The Battle for Arnhem

News Scotsman ^ | September 12 2004 | Louise Barnett

[knighthawk]

It was part of the Allied’s Operation Market Garden, the biggest airborne operation in history.

It was devised by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. Its aim was to end the Second World War by the end of 1944.

Operation Market Garden consisted of two strands: the occupation of bridges close to the Dutch-German border by airborne troops (Market) and the advance of the Second British Army (Garden).

Some 35,000 British, American and Polish airborne troops were to be dropped into Holland over a three-day period from September 17, 1944.

Once the waterways were secured they would be reinforced by ground troops which would push through into Germany.

The operation failed because of a number of factors, resulting in thousands of Allied troops losing their lives.

Its failure was blamed on the decision to carry out the airdrop on three consecutive days to points up to eight miles from the paras’ targets, losing the element of surprise.

Radio communications initially failed and some of the drops were delayed due to poor weather.

Two powerful German Panzer divisions recuperating in Arnhem after Normandy put up an unexpected and deadly resistance to the Allied effort. It is thought that British military top brass knew of the German presence but underestimated their capability.

A bloody four-day battle at the northern end of Arnhem Bridge cost hundreds of men their lives. Led by Lt Col John Frost, the paras fought until their ammunition ran out.

Only around 2,000 men from the British 1st Airborne Division returned from the ill-fated Operation. Around 8,000 were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner.

Before the battle started Lieutenant-General “Boy” Browning, deputy commander of the First Allied Air Army, warned: “We might be going a bridge too far.” It was to become one of the most famous military phrases.

The bloody defeat is the subject of Richard Attenborough’s star-studded 1977 film A Bridge Too Far.

[knighthawk]

Europe-list

If people want on or off this list, please let me know.

[lizol]

Ping

[Grzegorz 246]

I'm on Europe-list :)

[lizol]

Didn't know.

[starfish923]

Part of the movie emphasized that the U.S. had to pander to Montgomery. I wonder if that's Hollywood's version of history or not.

World War II started 65 years ago. Two generations.
I wonder when we'll ever let go. Probably never if Hollywood has its say.

Good article, knighthawk.

[The KG9 Kid]

They tried, and failed. Many Dutch suffered for the attempt by the Nazis that winter. The Canadians came later and did it right.

I've seen the real Arnhem, and the movie bridge filming location at Deventer. :)

[PAR35]

The operation failed because of a number of factors,

The three biggest being Horrocks, Browning and Montgomery. After pushing the Americans into making a suicidal daylight river crossing at Nijmegen, the British stopped their advance for the night, rather than pushing forward.

In the meantime the diversion of resources to Montgomery meant that Patton's Third Army advance ground to a halt in eastern France, and didn't get back on track until after the Battle of the Bulge.

[PAR35]

Market Garden posting by Knighthawk.

[SAMWolf]

"A Bridge Too Far" Bump

The last elements of the U.S. 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions are finally relieved by British forces from the fighting line in the Netherlands. These divisions, along with the British 1st Airborne division, were part of Bernard Montgomery's much-vaunted Operation MARKET-GARDEN, his plan to liberate the northern reaches of the Netherlands, force a surprise crossing over the Rhine River, and win himself considerable glory at the expense of almost everyone else.

Montgomery confidently predicted on 16 September that the next day's airborne assaults would fulfill their objectives and his XXX Corps would be inside Germany within a few hours. The battle dragged on more than a week, and XXX Corps never made it across the Rhine. American losses in the two airborne divisions were heavy, but they but they achieve all of their objectives and stay in the line and continue fighting until British strength permitted their relief. The British 1st Airborne Division shares no such ability; Montgomery inserts this, the weakest of the three airborne divisions, to seize the farthest and most difficult objective, and it is essentially destroyed at Arnhem when it drops amidst two SS panzer divisions.

Montgomery terms MARKET-GARDEN "99% successful." Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands reflects that "my country cannot afford the luxury of another Montgomery 'victory.'"

[PAR35]

Then, after defeat was certain, he dropped in the Poles.

In Montgomery's defense, he probably did believe the operation would be successful; the British were usually more careful with their own troops than they were with Commonwealth and Allied forces.

[SunkenCiv]

Bingo.

[SAMWolf]

the British were usually more careful with their own troops than they were with Commonwealth and Allied forces.

Gallipoli comes to mind.

[PAR35]

Gallipoli comes to mind.

You are correct, but I was limiting my thoughts to World War II, where Dieppe would be the poster child. North Africa, Sicily, Crete.

On the other hand, bigotry in the RAF almost caused the loss of the Battle of Britain before the Brits would allow the Poles, Czechs, and others to take to the air. I don't recall at the moment whether they treated the Canadian airmen as foreign or British.

Coming back to topic, I can't think of any Division size or larger airborne operations in WWII that didn't turn into a disaster.

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks for the ping guys.

For more reading and background:

The FReeper Foxhole Revisits The Waal River Crossing - Sep. 20th, 1944 - July 24th, 2004

[SAMWolf]

You're right on Dieppe being the "poster boy" example. What a mess that turned out to be!

[SAMWolf]

Coming back to topic, I can't think of any Division size or larger airborne operations in WWII that didn't turn into a disaster.

The Rhine Crossing (Operation Varsity)is the only on that comes to mind, but it was a very short drop, in daylight, and in some cases ground troops had already captured the drop zones.

[Light Speed]

Maybe the *Liberation theme came into play....P.C. visits WW-2 Europe.
So many had to chew on De Gauls childish manipulations.....Monty obviously saw this...knew he could manipulate Churchill.
The early days of the U.N....allready showing its character : )

Some historians comment that something had to get going in the Northern sector.
Too many British and Canadian troops..with assets ashore.
using up resources...so ya..get them moving.

Patton did not want the burden of a combi thrust into Germany.....he aquiesed*...so he could have an American thrust at a later period.
In his mind...they would be bottled up by the Germans up north...out of his hair...and hopefully...Brad and Ike would forget them too : )

Into Germany -American armored thrust, Siegfried Line by James Dietz

[PAR35]

The Rhine Crossing (Operation Varsity)is the only on that comes to mind,

Not one that I have read a lot about, but I did Google this:

"We had missed the drop zone by a few miles; firefights and skirmishes continued through the day. Some troopers were killed during descent, others in tree landings, some on rooftops, and a few with chutes wrapped around high wires."
http://thedropzone.org/europe/Germany/hashway.htm

and this:

"By the end of the first day's action 1,078 men of the 6th Airborne Division had been either killed or wounded, with 50 aircraft and 11 gliders shot down."
http://www.army.mod.uk/para/history/rhine.htm

Total casualties of about 3000 out of about 14,000; all objectives achieved. I'll accept your classification as not a disaster.
http://orbat.com/site/history/historical/usa/operationvarsity1945.html

[dfwgator]

If this happened today, the Democrats would be saying "quagmire" and immediately order our troops out of Europe.