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Summary: Superb First Person Approach to Operation Market Garden
Review: Famed author Cornelius Ryan has a unique and appealing way of telling a story that makes his books quite unique, and this huge best seller is no exception. He lets the disastrous story of the wrong-headed Allied decision to risk an immense day-light paratrooper drop with "thunderclap surprise" (catching the Germans with their proverbial pants down) for the first time in the European campaign unfold as an ill-conceived effort to capture a series of bridges critical to a fast and successful prosecution of the Allied thrust into the heart of Germany. This tale retelling the Allied miscalculation of potential German resistance and the speed with which they could proceed up the one road needed to support the airdropped forces is a riveting tale. Its total cost in terms of human life and unnecessary destruction is a cautionary lesson for history. Like his other books, this is a story told at every level, but concentrating on the faithful recollections of the actual participants in the action. Thus, the reader is wept into the action as we get a voyeur's view of the moment-to-moment development of the story as it unfolds in all its horrific detail. There is a cornucopia of information presented here, and Ryan's approach is scrupulously faithful to the facts, all of them, regardless of the source. Therefore, there is a great deal of attention paid to the recollections and experiences of the German armed forces and noncombatants as well as the Allied invaders. Unlike some other efforts on this subject, there is no apparent effort here to color the results and make the Allies more circumspect and less provocative in making and activating their ill-conceived plans. One gets the sense on reading this book that this is the whole story as best Ryan could determine it, and he makes an extraordinary effort to include as much relevant information by way of using both recollection and contextual data to bolster a comprehensive picture of the battles as they unfolded in the air, and then more fatefully on the ground. Ryan was one of a handful of masterful storytellers and historians who emerged from the Second World War. Like John Toland, William Shirer, and a number of notable others, Ryan illuminated the human stories of war and destruction, and brought these otherwise unbelievable and incomprehensible experiences home to an entire generation of otherwise bewildered citizens. This is one of the best of the efforts, shining the light of truth on a still controversial and provocative Allied action that could have expedited the end of the war, but instead resulted in large scale death and destruction.
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Summary: Masterful account of Operation "Market-Garden"
Review: "A Bridge Too Far" is the third in a series of books written by the late Cornelius Ryan about the major battles of the Second World War. In dramatic fashion, Ryan superbly tells the story of Operation "Market-Garden," biggest single airborne assault in history, and the largest and most costly Allied defeat since the earliest days of World War II. It is late summer, 1944. Adolf Hitler's armies in Western Europe have been retreating steadily from France, Belgium and the Netherlands ever since D-Day, when Allied forces invaded Nazi-occupied France and began moving like a juggernaut toward the German border. All signs point to a completely demoralized German army, made up primarily of old men and young boys. The German occupiers flee through the Low Countries on bicycles, in carts, and on foot. By September 1944, it seems only a matter of time before the Third Reich collapses under the relentless assault of the Allies. British Field Marshal Sir Bernard Law Montgomery persuades the Allied high command to adopt his bold plan to win the war in 1944. Called "Market-Garden," the plan calls for Allied forces to seize and hold a series of bridges spanning the Rhine River on the border between Germany and The Netherlands. The capture of these bridges will give the Allies the route they need for the invasion of the German homeland. If successful, "Market-Garden" could spell victory for the Allies in 1944. The plan is ambitious and, on the surface, well thought out. It will have two parts: "Market" will be the airborne assault. Allied forces will land and seize the bridges along the Rhine. The key bridge - the linchpin of the whole operation - will be the bridge at Arnhem. The "Garden" portion of the plan is an armored ground assault by a column of tanks that will travel 80 miles to provide relief to the paratroopers holding each of the bridges. However, Monty's plan has a fatal flaw: Allied intelligence has failed to reveal the presence of a seasoned German armored division hiding in the area. "Market-Garden" begins on September 17, 1944, and initially looks headed for success. Allied paratroopers quickly capture two of the four bridges, but the attacks on bridges at Nijmegen and Arnhem - the "Bridge Too Far" - soon run into trouble. The Nijmegen brige captured by Allied forces only after stubborn German resistance and heavy fighting. The British 1st Airborne Division lands in the wrong place and loses its communications. A British airborne battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John Frost captures the Arnhem bridge after heavy fighting. German Field Marshal Walter Model, who is in the area almost by accident, observes the assault as it begins to unfold, and quickly guesses its objectives. He assembles all German troops in the area and counterattacks. Near Arnhem, the 1st Airborne quickly comes under siege miles away from its objective. Frost's battalion also comes under heavy siege. Ultimately, the successful German counterattack and siege nearly destroys both Urquhart's and Frost's commands. The British are forced to withdraw, and "Market-Garden" ends in defeat. I found "A Bridge Too Far" to be one of the best books about World War II I've ever read - better, even, than Ryan's earlier book "The Longest Day." Ryan writes a masterful account of this tragic battle. His narrative is gripping and dramatic throughout. He incorporates many first-person accounts of the participants in the battle from all sides - Allied, German, civilian, and Dutch underground. With an historian's eye for factual interpretation, Ryan exposes the political wrangling which went on at the highest levels of the Allied command, and the false assumptions, miscalculations, blunders, and self-deceptions which marked the Allied planning and execution of "Market-Garden." With a journalist's unfailing eye for factual accuracy and detail, Ryan describes with spellbinding realism the fighing on the ground and in the air. Throughout the book, Ryan never loses sight of the human dimension - the sometimes superb and more often erroneous judgments made by Allied and German generals and colonels; the extraordinary valor of the ordinary soldier on both sides, officer and enlisted man alike; and the dedication and sacrifice of civilians and the Dutch underground. "A Bridge Too Far" is a wonderful work of history, one which I heartily recommend to all readers!
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Summary: A In depth and moving book
Review: A Bridge too Far, by Cornelius Ryan, is one of the best World War II books I have ever read. This book contains in depth and amazing stories of the battle told from both sides as well as the citizens of the towns involved. Until I read this book I never realized how much compasion and respect the Allies and Germans felt for one another, especialy concerning the care of the captured wounded. The coverage Ryan gives in this breath taking and suspensful novel is a must read for anyone interested in the campain in Western Europe.
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Summary: One of the most moving and tragic of stories ...
Review: A Bridge Too Far, relating the events that lead to the Allied defeat in the Operation Market-Garden, is one of the most poignant and moving books I have the honor to read. It was simply too deep for mere words. As I read accounts ater accounts of the courage and the chivalry displayed by both sides (Allied and German) in the operation, I was both stunned and amazed. I also found the tragedy of war most acutely displayed in this account, as the author notes failures upon failures which ultimately lead to the allied defeat. It was so sad to find that the Allied side so underestimated the German forces, distrusted the Dutch, overlooked basic intelligence, and overall planned and sent men on a ridiculous mission... even a military dilletante like me could see the fallacy of a single tank file over a 80 mile corridor in enemy territory. Just shows that you shoudl enevr ever underestimate your foes. However, that is not to say this was a wonderful book, more as it accurately and stirringly portrayed all those relevant information into an understandable analysis of the Allied failure. I am much indebted to the author for putting this book into my hands (figuratively speaking). As good as his other book, the Longest Day, and helluva lot better then any 2-3 hr movie could possibly be.
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Summary: Another classic WWII Book
Review: This book is a powerful and well documented account of Operation Marker Garden. Mr. Ryan gives a vivid desciption and analysis of why Monty's ambitious plan failed. He covers both sides of the story (Allies and Axis) at such great lengths that you almost feel as if you are right in the middle of the action yourself. The most compelling part of Mr. Ryan's book is his perspective of this disaster from the individual soldier level, both officer and enlisted. The drama that resulted from this opeartion, especially in Arnhem, will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens in the end. I definitely recommend this book for anyone who has read Mr. Ryan's other books (The Longest Day, The Last Battle), or has an interest in WWII, and airborne operations. The movie that was made based on this book is also a classic.
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Summary: Incredible, a classic
Review: A Bridge too Far is hardly a dry academic treatise of a battle. It is genuinely interesting, particularly if you're interested in warfare. The thing I like most about this book is, strangely, the anecdotes. Some interesting, some mysterious, some indescribably horrible, and some hysterically funny - you won't believe things like this actually happened - but that's what happens when you put several thousand men in a confined area and tell them to kill each other. Watch the film too, it's great, and surprisingly close to the book!
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Summary: Wow!
Review: This a VARY good book it was extremly well written his 2nd best book ever. The best was the Longest Day.
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Summary: The best account of Operation Market Garden in print
Review: Ryan leaves no stone unturned in his blow by blow account of the most ambitious airborne operation of WWII. From the Division level all the way down to the individual paratrooper, the author puts the reader in the middle of the operation. One of the classics of WW II literature.
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Summary: Most complete and accurate version of this battle
Review: I have read A Bridege Too far twice because of the wealth of information and because I wanted to cross check it with another reference work. Mr. Ryan's work is superb. I have also read Christopher Hibbert's account of this epic battle and his story falls far short of the mark. I have also read General Roy Urquhart's story and he errs in only one area. That being how the entire set of battle plans falls into General Student's hands at the beginning of the battle. The footnote on page 255 in Mr. Ryan's book answers this question. When going from Mr. Ryan work to Mr. Hibbert work, I get the distinct impression that Mr. Ryan's book is fair and unbiased while Mr. Hibbert's is just the opposite. He blames General Eisenhower for the failure while the real blame for the failure should be at the doorstep of the 21st Army Group. Mr. Hibbert also says that the entire set of plans were found in the coat pocket of a dead American. This myth will easily be dispelled if you read the footnote that I mentioned above. Mr. Ryan's work is true and complete and he is also a marvelous storyteller. There were so many reasons for the failure of this battle that it is difficult to decide on the main reason. However, I truly feel that the main reason for the British failure at Arnhem was because they would not accept any information from the Dutch Underground, even after a visit to General Mongomery's headquarters by Crown Prince Bernhard who pleaded with him to re-evaluate the reports of Dutch Underground.They were polite but firm in their refusal to heed their information. Now I find that rather strange, because the British and Americans both listened to and rightly evaluated all of the other underground networks. The French, Polish, Norwegian..etc. why the fallout with the Dutch? Then I remembered reading a few years back a book by another famous author who explained why the British did not trust the Dutch Underground. Does anyone else know the answer to this riddle?
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Summary: The very best of war historical work
Review: The volume of documentation, the point of view from allies, german and dutch civil people, and the dramatic explanation, all of this make you feel in your skin the horror of war, and in your heart the glory of men who fight for their rights. Ryan redefines war cronical work, and gives you the real history of participants, just like deeply moving testimonies of human beings who suffer, cry, sacrifice themselves, and fight hard.
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