My last post was titled A Bridge Too Far, and I was discussing the IRS. However, I promised that I’d tell you about the actually book. So I’m circling back to discuss both the book, and the movie. Both book and film were written by Cornelius Ryan, a war correspondent who went on to write several excellent military histories, especially The Longest Day, about D-Day, and A Bridge Too Far about Operation Market Garden and the Battle of Arnhem. The 1974 film received four BAFTA awards. It was an impressive ensemble case including Dirk Bogarde, James Caan, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Edward Fox, Elliot Gould, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Hardy Kruger, Laurence Olivier, Ryan O’Neal, Robert Redford, Maximilian Schell and Liv Ullman.

Most of us know a fair amount about D-Day, but not as much about Operation Market Garden (September 17-26, 1944). Once the Allies had broken through the bocage in Normandy, they crossed northern France and through Belgium. From there, some commanders, particularly Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery, hoped that the Allies could rush across The Netherlands and make a run through the Ruhr toward Berlin, and end the war. Montgomery particularly wanted the Allies to take The Netherlands because that’s where the Germans were staging their new V-2 rocks which landed indiscriminately in the UK. He pressed General Eisenhower to agree to Market Garden, a combined operation in which paratroopers and gliders from the UK, US, and Polish Parachute Brigade would seize the Nederrijn bridge across the Rhine at Arnhem, and hold it for two days while the XXX Corps would move up and the combined troops could then press on toward the Ruhr.

Problems began immediately. The 1st Airborne Division (UK) landed at least a mile from the bridge. Unfortunately, they also landed relatively close to the Headquarters of Field Marshal Walter Model, and the German 9th SS Panzer Division. Ultimately, only about 700 Allied troops managed to cross to the northern side of the bridge. The main force was stuck on the southern side on outskirts of Arnhem. Then, due to deteriorating weather, the XXX Corps couldn’t move up as quickly as expected to reinforce the paratroopers.

After nine days of fighting, the XXX Corps still could barely supply the men on the northern side, much less get troops across to help the beleaguered men. The 9th and 10th SS Panzer Divisions were doing a good job of keeping the Allies pinned down. By September 25, the few remaining men who clung to a toe-hold on the norther side were ordered to withdraw to the southern side. Even that was difficult, requiring them to find a variety of small boats. Ultimately a number of men swan to safety, while others were captured. The operation was a dismal failure.

The ultimate problem in Operation Market Garden was that the Allies had not truly secured Antwerp before moving on toward Arnhem. Without being able to smoothly move all the materiel from Antwerp to Arnhem, and having to simultaneously deal with the Panzer Divisions and taking the bridges, it really was a bridge too far.

A Bridge Too Far is an outstanding book—meticulously researched and written like a page-turner. At the same time, it’s a striking film, as both a movie and as a solid piece of history. I hope you’ll take a look at least one of them.

The actors did an excellent job of portraying the men involved in Market Garden. Since it’s easy to find photos of the actors, I decided to included some photos of the real men involved.