Series from 2009
Gen. Patton leads U.S. troops against Axis forces during World War II.
General George S. Patton and the US Army embark on the road to Germany by invading North Africa on November 8th, 1942. The program begins with a preview of the first showdown between US and German forces at Kasserine Pass in February, 1943. Then, back at the initial landings in November, 1942, Pro-Nazi French forces put up surprisingly strong resistance on land, at sea, and in the air against Patton's invasion forces. After three days of intense fighting, a cease-fire is declared, and Patton triumphantly enters the port city of Casablanca. But bigger battles with the German Army loom on the horizon. Focusing on the campaigns of Gen. George S. Patton Jr., this new series combines exciting computer animations of the battles and equipment with archival footage and commentary from historians and veterans, to take us right back into the middle of the action.
North Africa, February - May 1943: After the Germans deliver a stinging defeat to American forces under the command of General Lloyd Fredendall at Kasserine Pass, Eisenhower appoints Patton to take charge of the humiliated Americans. "Old Blood and Guts" quickly whips the poorly-trained troops into shape, leading them to victory at the Battle of El Guettar. With the Axis forces in full retreat, Patton and the Allies push the enemy of the continent and declare victory in North Africa by May 1943.
Sicily, July 1943: As a result of his victories in North Africa, Patton is given command of the Seventh Army as the Allies prepare to invade Sicily. Known as Operation Husky, the combined amphibious and airborne assault is the largest invasion of the war to date. Despite a surprise counter-attack by Italian tanks, Patton and his allies successfully hold the beaches and prepare to push inland.
Sicily, July--September 1943: Frustrated by the slow progress of his British allies, Patton ignores orders to stay by their side and pushes on to capture Palermo. The Seventh Army prepares to assault Messina and liberate the besieged city before the British do. But instead of a hero's welcome at Messina, Patton is relieved of command for slapping two shell-shocked soldiers. His battlefield command days may be over.
England/France, September 1943--July 1944: Patton's victories in Sicily are overshadowed by the infamous "slapping incident." Instead of leading the D-Day invasion of France, Patton is assigned to command a fictitious army in England as part of a ruse to fool the Germans. The deception pays off, and the Allies land on the beaches of Normandy. Patton helps plan the break-out from the weeks-long battle, and American armored forces blast through the German lines. Patton is finally able to lead some of the lightning-fast armored assaults he is famous for.
France, August 1944: As American forces tear through western France, Patton's superiors order him to stop before completely trapping an entire German Army. The Third Army reaches the outskirts of Paris, but Patton is denied the glory of liberating the city when the Free French Army is chosen instead to enter the city first. Patton's men engage in street fighting in the city of Troyes and, by the end of the summer, advance to within 60 miles of the German border.
