Introduction to the Operation market garden.pptx

it i s in regards to operations mrket garden

1. OP MARKET GARDEN “A BRIDGE TOO FAR”

2. “Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few” Winston Churchill 23-02-2021 2

3. SCOPE Introduction Aim Background N eed for operation market garden T he plan Execution Reasons for failure L essons learnt Conclusion 23-02-2021 3

4. AIM The a im of this presentation is to acquaint the class with operation market garden and understand the lessons learnt 23-02-2021 4

5. FORCE COMPOSITION Axis Forces Allied Forces Germany, Italy, Japan, Hungary USA, Britain, France, USSR Adolf Hitler, Gen Gerd Von Rundstedt Field Marshal Montgomery Gen Walter Model, Gen Kurt student Gen Eisenhower Gen Sosa Bowski 80,000 ground troops 20,011 troops Para dropped 14,589 troops Glider landed 34600 total troops 3342 Tons of ammunition 23-02-2021 5

6. 23-02-2021 6

7. BACKGROUND After major defeat in Normandy German forces withdrew towards German border It was an attempt by the allies to “end the war by C hristmas” of 1944 Commanded by British G en M ontgomery and Gen Eisenhower Combined 36,000 A merican and B ritish troops 23-02-2021 7

8. BACKGROUND In Jun 1944 Gen M ontgomery carried out Normandy landing The end of war was not in sight as G ermans fought ferociously Gen E isenhower & Gen M ontgomery came up with op market garden A irborne forces were used for which they had been raised 23-02-2021 8

9. ALLIED GAINS IN EUROPE GERMANY france holland 23-02-2021 9

10. THE NEED FOR OPERATION The allied advance after N ormandy The problem of logistics as the build up could not keep pace The problem was in transporting these supply over 500 miles to the frontlines 23-02-2021 10

11. THE NEED FOR OPERATION Gasoline drought immobilized the third Army Corps of the B ritish second Army was held for about two weeks west of the Seine 23-02-2021 11

12. THE NEED FOR OPERATION The crucial port of A ntwerp was not captured The G ermans built up the Siegfried line Eisenhower wanted a thrust towards G ermany, but he did not have the time & logistics for a possibly prolonged Op Montgomery advocated a thrust capable of outflanking Siegfried line with airborne troops 23-02-2021 12

13. THE NEED FOR OPERATION The newly raised first airborne army had been lying idle since N ormandy Eisenhower conceded to Gen Montgomery plan & thus Op market garden was born 23-02-2021 13

14. GOALS To capture and hold three very imp Dutch bridges in the towns of Eindhoven, Nijmegen, and A rnhem Punch a hole 64 miles deep behind G erman lines 23-02-2021 14

15. GOALS While units were defending bridges, an attack force led by Col. J oe V andeleur would relieve each unit Allied forces were not expecting any resistance 23-02-2021 15

16. DEPLOYMENT OF ALLIED FORCES 23-02-2021 16

17. THE PLAN The plan was divided into two halves – Market & Garden The former being the airborne elements which would provide an airborne carpet for the ground elements The airborne force consisted of the 1 st airborne corps with 1 st airborne div, 82 (US) airborne div, 101 (US) airborne div & 1 st P olish airborne brigade The ground forces were spearheaded by the B ritish 30 C orps 23-02-2021 17

18. THE PLAN The 2 nd B ritish A rmy & XII were on the western flank The plan envisaged the airborne force capturing eight bridges along the highway 69 The final allied push into the industrial area of Ruhr valley 23-02-2021 18

19. THE PLAN The A llied C drs estimated that this would aid in outflanking the Siegfried line & bring the war to an end before C hristmas of 1944 101 A B div responsible of securing the bridges between E indhoven & Veghul to assist in advance of XXX corps 23-02-2021 19

20. THE PLAN To their north was 82 nd AB div, responsible for securing bridges between G rave & Nijmegen In the northern end & farthest was the B ritish 1 st airborne div secure the railway bridge & the road bridge in Arnhem over the lower Rhine XXX corps was to link up with the 1 st Airborne div at Arnhem 23-02-2021 20

21. EINDHOVEN GRAVE NIJMEGAN LOWER RHINE WAAL MAAS AA DOMMEL WILHELMINA GROSBERG OSERBERG SON ARNHEM GERMANY HOLLAND BELGIUM WLLIAMS VEGEL OEDENRODE BRIDGES TO HOLD 23-02-2021 21

22. EXECUTION On 17 Sep aircraft with the gliders and troops took off first at 0930H The 101st took the southern route into Holland While the 82nd and B ritish 1st airborne took the northern route 23-02-2021 22

23. EXECUTION There were a total of 1,051 troopers carriers and 516 glider combinations (2,083 aircraft in all) Escorts amounted to 371 spitfires, tempests and 548 P-47 thunderbolts, P-38 lightning and P-51mustangs on the southern route 23-02-2021 23

24. EXECUTION The plan met with initial success the 101 AB div, dropped north of Son, took four of the five assigned bridges opening the way for XXX corps The bridge at Son blown by Germans in face of the A merican assault XXX corps had commenced its advance at 1430 but could not advance at the desired speed & was seven hours behind schedule 23-02-2021 24

25. EXECUTION 82 nd AB div landed at Groesbeck heights & fanned out towards Graves & Nijmegen They managed to capture the bridge at Graves but the bridge at Nijmegen had been reinforced by the 10 panzer div 23-02-2021 25

26. EXECUTION An audacious plan 504 B n of the 82 nd AB div was to cross the river & assault from north The 504 rowed across in managed boats paddling with helmets & rifle butts & after a ferocious battle captured the northern end 23-02-2021 26

27. EXECUTION The B ritish 1 st AB div planned to land in three lifts over three days On 17 Sep 1944 one airborne brigade & one glider brigade landed north of Arnhem, 13 km away The air landed brigade was to hold the DZ for the subsequent landings while 1 st airborne brigade advanced to the bridge 23-02-2021 27

28. EXECUTION The second lift 18 S ep delayed by weather The 1 st airborne div just could not get together to fight a coordinated battle Lt Col F rost’s 2 P ara held onto the bridge, the rest of the div was holding a shallow bridge northern banks of R hine at Oosterbeek fighting off the 9 th G erman P anzer div 23-02-2021 28

29. EXECUTION The 1 st polish brigade landed on 20 th S ep on the southern end of R hine but could not link up with the div This tenacious battle lasted till 25 th Sep when OP berlin was undertaken to evacuate the remnants of the div 23-02-2021 29

30. EXECUTION The div had failed in objective of capturing the Arnhem bridge or the railway bridge The Op was called off on 25 S ep 1945 23-02-2021 30

31. REASONS FOR FAILURE Weather Conditions Terrain Intelligence Airborne Drop Recce Contingency Plans Inadequacy of transport aircraft Communications Insufficient Reinforcements Two fronts 23-02-2021 31

32. LESSONS LEARNT Planning . The op suffered from poor planning, no contingency plans existed Risk . High risk involved not weighed against the gains expected Int . The intelligence was highly inadequate, German force deployments and their reserves were not known 23-02-2021 32

33. LESSONS LEARNT Communication. Communication very poor, lot of confusion, drops of vital equipment and stores Security. Inadequate security led to the op order falling into enemy hands; as a result surprise was lost 23-02-2021 33

34. CONCLUSION 23-02-2021 34

35. QUESTIONS 23-02-2021 35