September Hope: The American Side of a Bridge Too Far

by John C. McManus

Acclaimed historian John C. McManus, author of The Dead and Those About to Die, explores World War II’s most ambitious invasion, Operation Market Garden, an immense, daring offensive to defeat Nazi Germany before the end of 1944. “A riveting and deeply moving story of uncommon courage.”—Alex Kershaw, New York Times bestselling author of The First WaveAugust 1944 saw the Allies achieve more significant victories than in any other month over the course of the war. The Germans were in disarray, overwhelmed on all fronts. Rumors swirled that the war would soon be over. On September 17, the largest airborne drop in military history commenced over Holland—including two entire American divisions, the 101st and the 82nd. Their mission was to secure key bridges at such places as Son, Eindhoven, Grave, and Nijmegen until British armored forces could relieve them. The Germans, however, proved much stronger than the Allies anticipated. In eight days of ferocious combat, they mauled the airborne, stymied the tanks, and prevented the Allies from crossing the Rhine. September Hope conveys the American perspective like never before, through a vast array of new sources and countless personal interviews to create a truly revealing portrait of this searing human drama.

Genres: History, World War II, Military History, Nonfiction, War, Military Fiction, Audiobook

514 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 5, 2012

About the author

John C. McManus is an author, military historian and award-winning professor of military history at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. He is one of America’s leading experts on the history of modern American soldiers in combat.

Reviews

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read lots of books on American airborne operations in World War II, from Koskimaki's trilogy of the 101st, Ambrose's "Band of Brothers" and Nordyke's history of the 82nd, to personal accounts from Carter, Gavin, Burgett, Webster and Magellas. So it was nice to finally get a book which put all the American storylines together.

Market Garden was a flawed plan put together in haste and hampered by poor decisions from the top Allied brass. The author doesn't pull any punches in his criticism of Allied leadership which lead to the near annihilation of the British 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem, but that is a fairly small part of the book. Weaving together hundreds of personal recollections, this book is a great oral history of the American part of Market Garden and its aftermath. In war, lots of little pictures make up the bigger whole, and this book is filled with these little pictures. Worth reading by anyone who is interested in paratroopers, Market Garden or who has watched "A Bridge Too Far" and wants a bit more of the American side of things.

[Sleepy Boy · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 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.

[Mike Harbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

John C McManus does an admirable job telling the story of the American part of Operation Market Garden. Detailing the actions of the men of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, he does an admirable job of writing history, providing analysis, and allowing the soldiers who fought to tell their stories through their own words.

While McManus relied heavily on Cornelius Ryan's research and the Ryan collection at Ohio University, this is not merely the retelling of Ryan's classic A Bridge Too Far. While McManus touches on the plight of the British 1st Airborne Division and the Polish Brigade, it is primarily to lend perspective and urgency to the Americans' mission.

The climax of the book (as was the climax of the operation) was the 82nd Airborne's attempt to seize the main bridge at Njimegen. McManus does an excellent job detailing the fighting in the city and the multiple attempts to seize the near end of the bridge - an episode frequently glossed over in favor of the much more dramatic crossing of the river by Major Julian Cook's 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment's in small boats.

McManus does not end his book with XXX Corps' stalled advance between Njimegen and Arnhem. His last pages detail the eventual clearing of the Scheldt Estuary in late October to early November (which opened the waterway to access the port of Antwerp). Although McManus describes the overall operation to clear the Scheldt, he focuses on General Terry Allen's untried 104th Infantry Division. McManus takes advantage of the opportunity to tell a great story about the men of the 104th, their training, their baptism of fire, and the operation that usually gets only a slight mention in other histories.

Overall, I would highly recommend September Hope to both the serious student of World War II in Europe and the general reader. McManus' style is both highly readable detailed. Studies of Market Garden rightfully focus on Arnhem, but in September Hope McManus tells the essential and necessary story of the American side of the operation.

[Jerome Otte · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rich and vivid history of Market Garden from the US side.

McManus does a great job describing the event both at an operational level and from the perspective of individual soldiers. The account of the Nijmegen fighting is vivid, and he ably describes the disappointment of some airborne commanders at being put in a defensive posture.

McManus blames Eisenhower for giving the go-ahead for the operation. He also criticizes Eisenhower and Montgomery for failing to realize that an operating port (Antwerp) was more important than the Rhine bridge, since the bridge was useless without it. McManus also does a great job describing aspects that other accounts often skip over, like Ninth Air Force’s attempts to destroy the German flak emplacements, the use of Eighth Air Force heavy bombers in a tactical role, and the experience of the C-47 crews.

There aren’t too many issues. McManus does assert that XXX Corps should have advanced on Arnhem piecemeal after the Nijmegen bridge was cleared by the 504th. This doesn’t make much sense since Market Garden was already a failure by that point, as far as I can tell. Also, more attention is given to Gavin than Maxwell Taylor. The narrative is also based heavily on secondary sources. Some more and better maps would have helped. At times it also seems like McManus uses diaries and after-action reports to tell what happened more than including historical or strategic context. Some more attention to the battle’s aftermath would have helped.

Still, a solid and well-written work.

[Cliff Hare · Rating 2 out of 5]

In “September Hope”, author John McManus attempted to describe Operation Market Garden from an almost purely American point of view. I discovered while reading his work that Market Garden couldn’t be adequately described by giving only one Allied nation’s perspective – British and American operations were too interconnected to make this possible and key pieces to the puzzle that explained why the battle turned out the way it did would be missing.
The author’s overreliance on anecdotal accounts also wasn’t helpful. While these can liven up a narrative, they should be used sparingly to illustrate a point or to add vividness to a particular action. McManus, however, never seemed to tire of them – it made his description of the Waal River crossing at Nijmagen – one of the most important moments of the campaign – nearly unreadable. So many personal accounts made for a book with very little substance in terms of facts and analysis, especially when its length is considered (you could actually get more information reading the Wiki article about the battle).
Something McManus did right was bringing Eisenhower in for his fair share of criticism (usually it's Montgomery who gets all the blame) – as Supreme Commander, it was his job to review operations proposed by his subordinates and turn down any where the risk seemed to outweigh the reward. Market/Garden as proposed by Bernard Montgomery fell into this category, and Eisenhower compounded his error by not giving Montgomery clear instructions as to where his emphasis in the Netherlands should be (it should have been clearing the Scheldt Estuary of German troops so Antwerp could be utilized as a supply port).
The Scheldt Estuary, interestingly enough, was where the author wrapped up his book, focusing on the American 104th Division’s participation in the campaign. It’s surprising that it was included at all since this operation wasn't part of Market/Garden, and once again the author only told the US side of the story despite the division being attached to the British 1st Corps.
There were a few other positive points in addition to those already mentioned – the maps were decent and the descriptions of the landings by the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions were both worth reading, but in general this book wasn't worth the time. If it taught me anything, it was that to tell half a story is to tell no story, and that the plural of anecdote is not data.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite subjects of the second world war is Operation Market Garden, the Allied drive to cross the Rhine at Arnhem on which the book and movie "Bridge to Far" is based. "September Hope" is about the fight of the American airborne divisions, the 101st and the 82nd, to take and hold both a series of bridges and the long stretch of highway connecting them. Market Garden was a disaster from the beginning. The plan was developed by British General Sir Bernard Law Montgomery who convinced American General Dwight Eisenhower to give it a try. The Airborne troops were badly deployed, the advancing British forces had only one road to use, there was too little time to prepare, two German armored divisions were in the battle zone which were not supposed to be and Arnhem was never taken. During the entire operation the American troops had to hold the road open against increasing resistance as the Germans rushed reinforcements to the area. The Americans succeeded but then were forced to remain to hold the area for two months, used as ground infantry, a role for which they were not suited. "September Hope" excellent covers the combat of the Airborne troops from before the operation until they were finally relieved. It is a great book and quite enjoyable.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book, providing a history of the American efforts in Operation Market Garden and subsequent actions. The author, John C. McManus, openly admits he is trying to supplement Cornelius Ryan’s “A Bridge Too Far” with first hand accounts of the various American forces, and he meets his goal. Covering all aspects of the campaign, to include the air forces transporting and supporting the airborne, this book is built upon first hand testimony and memory. All the famous incidents of that hectic week are covered in detail. The tactical and logistical considerations are well described, providing some of the best descriptions I’ve read on how the US Army fought in Europe in WWII. Covering as it does a very argumentative period of history, the author does not hold back in presenting his views of the ongoing Anglo-American High Command debates of 1944. To his credit though, each sides’ motives are discussed and the various viewpoints set down. Also beneficial is the coverage of the whole Antwerp campaign, not just the fight of the paratroopers. The last portions of the book cover US involvement in clearing the Schedlte Estuary, a topic I don’t believe is covered in detail in many other works. Recommended for those wanting to know more about US Airborne operations in WWII.

[Elizabeth Theiss Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in an effort to learn more about my father’s war, a war he never talked about. Dad enlisted at the age of 17 and was initially sent to school at Georgia Tech. When the need for manpower in the European theater became desperate, he volunteered for paratrooper school and joined the 82nd Airborne, 505th Infantry Division, Company A where he had a brutal time of it.

McManus’ book covers Operation Market Garden, an Ill-conceived attempt to capture a series of bridges to create a path through Arnhem to Germany and eventually Berlin. German defenses were far more fierce than anticipated, causing catastrophic loss of lives. Strategically and tactically the operation was a failure. The 82nd Airborne would go on to fight in the Ardennes, the Battle of Hurtgen Forest, and subsequently Berlin. Looking at a photo gallery of my father’s unit, nearly half were labeled “KIA,” or Killed in Action. He returned with a Purple Heart, hearing loss from bomb concussion, and a brain peppered with small lesions (also from numb concussion) that would later be found in brain scans taken during his diagnosis for Alzheimer’s disease.

The strength of the book lies in its detailed accounts of events by the soldiers who were there. War is hell and what these men went through was horrific.

[Ted Duke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This the book that tells the other side of the story of Operation Market Garden. I lost my eldest brother in this fiasco where Eisenhower allowed Montgomery to divert forces for a grandiose scheme that would have shortened the war, if it had worked. Only Montgomery thought it would work and the failure cost many lives, US and others for naught.

An excellent history, somewhat difficult to read as McManus takes us from one group of guys to another and back, but well done.

Read it if you can stand the truth!

[Tonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bridge too far? Not for the American paratroopers of Operation Market-Garden. According to John C. McManus’ September Hope: The American Side of a Bridge Too Far, despite overly ambitious plans, less than ideal logistics, and inexcusable lapses in intelligence, the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions met their strategic objectives to capture key bridges and take the Allied fight across the Rhine River and into German territory. The more well-known story of the British 1st Airborne Division which failed to capture the last bridge in Arnhem has been in need of an American complement. McManus provides one with this excellent narrative of those fateful eight days of combat from the upper command level to that of the parachute infantry man. Weaving first-hand accounts with military after-action reports, McManus carries the reader through American successes and failures as paratroopers attempted to regain German-occupied land, at times on an inch-by-inch basis.
John C. McManus, Associate Professor of U.S. Military History at Missouri University of Science and Technology, presents the less-told side of the military operation that brought the Allied string of successful battles to an end after its triumphant landing in Normandy three months earlier. McManus is clearly a “boots on the ground” historian, providing superb details of individual and collective battle experiences of soldiers and their field commanders, while spending only the requisite amount of detail on top command narrative. The result is a fast-moving, yet intimate voyage through the fear and excitement of one of the most significant strategic failures of Allied operations in World War II.
McManus, however, does not give all glory to the American effort, and he provides credible analysis to often misinterpreted circumstances which hampered British XXX Corps success in reaching Arnhem. He rightly assigns blame to General Eisenhower for giving the ultimate approval to Field Marshal Montgomery’s unrealistic and overly optimistic plan to drive into Berlin and end the war by Christmas 1944. Eisenhower was well-aware of Montgomery’s over-reaching plans for Market-Garden, but he was unwilling to make the necessary decisions to put an end to a plan which only Montgomery believed would be successful. McManus effectively details Eisenhower’s failure to act and to effectively communicate with Montgomery, and in doing so, provides the reader with a welcomed, fresh interpretation of the Supreme Allied Commander.
McManus also takes a head-on approach to examining decades-old contentions that British XXX Corps did not honor American paratroopers’ sacrifices in capturing the bridge at Nijmegen. He comments, “as always in combat…the average soldier’s perspective was limited, perhaps even distorted,” (p. 331) then precedes for four pages to objectively assess the conditions surrounding the “tea time” decision not to move toward Arnhem that same night after Americans had secured the bridge. This is important, as for the past 70 years, the “limited” or “distorted” perspective of British ambivalence has prevailed in academic and historic scholarship. McManus’ fresh look, in the context of the entire battle, provides a long over-due perspective.
Also of interest is the “extended version” of operations McManus includes in this book which the average reader is likely not aware. His account of the Timberwolves at the Scheldt and their part in capturing the port at Antwerp, Belgium, is not typically included in narratives on Operation Market-Garden. Yet, for Eisenhower, Antwerp was essential to a successful Holland offensive, a concept he did not successfully convey to Montgomery until after the utter failure of Market-Garden. In providing the Belgian piece of the strategic plan, McManus provides a fuller understanding of what the high command hoped Market-Garden would accomplish, and properly places in context all that was lost in its failure.
The American side of “a bridge too far” is just as compelling for all the obstacles it overcame as the British side is for all of the obstacles it could not surmount. This is most evident in McManus’ treatment of General Gavin of the 82nd Airborne. McManus is clearly a fan of Gavin. While Gavin is a leading and heroic figure in the Market-Garden narrative, McManus’ overt attention to him, with an obvious lack of attention to his 101st Airborne counter-part, General Taylor, gives the appearance of favoritism in an otherwise highly balanced account of the men who fought in Holland. However, this is a minor distraction in his writing, one that he overcomes with the multitude of individual perspectives from the common soldiers in the field.
September Hope is a side of Operation Market-Garden that has been long overdue. Its account of that failed operation brings a fresh perspective to all involved in its planning and execution. Ultimately, though, this book is homage to the citizen soldiers who bravely fought to bring hope to the Allied world. If for no other reason than that, McManus deserves the respect of his colleagues and readers for telling the American soldiers’ story of Operation Market-Garden.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly Excellent, but too much combat porn.

First, the negative. McManus provides many detailed, vivid descriptions of the battles that took place throughout the Market Garden campaign, including the gory details of the awful wounds the men sustained in combat or the horrible ways in which they died. This isn't bad in itself-combatin any era is brutal and horrifying. It's good to remind the reader of what these men endured. But McManus wades in the gore, going on for paragraph after paragraph, page after page. War is Hell! Yes! we get it, we get it!

Aside from that, the book is excellent, a well-written, well-organized narrative of a daring but badly concieved operation. Unlike other historians, McManus lays the blame for the operation squarely on Eisenhower, saying that if Montgomery was the architect of a flawed plan, Eisenhower was the overall commander who should have known better. Worse, both Eisenhower and Monty lost the bubble, allowing Market Garden to become the distraction that delayed the clearing of the Scheldt Estuary and the opening of Antwerp's port, which was the key to resolving the Allies acute logistic problems in the fall of 1944. Monty's focus on Market Garden also allowed the escape of the German 15th Army, which helped defeat Market Garden and entrenched itself in northern Holland. It would be April of 1945 before Monty would finally manage to get over the Rhine.

McManus details many other issues with the operation. None of the Airborne divisions, for example, had an assistant division commander, leading to several times when Gavin and Taylor were overloaded with multiple crises. The Airborne divisions, essentially light infantry formations, were too small and too lightly equipped for their missions. Even on the defensive, for example, airborne troops had only marginal anti-tank capabilities. Gavin of the 82nd, though brave and an exemplary leader, failed to get his priorities straight or communicate clearly to subordinates, leading to the failure to grab the bridges at Nijmegen on the first day and the costly battle for the town and the bloody assault crossing of the Waal. And then the British, once over the Waal, were too strung out and disorganized to push on immediately to Arnhem.

What should the Allies have done instead? McManus provides a good alternative plan. Focus on trapping and destroying the German 15th Army, clear the Schedt, get Antwerp functioning, and regroup for a more powerful and sustained drive to the Rhine. Unfortunately, Ike allowed Monty to squander these opportunities with his badly conceived "bridge too far. "

For me, this account of Market Garden renews the doubts about the utility of the WWII-era paratroop units. Although superbly trained and led, once on the ground they lacked the mobility and firepower needed for sustained combat. McManus' narrative shows clearly that I the paratroopers needed armor and artillery support to gain and hold key positions. And the fate of the British 1st Airborne at Arnhem showed all too clearly the weakness of airborne units deprived of such support. In the major operations of WWII, the Airborne never really lived up to its supposed potential. One has to wonder whether the resources used to create and support these units could have been put to better use.

[Mike Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Americans in a bridge too far have been ignored by history no longer!

I really enjoyed this rather quick read. Although touched on in films in the recent past the very large role AMERICAN airborne troops played as well as the most helpful and enthusiastic Dutch civilians played is brought to the fore in this story. The shear guts it took to go across a fast moving river under intense enemy fire in canvas boats is a fine example of AMERICAN grit and determination.

[Robert M. Galbraith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible account of a fascinating campaign. very readable and full of details from the people who were there on the ground. I recommend if to anyone who is interested in what really happened in World War II.

[Dave Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent version of the American efforts at Market Garden.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly and intricately researched, this book focuses on Operation Market Garden almost exclusively from the American perspective. McManus also takes the reader beyond the timeline of Market Garden itself, sharing the troopers’ hardships on into Nov. 1944, until they were relieved by the infantry. For all his research and rich detail, McNanus’ writing style never bogs down or drags. He sets the pace of an action thriller, yet the story is true, the characters all too real. Some survive, and the reader revels in their successes. Others die, and the reader grieves as though he/she actually knew the fallen trooper. The author gives life and color to so many involved in this conflict: of course the Airborne troops, collectively and individually; the Dutch Resistance; the civilian townsfolk; and even some of the Germans. McManus also addresses the missteps in leadership and strategy that ultimately to Operation Market Garden’s failure. He eschews the easy targets of Montgomery, Horrocks, Browning, and company, laying a good portion of the blame on Eisenhower for giving in to this plan in the first place. After all, the final decision was his. McManus also explores the decision by the British Armor to hold at Nijmegen and not push on to Arnhem. McManus addresses the decision from all perspectives in a balanced way - not an easy task. His conclusion is solid, based on consideration of all known facts at the time, not just hindsight. For a book to be so detailed, yet so engaging, is an unusual accomplishment.

A couple minor, trivial shortcomings distracted everyone so slightly from the overall excellence. First, McManus often substituted “most” for “almost” (e.g., “most all the soldiers were aware …”). For a professional writer to fall into this grammatical error is surprising. It is such a basic error, like using “irregardless.” He also seemed not to know the difference between a pistol and a revolver - disturbing in a military historian. A number of times he mentioned officers firing their .45 revolvers. I doubt there that many, if any, officers carrying a .45 revolver. And finally, he referred to Eisenhower’s HQ in Versailles as one of the “finest hotels in Paris.” Yet Versailles and Paris are not co-located. These errors are decidedly minor, probably noticed only by grammar nerds, weapons nerds, and geography nerds. I fall into the first two groups, though not so much the third one. They posed minor irritations, but I mention them so that McManus’ editors might take note for the future.

This book is a must-read for anyone w/ an interest in this critical segment of the European theater of WWII. I have read a good number of books on this battle and some of the surrounding battles, but I have never read a finer account. This work was not my first McManus book, and it definitely will not be my last. Extraordinary and highly recommended.

[Al Lock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book that takes a different perspective on Operation Market Garden and the aftermath of it - for just three divisions: the 82d Airborne, the 101st Airborne and the 104th Infantry. These three divisions were put under British command for the operations in Holland, and this book focuses on their experiences. The first portion of the book is focused on the actions of the 101st and 82d as part of Market Garden and puts far more emphasis on the US paratroopers and glider troops and the multiple missions they had to undertake than most previous books. In particular, it discusses the German efforts to disrupt and cut the Allied corridor of advance and the American Airborne troops roll in countering that as well as the efforts to seize the bridges in their sectors. The next portion of the book deals with the 101st and 82d being maintained in defensive positions in Holland after the race to Arnhem had been abandoned. Then the book deals with the 104th Infantry Division (the Timberwolves) and their involvement in clearing the Scheldt estuary, needed in order for Antwerp to be a functional port to support the Allied Armies.

This book is about failure. Despite the bravery, aggressiveness and skill that the men of the 82d Airborne, the 101st Airborne and the 104th Infantry brought to the battle, the operation was a failure, and that is due to command level decisions by a Field Marshall and a Theater Commander.

There was an ongoing mistake in the book that I found irritating. In a number of places, the author recounts the use of .45 pistols by Americans and, at some point in the description, will call the pistol a revolver. One time made me think "hmmm... someone with a 1917?" but multiple times suggest that this was an exercise in trying to diversify the vocabulary. The 1911 is not a revolver, and in both the 82d and 101st, 1911s were the norm. Also, in the notes, the 401st Glider Infantry Regiment is referred to as a Parachute Infantry Regiment. The 401st was never a PIR.

[David Carniglia · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's an incredible amount of detail, and plenty of individual stories of an almost unlimited series of small unit actions in this account of Market Garden. In fact, the bits of information were like puzzle pieces, fascinating in themselves, but difficult to comprehend as a whole picture.

Certainly Market Garden was an unusual battle. The concept of air drops behind German lines, combined with a push from Allied ground forces meant a non-linear battle, with many small engagements. It's great to get the feel of the firefights, but, overall, the book reads as a collection of diaries rather than a cohesive narrative.

Some of the maps are excellent, others rather obscure. Sometimes the maps don't match the sequence of narration. The planning phase of the battle is well-done, especially the influence of Montegomery's obnoxious personality. One wonders what would've happened if Patton's army had been chosen for an offensive instead of Montgomery's.

I feel that I learned more about both Allied and German small-unit tactics and operations than about Market Garden per se. So, the book is useful, and well-written, just not quite what I expected.

[Reuben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meticulously researched and well written, September Hope recounts the failure of Market Garden and places the fault for it squarely where it belongs, not on Montgomery, but on Eisenhower for allowing it to happen in the first place.

Market Garden was an incomplete plan requiring too many resources the Allies did not have and represented the downside of having a Supreme Commander whose specialty was keeping the peace among his multinational force.

McManus’ writing never drags and kept me constantly interested in the story of the American soldiers who, despite its flaws, almost made Market Garden a success instead of the beautiful failure it became.

[Jay Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with all of Prof McManus’ books, I feel as though I should take notes when reading. So much detail. I find that reading his works on Kindle is great, such that I can highlight or annotate a name or location and easily refer back to it. My only complaint is that on my Kindle PW the maps are mostly useless. The detail is too small even when I use the the Kindle image expansion. This more a Kindle issue, I believe. If I could expand the image and scroll across it would be a great feature
I am now completing my reading of Prof. McManus’ library. My interest is driven by my father’s role in the ETO.

[Frank A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went in with high expectations that I would learn more about Operation Market Garden that the Ryan book failed to mention. I will say that I did walk away with a greater understanding of the odd relationship between Eisenhower and Montgomery and also the thought process of the US Airborne commanders with laying out their battle plans. Once a bad decision was made, more bad decisions followed which led to a waste in manpower and material. September Hope was a pleasant read and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to see a different side of the fateful operation.

[Carl Palmateer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good coverage of all that is not in the movie giving far better coverage and balance. As a small point I think the last few chapters during the time between the end of Market Garden and the withdrawal of the 82nd and 101st were too much. When the focus completely changed over to the actions clearing the approach to Antwerp with emphasis on the Canadian 1st Army and the US 104th Infantry Division it stepped beyond the stated scope of the book.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always been fascinated by the Market Garden operation. While most accounts give a great deal of attention to the British Paratroopers in Arnhem, the American part is often given a short shrift. This book goes into a very detailed account of the American part of Market Garden by the 101st and 82nd Airborne as they held the areas and roads around Eindhoven and Nijmegen. I highly recommend this book. Very well researched.

[Todd A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great anecdotes to understand the battle from the GI perspective.

Good details for someone designing scenarios.

I had a tough time following along where we were with everyone. I would’ve loved maps with unit designations. I would like to see if the book has this. Obviously audio doesn’t have this…though it would be. A nice feature to access the photos and maps in these audio books.

I had a hard time keeping the stories together in context of the bigger battle.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing mesmerizing in depth down in the foxhole account of A Bridge Too Far - you hurt and bleed and ache for the soldiers engaged - many personal excerpts from letters and diaries that bring you up close and personal on what went on, on a daily basis for the soldiers in the field for this well known WWII event. I listened to this on my phone with Audible.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read several books on the ill-fated Market Garden operation of WW2, this is the first to deal almost exclusively with the american forces. I will never fail to be amazed at what these men did to help free the world. It also is heart braking to know what could have happened with a few more breaks and some more planning.
Gripping read told mostly by those who were there.

[Steve Smits · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 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.

Update: My siblings, spouses, and I went to the 75th anniversary of the crossing of the Waal in September 2019. The commemoration was completely amazing and inspiring. The Dutch have not forgotten the bravery of the 82nd airborne in liberating their city in 1944. We visited the drop sites where the 504th landed. We saw the bridges at Grave taken by the 508th. There was a recreated crossing of the Waal by the 3rd battalion of the 504th (my Dad's unit). The formal ceremony was led by representatives of the Dutch government, the US ambassador, the commanding general of the 82nd, and the top general of all US special forces. Two veterans of the crossing, now in their late 90's, received special medals from the Dutch government. The evening featured a walk by hundreds of Dutch men, women and children across the bridge (now a new bridge, but in the same place as the 1944 one). It's notable that most of the marchers were not alive in 1944. We learned that every night there are volunteer marchers who cross the bridge in honor of the 1944 capture where 49 American paratroopers perished. In fact, the city street lights are not turned on until the evening march is done. At the end of march the marchers assembled at a memorial below the bridge where a touching event occurred. Our family had lanyards made with my father's 1944 photo on one side and the 82nd's division patch on the other. An elderly woman, probably 85 years +, took the lanyard in her hands and kissed the photo of my father. Tears flowed from us both.

I mentioned above that my family has had a 1944 snapshot picturing my father and two other troopers on a jeep in a residential neighborhood. Piled on the jeep were about 15 children ranging in age from 4-5 to 13-14. We sent the photo to the Nijmegen newspaper who published it inquiring if any of the children could be located. Eight-four year-old Henk Von Loon came forward to identify himself. He was nine years old in 1944. Arrangements were made to meet Henk who shared his memories of the encounter (and other reminisces of the times) and took us to the exact spot where the photo was taken. A memory for a lifetime!

We had the good fortune to meet with Frank Van Lauteren, the author of four books on the campaign history of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Frank's deeply researched work recounts the regiment's story in Sicily and Salerno, Anzio, Holland, and Battle of the Bulge. Regarding Nijmegen, there was much more combat action than just the crossing of the Waal and Frank provides detail on this. Frank had access to many of the veterans of these campaigns (most of whom are now deceased) so he was able to relay their personal anecdotes about the actions of this notable regiment. His books are available through Amazon.

What was most amazing to me was the display of appreciation and gratitude of the Dutch people for their liberation so many years ago. No doubt that today, most Americans are not even aware of this heroic event, but the Dutch have clearly not forgotten.

[Brett Bosley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good account of an underreported subject (most Market-Garden books are Anglo-centric). Does not shy away from gorey details. Has a healthy bibliography, and makes use of Cornelius Ryan's extensive research for A Bridge Too Far. Recommended.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://ucplbookchallenge.blogspot.com...

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely tells the American side, sometimes a bit too disparaging of the British.

[charles miller]

Good read very riveting

Good book . I will have to watch the movie A Bridge to far now. To see the movie version.