored campaign. Rickard examines Patton's generalship during these bitter battles and suggests that Patton was unable to adapt to the new realities of the campaign, thereby failing to wage the most effective warfare possible.

By the beginning of the Ardennes offensive, Patton had crippled his worthy opponent, but had suffered the highest casualties of any campaign that he conducted during the war. Until now, his better known exploits in Sicily and Normandy have overshadowed this campaign. Relying on a broad range of sources, this treatment of Patton's operational performance in Lorraine goes beyond the official history. It describes Patton's philosophy of war and explains why it essentially failed in Lorraine. Supplemented by full orders of battle, casualty and equipment losses, and excellent maps, Patton at Bay is a penetrating study of America's best fighting general.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275963545
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/28/1999
Series:	Praeger Series in War Studies
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

JOHN NELSON RICKARD is completing his Ph.D. in Military History in the Military and Strategic Studies Program at the University of New Brunswick./e His specialty is World War II with particular emphasis on the campaigns in Northwest Europe.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Carlo D'Este
Preface
Symbols
A Philosophy of Battle
From Theory to Practice
Orders of Battle
Strategy, Logistics, and Perception
Breaching the Line of the Moselle
Opportunity and Counterattack
The Problem of Metz
Correcting the Army Line
Planning for the November Offensive
The Fall of Metz
Advance to the West Wall
Assessment
Third Army Order of Battle
German Order of Battle
Casualties and Replacements
Material Losses
Third Army Operational Directives
Select Bibliography
Index
Photo Essay

Editorial Reviews

Studies Patton's costly stalled campaign to invade Germany through Lorraine which was sandwiched between the general's celebrated victories at Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge during the Second World War. In addition to shortages of fuel and other resources, the author argues, Patton's inability to apply his usual battle philosophy to the Lorraine terrain caused his inability to achieve a quick and decisive victory. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)

Booknews

A detailed analysis of one of the few WWII campaigns led by General George S. Patton that could be called a failure.

Kirkus Reviews