tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4591186326413607978.post2338005077527016148..comments2022-10-29T09:49:36.247+01:00Comments on Happy Valley: Arnhem/Oosterbeek IV – Impressions and QuestionsGaryAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06963552380378929829noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4591186326413607978.post-17567040200554287712014-08-05T00:20:54.933+01:002014-08-05T00:20:54.933+01:00I deliberately did not mention Patton, I must admi...I deliberately did not mention Patton, I must admit. There is, in my opinion, at times a belief in certain quarters that by shifting resources to Montgomery that Patton was not able to finish the war before Christmas 1944! But I'll say no more on that. I agree some views from across the pond do at times raise the hackles.<br /><br />I'll look forward to reading your posts on further visits, if I don't get there first! <br />Regards<br />Mark <br /><br /><br /> MarkGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10931863014281720994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4591186326413607978.post-43789238581356067642014-08-04T22:11:47.131+01:002014-08-04T22:11:47.131+01:00As we see after the war Ike was a politician rathe...As we see after the war Ike was a politician rather than a general and he had to contain three spoilt brats (Montgomery, Bradley & Patton). I think his broad front approach was a result of this. Napoleon would have been horrified. In my own mind, the thrust to the industrial heart of Germany makes sense and I'm sure the Germans would have supported it if the boot had been on the other foot. In fact they were completely wrong footed at the start of Market Garden because the narrow front dash to the Ruhr was when they expected, but not in the way it was to be executed.<br />The old saying that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail (or as we used to say in the Navy, 'Poor planning produces piss poor performance') is a pretty good one liner to describe Market Garden. A week to plan one of the most imaginative military operations in history is a very poor reflection on the senior commanders and their planners.<br />Like you, I'm not anti-American, but I often shake my head when I hear or read some of their views on the Second World War. Yes, the first and second Gulf wars could both have been planned by Montgomery yet his approach to warfare is still ridiculed today.<br />Anyway, Market Garden. I think it could so easily have been a resounding success and if the same resources had been devoted to it as had been used in the Normandy campaign I think it would have been.<br />I'm mulling over a return visit because it made such an impression on me. I'd like to see more of the Oosterbeek perimeter and the landing/drop zones and I'd quite like to see The Bridge in dry weather!GaryAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06963552380378929829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4591186326413607978.post-67875297750164050002014-08-04T21:11:10.467+01:002014-08-04T21:11:10.467+01:00Thanks Fran. I find the whole Market Garden campai...Thanks Fran. I find the whole Market Garden campaign very interesting. It's full of contradictions, conflicting egos and incredible good and bad luck. The Poles were a very 'useful' element for many of the commanders.GaryAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06963552380378929829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4591186326413607978.post-38044588552790647662014-08-04T14:22:32.106+01:002014-08-04T14:22:32.106+01:00The problem I see with Market Garden is that it wa...The problem I see with Market Garden is that it was a gamble (as are perhaps all military operations). Moving away from Eisenhower's broad front strategy, and adopting Montgomery's single thrust into Germany. Another thing forgotten about this operation is that Eisenhower fully supported the plan. Had it succeeded then it would have been hailed as a marvellous success. Of course it didn't, and people love someone else's failure. With Montgomery seeming able to rub up his American counterparts the wrong way at every opportunity it is hardly surprising then even now in US documentaries they seem focus on it being a British failure. In effect it was a battle we lost! As noted in Kershaw's work, the Germans 'won' because they stopped the advance at Nijmegen. Then in 2003 the US led Coalition uses pretty much the same plan for for the drive to Baghdad, and it succeeds. Okay different opponents, settings etc., but it worked. <br /><br />This battle will continue to divide opinion, for a while yet. But you cannot take anything away from the brave men (including the Dutch civilians) who died, were injured or fought and survived.. Particularly the Airborne, British, American and Polish. N.B I am not a Americanophobe, far from it. I actually over the years have come to believe the plan could have worked but things went wrong and once the balance shifts to far one way there is no way to retrieve a situation.<br /><br />Some very interesting posts, on one place I have not been fortunate to visit (yet) but only read about. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> MarkGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10931863014281720994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4591186326413607978.post-91840057793475301352014-08-03T20:56:29.042+01:002014-08-03T20:56:29.042+01:00I never knew about the treatment of the Poles or 3...I never knew about the treatment of the Poles or 35 gliders to get Horrocks gliders in, good read mate.The Angry Lurkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01227314379603418332noreply@blogger.com