-
A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
As a continuation of the Case White thread, I thought I would recognize the anniversary of Operation Market Garden, the failed Allied effort to outflank the Siegfried Line and invade industrial Northern Germany through the Netherlands that began today in 1944.
Market, the largest airborne operation in history, was designed to seize critical bridges over the Maas and Rhine Rivers. It involved some of the most famous Allied units of the war, including the American 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions and the British 1st Airborne Division. Garden, a heavily armored ground force, was to break through German lines and travel Highway 69, what became known as ‘Hell’s Highway’, to relieve the paratroopers.
In the face of this onslaught sat two vastly under strength SS divisions, several ad-hoc Wehrmacht formations, and the brilliant tactical mind of one of my favorite military commanders: Walter Model.
Through poor Allied leadership and quick German reactions, Garden was stopped before it could reach its last objective – fiercely held by the British 1st – the bridge at Arnhem. The British paratroopers were soon encircled and destroyed, with the survivors being evacuated across the Rhine in Operation Berlin.
While the operation was to be a demonstration of how far Allied forces had come (co-opting what was once a German specialty on a massive scale), it actually highlighted their limitations. While such an operation required quick, decisive action, Allied command and control was plodding at best. In contrast, Market Garden is a great example of late-war German Kampfgruppe tactics. Under Model’s watch, ad-hoc German units from the Wehrmacht, SS, and Fallschirmjäger were created, combined, and broken up in quick succession according to battlefield assessments and leaders were chosen based on skill, all without regard for the traditional branch competitiveness and hierarchies that accompanied most military bureaucracies of the time. This allowed the Germans to overcome material disadvantages and react quicker and more potently to Allied moves.
Apart from the German leadership and tactics, blame for the failure of the operation has been argued over for decades. Many point to supposed leadership inadequacies in the British officer class, from Monty down to Frederick Browning, the airborne operational commander, who used 38 critical transports to move his entire corps headquarters into Nijmegen on the first day of the operation – only to remain completely out of contact with the troops under his command for most of the operation. General Gavin, commander of the 82nd, stated in his diary that he "...unquestionably lacks the standing, influence and judgment that comes from a proper troop experience....his staff was superficial...Why the British units fumble along...becomes more and more apparent. Their tops lack the know how, never do they get down into the dirt and learn the hard way." The British, in turn, blamed the whole thing on the Polish, which created an acrimonious environment to say the least.
Others have blamed the plan itself. They argue that the paratroops should have been landed right on or much closer to the bridges, so as not to have to launch painful attacks against an enemy that had time to prepare defenses. ‘Groupthink’ has also been blamed, as Allied intelligence uncovered tanks and other heavy equipment that would certainly become a problem for lightly armed paratroops, but ignored their findings as the plan had already been approved and was in the works.
In any event, Operation Market Garden was an ambitious plan that, despite the best efforts of Allied and German leadership, almost succeeded based on the bravery and fighting prowess of Allied Airborne forces. Both sides fought with a level of tenacity that befitted their unit’s reputations. This chapter in WW2 history should not be forgotten.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
I've always considered Market Garden an excellent example of an ambitious, impressive and unorthodox plan which had only one flaw - it utterly sucked, it was a complete waste of time and effort.
Those resources would be more useful to clear the access to Antwerp, might even result in a destruction of one German division or two, but no somebody had to use all those pretty paratroopers in the Netherlands to form a long, thin sleeve leading to nowhere.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Market Garden is the best example of guys with balls, excuse my expression. To be so daring, to have such courage to pull off a thing like that and to even make it somewhat successful, is just astonishing. I don't think we will ever see such ambition in history.
I consider it somewhat successful, despite the huge number of casualties. It opened up Netherlands. Surely, it didn't open as well as they liked, but history is history now.
The novel and movie were excellent.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
The book (or at least the one I'm familiar with) wasn't a novel. I'm going to have to dig it up again, it was one of the first serious military history books I read (inspired by playing Close Combat: A Bridge Too Far). I'm also going to have to find my copy of It Never Snows In September, which is the battle from a mostly German perspective. It also has a great name.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
For me it was rather defeat. Allied forces captured nothing. With full respect for Dutchmen - nothing that could help them defeat Germany faster. Anglo-American divisions and polish brigade were simply wasted. Germans predicted defense on Rhine and did it.
Then polish general Sosabowski (in my opinion one of the best polish field commanders into that time) was blamed for defeat.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
And we still won the war!
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Strike For The South
And we still happened to be on the side that won the war!
Fixed. ~;)
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Strike could you tell me something? Are you typical Frenchmen?
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Quote:
Originally Posted by
KrooK
Strike could you tell me something? Are you typical Frenchmen?
He's Frexan!
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Quote:
Originally Posted by
KrooK
Strike could you tell me something? Are you typical Frenchmen?
No I'm not. Are you the typical Kielbasa? Because I love me some.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Quote:
Originally Posted by
KrooK
Strike could you tell me something? Are you typical Frenchmen?
Are you a typical European?
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
“Are you typical Frenchmen?” I bet your definition is not mine…:laugh4::laugh4:
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Quote:
Originally Posted by
KrooK
Strike could you tell me something? Are you typical Frenchmen?
You mean, does he like fine wine and smelly cheese, uses a copious amount of perfume and goes around all day saying: ""Ooh la la""?
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Now I'm just a Texan and all - so what do I know - but I must say that indeed Strike strikes me as being particularly French.
That natural superiority, his ease of conversation, combatively opinionated, supremely knowledgable in a wide range of subjects, about which he can adress his lessers with an aloofness so sublimely natural it turns into elegance.
:book:
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Yep yep and his intelligence is lighting around the world spreading democracy, cheese and frogs.
Definitely my Lords.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Quote:
Originally Posted by
KrooK
lighting the world
Definitely my Lords.
Lords....masters....overlords...any of these will do, yes. For I am afraid, my dear Krook, that we must acknowledge Strike our superior.
Behold the gods among men enlightening the world from the centre of the universe - be it physical illumination or by the light of their studies:
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Lords....masters....overlords...: "French" will do.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Quote:
Originally Posted by
KrooK
Yep yep and his intelligence is lighting around the world spreading democracy, cheese and frogs.
Definitely my Lords.
I am glad you have been enlightened.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Louis VI the Fat
Lords....masters....overlords...any of these, yes. For I am afraid, my dear Krook, that we must acknowledge Strike our superior.
Behold the gods among men enlightening the world from the centre of the universe - be it physical illumination or the light of their studies:
Ya know, perhaps Americans are looking at this WW II thing all wrong. Instead of the French rolling over maybe they were presenting us with an opportunity to reach our full potential. Their last and greatest gift to America. :bow:
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Vladimir
Ya know, perhaps Americans are looking at this WW II thing all wrong. Instead of the French rolling over maybe they were presenting us with an opportunity to reach our full potential. Their last and greatest gift to America. :bow:
All roads in history lead to France
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Yep - definitely.
Starting from Caesar, then Attila,, Englishmen, Russians, Prussians/Germans to whole Africa. Yep my Lord - you are end of all the roads.
And your cooking is something unique in the world.
I think living in France is interesting experience for typical European.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
I still think Monty was an awful commander for that operation. Had Patton been in charge, I think things would be very different.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Hooahguy
I still think Monty was an awful commander for that operation. Had Patton been in charge, I think things would be very different.
Absolutely. Patton would have doubled the casualties on both sides while achieving the same result.
Not enough airlift capacity. Too many points of failure (infrastructure restrictions especially). Logistical problems on a macro level. etc.
The Allies really needed to accept an operational pause along the whole line. Yes the Germans would have shifted out of panic mode and solidified a line, but Eisenhower should have been able to gauge that a pause was coming regardless of whether or not he liked it -- we'd simply swallowed too much territory and hadn't rebuilt the logistics enough.
Patton AND Monty should have been told to work "locally" while resources caught up. Patton would have done no better in the Saar had he been allowed to try and Monty told to wait. Monty would have done the war a good bit more good by sealing up the gap through which the Antwerp garrison escaped.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Yeah, letting the 15th Army escape contributed to the already critical intelligence failure. Not only did the Allies overlook the German units already in the area but the underestimated how quickly the Germans could put together new units based off of what was lying around. It was a logistical miracle (compounded by the Allies' ignorance and over-extension).
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Seamus Fermanagh
Absolutely. Patton would have doubled the casualties on both sides while achieving the same result.
Not enough airlift capacity. Too many points of failure (infrastructure restrictions especially). Logistical problems on a macro level. etc.
Ehh..... Considering Patton cut huge swaths in France while Monty hobbled along, I think Patton would have found a way around the obstacles that held Monty up, or bashed his way through it. Either way, I dont think it would have been as much of a disaster as it was.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Market Garden was Monty's baby - a wholly uneccesary and ego driven endevor. Patton would not have concieved of such a delicate operation. He understood that the Allied forces had vast numerical advantages and was content to grind his way to Berlin.
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PanzerJaeger
Market Garden was Monty's baby - a wholly uneccesary and ego driven endevor. Patton would not have concieved of such a delicate operation. He understood that the Allied forces had vast numerical advantages and was content to grind his way to Berlin.
So: Patton=U.S. Grant?
Not a great general but one who exploits a manpower advantage?
-
A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
Quote:
Patton would not have concieved of such a delicate operation. He understood that the Allied forces had vast numerical advantages and was content to grind his way to Berlin.
I'm not sure what PJ meant with this statement, but anyone who has studied Patton's campaign's in NA, Sicily, and France surely could not characterize his tactics as 'indelicate' grind. The end-around to Palermo....the Lorraine Campaign......the relief of Bastogne........
-
Re: A Bridge Too Far: 66 Years Ago
“I'm not sure what PJ meant with this statement, but anyone who has studied Patton's campaign's in NA, Sicily, and France surely could not characterize his tactics as 'indelicate' grind. The end-around to Palermo....the Lorraine Campaign......the relief of Bastogne........” The Crossing of the Rhine that is fact was a complete strategic mistake.
If Market Garden had succeeded it would have opened the road to Berlin to the Western Allies.
Patton move just distract material and men to a useless front where the Allies were stacked.