Arnhem 1944: Operation 'Market Garden'

by Stephen Badsey

Book Overview

Osprey's examination of 'Market Garden, ' one of the most audacious, and ultimately controversial, operations of World War II (1939-1945). It was a joint penetration, by an armoured column and a large-scale airborne drop, to punch a decisive hole in the German defences. If it had succeeeded, the war could have ended in 1944. Yet the two-pronged attack failed in its objectives. This book details how, instead of being relieved after 48 hours as expected,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1855323028
• ISBN13: 9781855323025
• Release Date: May 1993
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (UK)
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 7.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Read with A Bridge too Far

I used this book and the movie A Bridge Too Far to prepare for a staff ride (military field trip) on very short notice. Our guide a retired Colonel, military writer, and WWII expert actually asked the Brigade Commander why a lowly Specialist knew more about this battle than any of his staff officers. This book give you the nuts and bolts of the planning and execution of Operation Market Garden. It is an excellent companion to the movie A Bridge Too Far which does an astounding job of portraying the operation on screen. Operation Market Garden was Montey's grand assault into Arnhem, Holland (The Netherlands). It was a grand Ground and Airborne campaign that was only trumped by its massive failure. After reading this book and studying a little bit about the overall operation you will come to understand how ineffective airborne troops are as a main offensive weapon. Another lesson to be learned from this assault by both military leaders and business leaders is that all the planning in the world can not make a bad idea work.

Cogent, Balanced and illuminating

This book is a fine suppliment to the Movie version of the operation. With the excellent maps, which are included, it clarifies the entire campaign. It should be reviewed in concert with the film. Many details are included which are available to the British author and which tend to explain the action and outcome. It is enjoyab;e reading and quite informative to someone who has not delved deeply into the details of the operation. Recommended for all who have a perepheral interest in the subject, as well as one who is already quite knowlegeble of it.

Better than "A Bridge too Far"

This might be "heresy" but the point of history is to learn something; this book does something that all the many other books on Arnhem fail to do; it arrives at the truth. Most other books bitterly complain about how the British 3-D Airborne forces were dropped too far from the bridge, or how if provided better transportation means like light armored fighting vehicles (my view) and folding bikes, or if the 2-D forces had been more vigorous they could have linked up, gotten to the Rhine River bridge and the battle would have been "won". But this book sets the record straight.When a portion of the British Airborne marched towards Arnhem, they could have taken the ferry but did not (not in their orders)and went past the railroad bridge that was blown up. Had they had better "situational awareness" they could have taken and kept the ferry. But this book goes a step further---so what?The point of penetrating into Arnhem was to get across the Rhine river and run wild in the German industrial regions and smash war machinery and deprive the enemy with the means to continue fighting. But to do a "Sherman march" like this, these areas had to be undefended. That opportunity simply was not there. The Germans had compressed their lines of supply/communication and were defending in depth. So if we had kept the bridge or the ferry across the Rhine, we would have only been stopped on the other side by the Germans. THAT----is what is not understood by most people especially after seeing the superb but not quite accurate film, "A Bridge too Far" by Cornelius Ryan. Those that label Operation Market-Garden as a "failure" fail themselves to realize that what it sought--a collapse of the enemy from the inside---was not possible against a nation on a desperate total war footing, so such negative labeling is unjustified. I'm all in favor of Airborne units receiving light AFVs in order to effect off-set DZ insertions, if there was a "time machine" I'd go back and have Hamilcar gliders deliver Bren gun APCs and Locust M22/Tetrarch light tanks that existed at the time. I'd have some of Gavin's 82d Airborne drop directly onto the south of Arnhem bridge to support the British 1st Airborne driving across from the north in the Bren gun carriers/Locust/Tetrarch light tanks. I'd had Patton temporarily in charge of the 2-D dash up to Arnhem bridge. He'd have better, medium-sived tanks and aPCs that could swim themselves across and not need bridges in the first place. But at the end of the day, we'd be stopped on the far side of the bridge or the river bank by the Germans, a 50 mile penetration, definately worth doing, but a STRATEGIC AIM of driving unhindered into Germany to collapse their infrastructure was not possible at that time. This book explains this like no other work, and places it in a must-read category--if you don't read it you simply will not understand the battle and will be subject to the cliches' and labeling. When you un

A vivid, concise account of the battle. Excellent graphics.

This is a brief but vivid and concise account of "Market Garden," better known as "A Bridge Too Far" or better perhaps "Too Far From The Bridge." A good primer for larger studies. The graphics are a highlight: detailed topological maps in color of the Arnhem Bridge area, Oosterbeek and Nijmegen including troop dispositions to the level of streets and houses; detailed colored sketches of uniformed Allied paratroopers and of German and Allied tanks involved in the battle.