About this season
Patton 360° is a weekly television series that originally ran from April 10 to June 26, 2009, on the History channel. It was produced by Flight 33 Productions in Los Angeles, and features a mixture of CGI, archival footage, recreations, and interviews with World War II veterans and historians. The series follows General George S. Patton and the units he commanded, from the Operation Torch landings in Morocco in 1942, through the campaigns in North Africa and Sicily, and in the battles across Northwest Europe. The episodes were written by Samuel K. Dolan and Jim Hense, and produced by Rob Beemer, Brian Thompson, Samuel K. Dolan, associate producer Ryan Hurst, and executive producers Louis Tarantino and Douglas Cohen for Flight 33 Productions and Carl Lindahl for the History channel.
Episodes (10)
1. Blood & Guts (North Africa, November - December 1942)
Aired 10 April 2009 • 60 min
Patton's forces embark on the road to Germany by invading North Africa. Pro-Nazi French forces put up surprisingly strong resistance on land, at sea, and in the air. 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.
2. Rommel's Last Stand (North Africa, February - May 1943)
Aired 17 April 2009 • 60 min
When the Germans deliver a humiliating defeat to American forces under the command of General Lloyd Fredendall at Kasserine Pass, Eisenhower appoints Patton to take charge. "Old Blood and Guts" 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 off the continent and declare victory in North Africa by May 1943.
3. Baptism of Blood
Aired 24 April 2009 • 60 min
Patton leads one of the biggest assaults of WWII as the Allies invade Sicily. But his attempt to push inland is met by a surprising counter-attack from Italian tanks.
4. Rogue General
Aired 1 May 2009 • 60 min
Frustrated by British forces' slow progress in Sicily, Patton ignores orders to stay by their side and pushes on to capture Palermo in 1943; Patton is relieved of command for slapping a pair of shell-shocked soldiers.
5. American Blitzkrieg
Aired 8 May 2009 • 60 min
Patton is given command of a fictitious army in England to fool the Germans about the Allies' real plans for the D-Day invasion of Normandy in 1944; Patton helps spearhead the breakout as U.S. forces smash through the German lines.
6. Leading the Charge
Aired 15 May 2009 • 60 min
As American forces fight their way across France, Patton is ordered to halt before completely trapping a German army and he is denied the glory of liberating Paris; Patton's troops come within 60 miles of the German border by summer's end in 1944.
7. On Hitler's Doorstep
Aired 5 June 2009 • 60 min
After the success of the Blitzkrieg, Patton's army has outrun its own supplies. Despite being short of fuel and resources, Patton hopes to cross into Germany before Christmas.
8. Siege Warfare
Aired 12 June 2009 • 60 min
A look at Patton's fearless troops who capture the heavily fortified city of Metz, triggering a deadly siege that goes on for weeks. His army resorted to re-using captured German shells after ammunition runs dangerously low.
9. Battle of the Bulge
Aired 18 June 2009 • 60 min
Suffering through the worst weather in 20 years, Patton's Third Army travels north to battle through German lines and relieve the American host who are defending Bastogne, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge.
10. Crushing the Third Reich
Aired 28 June 2009 • 60 min
After Patton's troops invade Germany, a secret mission to rescue U.S. POWs goes horribly wrong; the Third Army liberates the Buchenwald death camp; Nazi Germany surrenders; Patton dies of injuries from a postwar car accident.