Patton

October 15, 2012

Kean (national security fellow, Pacific Council on International Policy) reveals the World War II general as a man of faith who believed he was favored by God for an important destiny, a soldier deeply familiar with the Bible who considered fear of death an enemy to be conquered to achieve eternal salvation. After surviving close calls in combat in both world wars as well as negative publicity as a result of having slapped a shell-shocked soldier in 1943, Patton grew increasingly confident in his sense of himself. He believed that "wars are fought with weapons but won by men" and that only through prayer would men find the courage and the strength to win on the battlefield. Keane includes passages from Patton's papers, including deeply religious poetry that he wrote. He read widely in religion, across faiths, and believed in reincarnation. VERDICT An accessible read for armchair readers of military biography, especially for those of faith.--PM

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