Patton's First Victory
How General George Patton Turned the Tide in North Africa and Defeated the Afrika Korps at El Guettar
Will be published approx. on 17. February 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
312 pages
978-0-8117-7545-8 (ISBN)
Description
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.
Reviews / Votes
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. -- Matthew J. Davenport, author of First Over There: The Attack on Cantigny, America's First Battle of World War I, a finalist for the Guggenheim-Lehrman Prize in Military History A fascinating and well researched account of WWII's most celebrated American general, George Patton, and his first great campaign of the war in North Africa. -- Alex Kershaw, author of The Longest Winter and The Bedford BoysMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 237 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
572 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8117-7545-8 (9780811775458)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Leo Barron holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in history and has served with the 101st Airborne. He saw two tours of active duty in Iraq as an infantry and intelligence officer. He has written for Infantry, WWII History, and World War II magazines. He is co-author of No Silent Night: The Christmas Battle for Bastogne (NAL, 2012) and author of Patton at the Battle of the Bulge: How the General's Tanks Turned the Tide at Bastogne (NAL, 2014) and High Tide in the Korean War (Stackpole, 2015). He works for General Dynamics as an instructor of military intelligence officers and lives with his family in Arizona.