Posted on 09/17/2020 9:40:15 PM PDT by L.A.Justice
In mid-September 1944, things looked great for the Allies. With their foothold in Normandy secured after D-Day and the successful invasion of Southern France in Operation Dragoon, Allied soldiers began an almost unstoppable advance into Nazi-occupied Europe.
German forces were retreating to the safety of the Siegfried Line, a series of hardened defenses and fortifications stretching more than 390 miles along Germany's border with France and the Netherlands.
The successes had Allied planners believing there was a serious chance to end the war by Christmas, and British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery devised a plan he thought would ensure it.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
September 17, 1944...76 years ago...Operation began...
I read the book...Then I watched the movie...
I think the movie was OK...It had good battle scenes... Like the artillery barrage scene...The scene where US paratroopers take the bridge...
Entrance to Antwerp should have been secured first...Canadians eventually took care of that later...
Because of politics. Had to keep the brits happy monty was their boi.
"He's no fun, he fell right over."
Its called Monty! If they thought Patton and McCarthur were premodonnas, Monty wore a prom dress!
I never could understand how he was treated with kid gloves while Patton was always chastised.
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General Patton...There was the slapping incident of a soldier...
Ike decided to keep Patton although some people back in US complained about the incident...A good decision...
Monty should be given credit for El Alamein...
Monthly never won a major. You can look it up
Monty was a joke. Should have been removed way early in the war
As bad as McClellan
Plenty of time spent listening to Firesign Theatre.
I think we’re all Bozo’s on this bus.
Not as well covered, but Monty was a disaster in the D-Day/Normandy campaign as well.
CC
At this point in the perpetual campaign that has been going on since 2000. Yes we are all Bozos on this bus.
“Monty was a joke. Should have been removed way early in the war”
Monty was the ONLY English general to have anything that could be called success against the Germans.
Never mind that the logistical problems Rommel had in North Africa were due to the RAF and Royal Navy. The RAF based at Malta kept supplies from getting to Rommel. Without resupply he couldn’t keep an offensive going. Of course Monty took credit for everything, megalomaniac that he was.
In the run up to D-Day Churchill became so annoyed with Monty that he demanded of the high command “don’t we have ANYONE ELSE who can fight the Germans?”
“As bad as McClellan”
A point made by Patton who said that Monty was the perfect parade ground officer. He could put together a great looking army that could like a world beater on paper. The problem was Monty had forgotten the entire reason for an army is to get muddy, bloody and kill people.
Two American airborne divisions were badly mauled in the week long battle.
Despite intelligence reports, supplied at great risk by Dutch resistance that there were two Waffen SS panzer divisions in the Arnhem area Montgomery still went ahead with the attack. In retaliation the Germans blockaded all food supplies to Holland and many people starved to death. One young Dutch girl by the name Audrey Kathleen Ruston nearly starved to death and for the rest of her life she would always remain very thin and frail. But she would go on to become one of the most beloved stars of Hollywood as Audrey Hepburn. The Dutch people suffered terribly because of Montgomery debacle. To the end that narcissistic Limey prick Montgomery said "I am Market-Gardens sole champion. I consider it an unqualified success!'' To which the then 33 year old regent-in-exile Prince Rupert said "My country can never again afford the luxury of a Montgomery success''.
I was at the doctor the other day and he took blood from my right arm. Then the nurse said I should keep my arm raised so it doesn’t get swollen and hurt. By the time I got home it was a bit swollen and hurting so I took a pill and laid on the bed. I started watching a WW2 documentary on the iPad Pro with my arm raised. Then my wife came in and wanted to know why I was Nazi saluting the WW2 documentary.
Ya gotta start young if yer gonna stick it out.
Well, the people that were freed in the low countries certainly appreciated it even though the last objective was not met.
Montgomery was a General by heritage. Eisenhower was the commander not due to his military expertise. He was such as he had the ability to command and mold USA forces, British forces, and other allied forces into an effective unit. Eisenhower used his many officers beneath him to form his battle plans. He selected the most gifted. He chose wisely.
It should also be noted that General Eisenhower wrote his letter of resignation to FDR prior to D Day. That letter was never sent. Eisenhower knew if D Day was not successful he would be up to his ass in death and casualties and accepted full responsibility for such.
It worked.
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