Mar 7, 20239 min read

Operation Market Garden: The Allied Forces Biggest Failure During WWII?

Parachutes open overhead as waves of paratroops land in Holland during operations by the 1st Allied Airborne Army. September 1944. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

Background for Operation Market Garden

In September 1944, the Allied forces stood at a crucial crossroads. There was a prevailing sense of euphoria, due to the successful progression of the Normandy Landings. However, the momentum from D-Day was slipping away. The logistical system was strained, and the field armies were exhausted.

There was a clear division, both politically and militarily, on how to progress and end the war. Some, like Eisenhower, argued for the broad front/last push approach, believing the Germans were at the end of the line. Others, like Montgomery, argued for a more narrow front approach, thinking there was still some distance to go.

17 September 1944: Six American paratroopers of the First Allied Airborne Army receive a final briefing from their commanding officer before emplaning. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

The disagreement between the leaders did not help matters. Just a few weeks prior to the execution of the operation, Dwight D. Eisenhower had been made Supreme Allied Commander of the forces in Europe, much to the dismay of the extremely ambitious and self-centered Bernard Montgomery. Furthermore, there was the economic issue of the immense investment that had been made into the Allied Airborne Army.

These extremely skilled and highly trained elite soldiers had been largely inactive since the initial drops in Normandy. All six divisions had been withdrawn for reforming in England, and while 18 missions had subsequently been prepared, all had been cancelled due to the ground forces' rapid and unexpected advancement into the planned drop zones.

Their expenditure of this now huge and idle army had to be justified. Out of this situation, ‘Operation Market Garden’ was born. It was the brainchild of Bernard Montgomery and had strong support from both Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt. Originally an old plan codenamed Operation Comet, based on a swift attack, was reworked into a new and far more elaborate two-part operation.

Part one: Market – an airborne assault, to seize key bridges in Holland.

Part two: Garden – a ground attack, moving north from Belgium, through Holland and over the seized bridges creating a salient.

Combined, these two attacks would yield a 103 km bulge into German-occupied territory, providing a bridgehead over the River Rhine, ultimately giving the Allied a direct invasion route into Northern Germany. With open supply routes and an opportunity to strike into the "Ruhr Area", the beating heart of the German industrial war machine, the hope was to end the war before Christmas of 1944.

For a long time, there had been an Anglo-American issue, between Montgomery and many of the American generals, George S. Patton in particular. Even Churchill found Montgomery extremely difficult to work with. A literal ‘Sack Monty’ campaign had been underway for a while, but Monty had thus far succeeded in convincing both Churchill and Eisenhower not to do so.

Bernard Montgomery and George Patton pictured here near Palermo, Italy on 28 July 1943. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

Despite Monty being difficult, he was still a popular man and a respected leader. Firing him would have created a large and unnecessary political backlash in Britain against America, at a crucial time in the war. So Monty got his way, but not without question. A big issue was still the supply lines and the logistics to keep an advancing army going. Eisenhower was still not a fan of the ‘single thrust’ approach. Montgomery wanted to put all the eggs in one basket and spearhead directly for Berlin. Eisenhower’s reply was:

‘If I give you all the supplies you want, you could go straight to Berlin? Monty, you're nuts. You can't do it. What the hell... If you try a long column like that in a single thrust you'd have to throw off division after division to protect your flanks from attack’.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Montgomery was furious and during the meeting, purportedly, ripped a file with messages to shreds in front of him, shouting demands and acting so unrestrained that Eisenhower patted him on the knee and said with cool: ‘Steady Monty! You can’t talk to me like that. I’m your boss’. So the compromise was a limited priority of supplies and only as a part of a broad front advance. Market Garden was greenlit.

The Allied Plan

It was the largest airborne operation in history - yet the planning was done in under a week. In comparison, the planning of the landings in Sicily took months and Operation Overlord (Normandy/D-Day landings) took years.

Allied Plan of Operation Market Garden in September 1944. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

The belief was, that with the Germans seemingly on the run, the sooner they would start the offensive, the sooner the war would be won. The ambitious plan was to drop around 34.000 men into enemy territory on the first day of the operation - 17th of September 1944.

These 34.000 men came from three British and American airborne divisions, one Polish airborne brigade and one glider division. 14.589 troops were flown in and landed in glider aeroplanes while 20.011 men were dropped by parachute. Additionally about 1.700 vehicles and 250 heavy artillery pieces were also flown in by glider.

The 101st Airborne (now made famous in the HBO-show ‘Band of Brothers’), would under Maxwell D. Taylor, take the bridges at Son and Veghel. The 82nd Airborne Division under James M. Gavin would take bridges at Grave and Nijmegen. Finally, the British 1st Airborne Division under Roy Urquhart along with the Polish 1st Parachute Brigade, under Stanislaw Sosabowski, would take the northern bridges at Oosterbeek and Arnhem. They were to take the bridges and hold them until being relieved by the British Guards Armored Division (primarily consisting of the XXX Corps).

The land troops were to cover 64 miles or 103 km, in 2 days. Ambitious, even for Montgomery. A significant issue was that the plan relied upon taking all the bridges. If even one objective failed, it would unravel the carpet. Another was that all the Airborne forces, tasked with taking the most important bridges, were dropped so far from them that it ruined the element of surprise and stifled their mobility.

Speed was of the essence for the plan to work, so in effect, the plan was doomed from the start. The willingness to take the risk and end the war, based on the seemingly defeatist attitude of the Germans, was the hubris of the Allied forces. Monty’s personal thirst for glory as well as his innate wish to reach Berlin before his archrival Patton, led Montgomery in particular, to ignore multiple signs of warning.

Patton, already early in September, had been authorized by Eisenhower to advance across the Rhine. One historian, John C. Warren, stated in his work ‘Airborne Operations in World War II, European Theatre’, that 'Market Garden' was the only large airborne operation of World War II in which the USAAF "...had no training program, no rehearsals, almost no exercises, and a...low level of tactical training".

Landings

The initial landings on the 17th of September were successful. An estimated 89% of the 82nd Airborne landed close to their landing zones, and nearly all objectives near Eindhoven and Nijmegen were taken. A further 84% of the gliders likewise landed within 1000 meters of their Landing Zones (LZ's). The 101st Airborne were successful in the early stage, taking 4 out of the 5 bridges they had been assigned, but from then on, things started to unravel.

“ALLIED AIRBORNE ARMY LANDS IN HOLLAND

Pictures of the actual landing. The Allied air formations passing over the target area. The white ‘mushrooms’ which can be seen dotting the fields are the parachutes of these units already landed. 265. Pool. Andrews. Acme-Planet. 17/9/44. PN”. (photo courtesy of: Peter Deleuran & TopFoto.co.uk).

“ALLIED AIRBORNE ARMY LANDS IN HOLLAND

Photo of the original press photo sleeve. Pictures of the actual landing. The Allied air formations passing over the target area. The white ‘mushrooms’ which can be seen dotting the fields are the parachutes of these units already landed. 265. Pool. Andrews. Acme-Planet. 17/9/44. PN”. (photo courtesy of: Peter Deleuran & TopFoto.co.uk).

Though the Germans had expected an airborne attack, they had been taken by surprise. The momentum gained by this surprise was quickly lost, and the local commander, Field Marshal Walter Model, who was an expert in defensive warfare, swiftly organized a counterattack.

Operation MARKET I: the airborne operation to seize bridges between Arnhem and Eindhoven, Holland, (part of Operation MARKET GARDEN). Oblique photographic-reconnaissance aerial showing Douglas Dakotas dropping paratroops of 1st Airborne Brigade on to Dropping Zone (DZ) 'X', at Renkum, west of Arnhem. 17 September 1944. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

The HQ Divisional Artillery of the 101st Airborne Division troops that landed behind German lines in Holland examine what is left of one of the gliders that "cracked up". (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

German Mobilization and Defence

The Allied forces had underestimated the strength of the German mobilization and defence. The Germans, following the initial shock, were quick to respond.

Photo shows a ‘Radfahr-Schwadron’ (Bicycle Troop), one of the first, quickly assembled forces against the recently landed paratroopers. Scherl Bilderdienst West, September 1944. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

The Germans were able to gather their forces and concentrate them in the area, including armored units and other heavy equipment, which the Allies had not anticipated. The Dutch resistance had warned the Allies of the strength of the German forces in the area, but their warnings were ignored.

Two British Airborne troops dug in, holding the Brigade Headquarters. 18 September 1944, Operation "Market Garden". (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

As the airborne troops landed and attempted to seize the key bridges, they were met with fierce resistance. The Germans had fortified the bridges, and the Allied troops were unable to capture them quickly. This delayed the ground forces' advance, which was the second part of the operation, and gave the Germans time to mobilize more troops.

Four British paratroopers moving through a shell-damaged house in Oosterbeek to which they had retreated after being driven out of Arnhem. 23rd of September 1944. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

Arnhem & Nijmegen

The most critical parts of the operation were the capture of the bridges at Arnhem and Nijmegen. The British 1st Airborne Division, under the command of Major-General Roy Urquhart, was tasked with capturing the bridge at Arnhem. The division was dropped about 8 miles from their target, and as they made their way to the bridge, they encountered German resistance.

Arnhem. German grenadiers going through trenches, September 1944. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

The British troops fought bravely, but they were unable to hold the bridge. The Germans destroyed the bridge, preventing the Allied forces from crossing the Rhine River. The division was cut off and surrounded, and after nine days of heavy fighting, they were forced to surrender.

Allied tanks of British XXX Corps cross the road bridge at Nijmegen during its capture. 17-20th of September 1944. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

The capture of the bridge at Nijmegen was equally challenging. The 82nd Airborne Division, under the command of Brigadier General James M. Gavin, was tasked with capturing the bridge. The division faced heavy resistance from the Germans, who had fortified the bridge and were using it as a supply route.

A panoramic view of the city of Nijmegen, Holland, and the Nijmegen Bridge over the Waal (Rhine) River in the background. The city was hit by German and Allied bombardment and shelling. 09/28/1944. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

After several days of intense fighting, the Allied forces were able to capture the bridge, but at a significant cost. The division suffered heavy casualties, and many of its men were captured or wounded.

British soldiers taken prisoner at Arnhem. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

German prisoners captured in the suburbs of Arnhem. Taken on 18 September 1944. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

A Bridge Too Far

Operation Market Garden has inspired numerous films and books, most significant of all is probably the 1977 movie "A Bridge Too Far," directed by Richard Attenborough. The movie depicts the events leading up to and during the operation and is based on the book of the same name by Cornelius Ryan. The movie accurately portrays the challenges faced by the Allied forces, including the strength of the German defences and the difficulty of capturing the key bridges. It also depicts the disagreements between the Allied leaders and the frustration felt by the troops on the ground.

A Bridge Too Far is a powerful depiction of the tragic events that unfolded during Operation Market Garden. It remains one of the most popular World War II movies of all time.

Aftermath

Operation Market Garden was a significant setback for the Allied forces. The operation failed to achieve its objectives and resulted in heavy casualties. The loss of the airborne troops was particularly devastating, as many of them were the best-trained soldiers in the Allied forces.

The failure of the operation had several consequences. It delayed the Allied advance into Germany and allowed the Germans to regroup and strengthen their defences. It also led to a loss of confidence in Montgomery's leadership and raised questions about the effectiveness of the Allied airborne forces.

Despite the failure of Operation Market Garden, it remains an important part of World War II history. It was a bold and ambitious plan that demonstrated the bravery and courage of the Allied forces. The operation also highlighted the challenges of coordinating large-scale military operations and the importance of proper planning and preparation.

The grave of a British airborne soldier killed during the battle of Arnhem in September 1944, photographed by liberating forces on 15 April 1945. On the cross is written in German „unknown English soldier“. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).

There is still to this day, a huge Anglo-American disagreement between historians. Some fiercely argue the ‘what-if’ scenarios, with various degrees of hypothetical Allied success, believing the intelligence gathering was insufficient, laying the blame on Montgomery. Others put the blame on Eisenhower/SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force) and the operational deficiencies.

A lot argue, that it was not so much a plan that went bad - as it was simply a bad plan. Nevertheless, one thing is certain. The Allied commanders grossly did underestimate the enemy and ignored an overwhelming amount of intelligence. Chiefly the relocation of the German 2nd SS Panzer Corps to a position close to one of the key bridges in Arnhem.

Market Garden is still widely regarded as the biggest Allied failure of the war.

“Many historians, with an ‘if only’ approach to the British defeat, have focused so much on different aspects of why Operation Market Garden went wrong that they have tended to overlook the central element.