*Includes Patton's most colorful and inspiring quotes, including his famous Speech to the Third Army. *Includes pictures of Patton and other important people. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "Americans love to fight, traditionally. All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle. You are here today for three reasons. First, because you are here to defend your homes and your loved ones. Second, you are here for your own self respect, because you would not want to be anywhere else. Third, you are here because you are real men and all real men like to fight." - George Patton, Speech to the Third Army A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' American Legends series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of America's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. Rommel, Guderian, Liddell-Hart and JFC Fuller were all early exponents and practitioners of armored warfare, tactics that were to break the stalemate that had characterized World War I. Advocates of the tank and above all speed, it was their ideas which decimated Saddam Hussein's forces in the 1990 Gulf War. But among the proponents and practitioners of armored warfare, the brash, bold, arrogant and eccentric George S. Patton remains the world's greatest armored commander by the one yardstick that really counts: the battlefield. In 1944-45, Patton's Third Army raced across northern Europe, covering more ground and destroying more enemy resources than any other equivalent force in history. Patton is one of America's most celebrated generals and one of the most famous generals of the 20th century, but his story has its origins in the form of a shy, dyslexic boy who could cry uncontrollably and who viewed his own emotional intelligence as unmanly. Patton was a fascinating, complicated and controversial man whose life story ranges between genius, folly and tragedy, with absolute determination the one constant theme. He was also a man constantly on the move, whether it was as an Olympic athlete or as one of the first American soldiers to work with tanks in World War I, but his life's work truly went toward revolutionizing warfare on and off the battlefield. Between the two World Wars, he wrote at length about mechanized warfare and tactics, and during the Second World War he worked his way up colorfully, controversially, and capably, all of which made him more conspicuous during the war. Patton's shocking death just a few months after the war ended ensured that the general died at the height of his fame and would always be remembered for his legendary attitude and exploits. American Legends: The Life of General George Patton profiles the amazing life and career of the American war hero, while also examining his personality and analyzing his lasting legacy. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Patton like you never have before, in no time at all.