John C. McManus

Superbly insightful into the boots on the ground US sacrifices for 'A Bridge too Far' along with the comparatively unknown Scheldt campaign. This book sorta got my Eire up...you've been warned.

The final blame for Market Garden does indeed rest with Eisenhower as supreme commander SHAEF for a few reasons but goddamn is Monty a hypocritical prickly pear (He lambasts Eisenhower for not visiting the front enough but when Eisenhower requests his presence with his other generals to discuss and show more focus on how to end the war, Monty was simply "too busy managing Market Garden" except he wasn't and literally did nothing that day to multiple eye witnesses). Monty was excellent in the desert for sure but he was ill equipped mentally to lead the forces he did in Northwest Europe, the track record stands for itself. Monty routinely oversold his unit capabilities, routinely disregarded intel on the strength of the German forces opposing him, and always promised completion of objectives in time frames wildly out of touch with reality.

As usual, the men at the top caused many deaths and maiming of the ordinary man in the name of "being diplomatic". The fact Eisenhower didn't realize or refused to realize Monty had presented him with another rushed grand strategy that was wildly out of touch is frankly inexcusable. (The red flags of Market Garden were eerily similar to Monty's D-Day objective completion timeline promises that ended in abject failure) This of course said from the high bastion afforded by 80+ years of hindsight which we all indeed benefit from.

I'm a fan of desert Monty, he won his glory there and there he should have stayed. Nothing to do with "our" men vs Brit/Canadian men dying (Don't get me started on how poorly he managed the Canadians in the Scheldt Estuary). Northwest Europe Monty butchered men for his ego, simple as, and for that reason NWE Monty can get fucked with a 10 foot pole. show less

The last book of a trilogy. All three are exceptionally well written. The style is easy to read, well researched and makes excellent use of contemporary reports, personal letters and official material.

McManus gives a vivid account of the fighting but also provides descriptions of the logistics effort that only the American economy could sustain. His pen portraits of the main commanders and their various intra and inter-service machinations was something that is not usually covered.

These show more books provide an understanding of the US Army contribution in many unknown locations that hardly ever feature in the Pacific narrative. show less

Thoroughly researched and well written, McManus does an excellent job of portraying the arduous and difficult tasks the US Army encountered in the Pacific. They faced many serious foes: the terrain, the climate, the insects and diseases as well as fanatic Japanese soldiers emotionally committed to dying for their emperor. And, they did it all while carrying the oppressive weight of Macarthur, his ego, and his ambitions on their backs. The general maintained his status by living in a hotel, show more in Brisbane with his wife and son; showing up periodically for a photo op and to declare victory. None of these onerous tasks prevented him from surreptitiously managing and planning his campaign to run against President Roosevelt in 1944. Among his many egregious acts as a commanding general were his denial of Eichelberger's Medal of Honor application and his vicious campaign against a possible one for Wainwright. This bout of pettiness likely was to preserve his own stature as a Medal of Honor recipient although his own was based upon a politically expedient nomination by President Roosevelt. Smith versus Smith conflict starts on Makin. show less

One of the best histories of Operation Market Garden I have read. It has several impressive attributes. It focuses only on the American involvement in this in-conceived and failed campaign, mentioning just in passing the British 1st Airbourne Division's debacle at Arnhem. The narrative utilizes the actions of individuals and small units in compelling and vivid detail to tell the story of the operation's objectives. One is not lost in the esoteric tactical movements of units that can be show more confusing if you are not familiar with the region's topography. It is also quite well-written; the author's skillful prose makes the history come alive.

The bravery and aggressiveness of the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions is recounted here. These elite soldiers fully deserve the hallowed reputation they have garnered. In contrast to the modern day ethos of (for public sensibility at least) tolerating a war with low casualty rates the willingness of American forces to sacrifice their lives to prevail is quite amazing.

My interest is stimulated by the 75th anniversary of the operations. I will be traveling to Nijmegen with family members to witness the commemorative ceremonies and events. My father was a member of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd and participated in the action, including the famous amphibious crossing of the Waal River to take the bridge from the north side. He never spoke much about it (he's now deceased) so the magnitude of the danger and the heroism of the paratroopers was never heard from him. The book portrays sharply the ferocity of the action and the courage of the troopers. A British general observing the crossing said it was the most gallant action he had ever seen.

Our family is of Dutch heritage. Dad was born in Holland but emigrated to the US when just a small boy. His first occasion to return to his native country came when jumping from an airplane to assist in the liberation of the country. There is a great snapshot of Dad and another trooper sitting on a jeep in a city street with a dozen or more smiling Dutch children climbed on board. Perhaps some of these are still alive and we will bump into them in September. show less