Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley and the Partnership that Drove the Allied Conquest in Europe
by Jonathan W. Jordan
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Readers' rating:
Published Apr 2011
672 pages
Genre: Biography/Memoir
Publication Information
The true story of the friendship - and rivalry - among the greatest American generals of World War II.
Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower, General George S. Patton, and General Omar N. Bradley engineered the Allied conquest that shattered Hitler's hold over Europe. But they also shared an intricate web of relationships going back decades. In the cauldron of World War II, they found their prewar friendships complicated by shifting allegiances, jealousy, insecurity, patriotism, and ambition.
Meticulously researched and vividly written, Jonathan W. Jordan's Brothers Rivals, Victors recounts the battle for Europe through the eyes of these three legendary generals who fought to liberate two continents. For the first time in such detail, the bonds between these battle captains are explored, and readers are treated to a rare insider's view of life at the summit of raw, violent power. Throughout three years of hard, bloody warfare, Eisenhower, the Alliance's great diplomat, sought victory in the fighting qualities and tactical genius of his most trusted subordinates, Bradley and Patton. Bradley and Patton, in turn, owed their careers to Eisenhower, who protected them from the slings and arrows of politicians, rival generals, their allies, and the U.S. Navy. The twin pillars of their working relationships were duty and trust. Yet their friendship, so genuine and unalloyed before the war, would be put to the ultimate test as life-and-death decisions were thrust upon them, and honor and duty conflicted with personal loyalty.
Brothers Rivals Victors is drawn from the candid accounts of its main characters, and strips away much of the public image of "Ike" (Eisenhower), the "G.I.'s General" (Bradley), and "Old Blood and Guts" (Patton) to reveal the men lurking beneath the legend. Adding richness to this insider's story are the words and observations of a supporting cast of generals, staff officers, secretaries, aides, politicians, and wives, whose close proximity to Eisenhower, Bradley and Patton in times of stress and tranquility are brought together to produce a uniquely intimate account of a relationship that influenced a war. The story of how these three great strategists pulled together to wage the deadliest conflict in history, despite their differences and rivalries, is marvelously told in this eye-opening narrative, sure to become a classic of military history.
"Starred Review. An inspired collective biography...Jordan ...fashions a truly compelling narrative of three outsized American military figures...a masterly, exciting study of character and tactics in World War II." - Kirkus Reviews
"This is very much an emotional military history, compelling and easy to read, yet also well documented. Recommended to both specialists and general readers." - Library Journal
"Jonathan W. Jordan's Brothers, Rivals, Victors is a landmark publication in the history of the Second World War. Anchored by a breathtaking amount of new research, Jordan explains the strange alchemy that existed between Eisenhower, Patton, and Bradley as they struggled to defeat Nazism. Jordan has written a real historical tour de force. Highly recommended!" - Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History at Rice University and New York Times bestselling author of The Boys of Pointe du Hoc
"A fascinating triple biography. Jordan elegantly describes the ever-changing relationship between America's three most important European ground commanders. His detailed account shows how the responsibilities, and politics, of high command can test even the best of friends." - Jonathan Parshall, co-author Shattered Sword: The Untold Battle of Midway
"This is one of the great stories of the American military, of how Patton, Eisenhower and Bradley, three very different men, came together to change the world. It is told here by Jonathan Jordan with insight and compassion, relish and vigor. I read it in two sittings." - Thomas E. Ricks, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Fiasco, Making the Corps and The Gamble
This information about Brothers, Rivals, Victors was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Jonathan W. Jordan is the author of the award-winning book Lone Star Navy: Texas, the Fight for the Gulf of Mexico, and the Shaping of the American West (Potomac Books: 2007), a contributing author to The Armchair Reader: World War II and The Armchair Reader: The Amazing Book of World History, and the editor of the Library of Texas edition of To the People of Texas. His writing has appeared in World War II magazine, Armchair General, Military History, World War II History, and MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History. A practicing attorney in Atlanta, he lives in Marietta, Georgia.
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