Synopses & Reviews
Market Garden was one of the most audacious, and ultimately controversial, operations of the Second World War--a joint penetration by an armored column and a large-scale airborne drop. The objective was to secure key waterways and railheads and punch a decisive hole in the German defenses. If it had succeeded, the war could have been ended in 1944. Stephen Badsey closely examines the combatants, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses and explaining the different phases of the battle. Yet the two-pronged attack failed as a confusing and daily-changing pattern of events unfurled. Instead of being relieved after 48 hours as expected, British paratroopers were cut off for nine days as the 2nd Army's spearhead, XXX Corps, were slowed by constant German shelling. Facing two unexpected SS Panzer divisions, the Allied paratroops were eventually evacuated across the Rhine after putting up an incredible fight. Of the 10,000 men involved, fewer than 2,000 survived. Badsey provides an authoritative and absorbing account of why this happened. He closely examines the combatants, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses and explaining the different phases of the battle.
Synopsis
Market Garden was one of the most audacious, and ultimately controversial, operations of the Second World War--a joint penetration by an armored column and a large-scale airborne drop. Stephen Badsey provides an authoritative and absorbing account. He closely examines the combatants, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses and explaining the different phases of the battle.
Market Garden was one of the most audacious, and ultimately controversial, operations of the Second World War--a joint penetration by an armored column and a large-scale airborne drop. The objective was to secure key waterways and railheads and punch a decisive hole in the German defenses. If it had succeeded, the war could have been ended in 1944. Stephen Badsey closely examines the combatants, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses and explaining the different phases of the battle.
Yet the two-pronged attack failed as a confusing and daily-changing pattern of events unfurled. Instead of being relieved after 48 hours as expected, British paratroopers were cut off for nine days as the 2nd Army's spearhead, XXX Corps, were slowed by constant German shelling. Facing two unexpected SS Panzer divisions, the Allied paratroops were eventually evacuated across the Rhine after putting up an incredible fight. Of the 10,000 men involved, fewer than 2,000 survived. Badsey provides an authoritative and absorbing account of why this happened. He closely examines the combatants, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses and explaining the different phases of the battle.
Synopsis
Stephen Badsey closely examines the combatants, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses and explaining the different phases of the battle.
About the Author
STEPHEN BADSEY is a lecturer at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, who is highly respected in his field. He has written about subjects as diverse as Hitler, war correspondents in the Crimea, and modern fighter aircraft. His expert knowledge and passion for his subject are clearly demonstrated in this fascinating look at the failed attack at Arnhem.