Patton's First Victory
How General George Patton Turned the Tide in North Africa and Defeated the Afrika Korps at El Guettar
By (author) Leo Barron
Publication date:
20 December 2017Length of book:
312 pagesPublisher
Stackpole BooksISBN-13: 9780811718325
American troops invaded North Africa in November 1942, but did not face serious resistance until the following February, when they finally tangled with Rommel’s Afrika Korps—and the Germans gave the inexperienced Americans a nasty drubbing at Kasserine Pass. After this disaster, Gen. George Patton took command and reinvigorated U.S. troops with tough training and new tactics. In late March, at El Guettar in Tunisia, Patton’s men defeated the Germans. It was a morale-boosting victory—the first American success versus the Germans and the first of Patton’s storied World War II career—and proved to the enemy, the British, and the Americans themselves that the U.S. Army could fight and win.
Patton's First Victory is a compelling and comprehensive account of a battle that has been for too long neglected in the history of America's part in World War II. Leo Barron's well-researched book has revived the true story of Patton's success in North Africa, and is an invaluable addition to any library of military history.