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A review by greybeard49
Arnhem: The Battle for the Bridges, 1944 by Antony Beevor
5.0
I have read all of Beevor’s wartime histories and have thoroughly enjoyed them every one. It is his skill as s writer that attracts. He turns what could be dry historical description into thriller-like prose. His account of the characters, the preparation and execution of ‘Market Garden’ is masterful.
He paints in ‘mini’ stories of those involved, individual cameos telling you about a squaddie who foresaw his death and was proved correct or a description of young Dutch kids risking their lives foraging for ammunition from dead soldiers to give to the hard pressed paratroops of the 101st Airborne trapped in the Oosterbeek Pocket. These are peppered all through the book and make the whole thing so very real.
He holds back no punches in describing the idiocy of fools like Montgomery, who has overall responsibility for the debacle, and his subordinates Browning and the strutting but useless martinet Thomas. Their conceit, ineptitude and personal ambition undoubtedly led to the deaths of many thousands of people both soldiers and civilians.
He is particularly moved by the vindictiveness shown by Browning and his cronies to Sosabowski, commander of the Polish troops, and their attempts to scapegoat him.
Overall a truly excellent book.
He paints in ‘mini’ stories of those involved, individual cameos telling you about a squaddie who foresaw his death and was proved correct or a description of young Dutch kids risking their lives foraging for ammunition from dead soldiers to give to the hard pressed paratroops of the 101st Airborne trapped in the Oosterbeek Pocket. These are peppered all through the book and make the whole thing so very real.
He holds back no punches in describing the idiocy of fools like Montgomery, who has overall responsibility for the debacle, and his subordinates Browning and the strutting but useless martinet Thomas. Their conceit, ineptitude and personal ambition undoubtedly led to the deaths of many thousands of people both soldiers and civilians.
He is particularly moved by the vindictiveness shown by Browning and his cronies to Sosabowski, commander of the Polish troops, and their attempts to scapegoat him.
Overall a truly excellent book.