A Bridge Too Far - The Landing Zone Dilemma

[JohnnyZenith]

Perhaps I should remind that this is a British made film. We do not shy from self criticism.

[MAJK30]

@JohnnyZenith I am glad that you acknowledge the criticism of English generals, especially General Browning and field marshal Montgomery

[Trashcansam123]

Was Hackman's accent accurate. I can't find anything to base my accent off of.

[johngal56]

As the opening titles said, Monty and Patten were rivals and disliked each other intensely. The reason Monty got his way for this hair-brained operation was that Patton was an embarassment to Eisenhower after the GI 'slapping' incident in North Africa. Patton later proved his metal by brilliantly coming to the rescue of besieged Allied units following the German's attack in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge.

[yyzxxz2003]

Montgomery was over rated as a general. Montgomery could only win battles so long as he held the advantage in men and material as in North Africa.

When he had to fight a force that was as strong as his own he always lost or fought to a stalemate. Another thing about him was that he was not able to adapt to battle situations as they occurred. As an example he kept pounding his head against Caen for a month and he couldn't crack it until the American breakout around the end of July @ St. Lo.

[rogal270]

thats a really good burn by Hackman/Sosabowski

[quest8899]

The British used to be cool back then

[JohnnyZenith]

@quest8899 We still are thanks.

[wcywing]

i love Gene Hackman, just making sure whose side you are on. classic. the drop zone was not even on the photo map?!

[GrappendeGrapjas]

Who was the officer? Connery was Urquhart, but who was the other?

[widmo05]

@GrappendeGrapjas

Gene Hackman played role of general Stanislaw Sosabowski

[GrappendeGrapjas]

I know. But I don't mean Hackman. I mean the briefing one next to Urquhart (Connery). The snooty British one.

[schizoidboy]

@GrappendeGrapjas I think he is Jeremy Kemp.

[EmanuelPet]

@GrappendeGrapjas

Jeremy Kemp

[MAJK30]

stupid British

[JohnnyZenith]

@MAJK30 Who do you think you are? We were one of the major reasons the war against Germany was won. Have some respect. Everybody makes mistakes. The Americans did too, do not be fooled.

[MAJK30]

@JohnnyZenith Respect? respect and apologies are due for the Poles that they were betrayed by the British and the Yankees in Teheran and Yalta. Before you start to pay attention to me, teach the history, but not written by Montgomery, who contributed to its inadequacy to the death of many soldiers during the battles in Normandy and Holland. Operation Market Garden could have been saved and reap the benefits, but "Lord of Alamein," ruled that the failure

[quest8899]

English people are cool

[sherminatorize]

ya the woul plan sucks but they were just tinking about ending the war by christmas stupid bastards

[Rickhunter12345]

Yah. That General should have said, "Send every damn plane from Britain and France that was used for D-Day and get it here now so we can use all our forces and hit the enemy at once."

That stupid intelligence officer didn't know a dang thing about equiping an Army. I would have fired his sorry butt and gotten someone in there that could give the soldiers what they needed. So yes, General Monty and his idiot officers once again went in with holes in there plan that cost us thousands of men.

[NX74656]

This was a really great scene from "A Bridge Too Far". Thanks for posting this video.

[23Revan84]

I would have told that guy this plan is Bullshit !

[goldyn12345]

i think they should have given the command to patton and not monty,patton was the allies best in my opinion.

[tomeczek132]

true but if allied commanders would listen to him we wouldn't be speaking right now cause earth would be nuclear wasteland... but he was the best allied commander and i think ifhe would be in charge allied command wouldn't make such a big mistakes then... although he was a little insane wich suits great to the time of war.

[goldyn12345]

if they listened to patton then your country wouldnt have had to suffer fifty years of communism,he wanted to crush the russians and drive straight on to moscow!! who knows what would have happened!

[BradBrassman]

Same as what happened to Hitler and Napoleon.

[goldyn12345]

it could well have done, how lucky are the russians having a winter like that!!!

[BradBrassman]

Aye. My old man did some of his National Service in Berlin in the 50's where the used to joke that Russian weapons came with a lable containing two instructions. 1. Retreat until winter, 2.Attack

[goldyn12345]

lol

[sergeontheloose]

it just tells how idiotic are the armies of germans and their supply for not providing soldiers with warm clothes.

Are there are any wam clothes in the german army even today that can withstand 40 degree cold? I don't think so.

[goldyn12345]

your right, hitler knew what happened to napoleons army. i suppose he thought he would have crushed satlin by the first snowfall!!!

[yaqppl]

Huh, I love Patton :D

But I Think that soviets were been stronger than him, and whole allied army. You should thank god that someone has invented A-bomb, beacouse JS wanted much more than middle europe...

[goldyn12345]

yes i think that stalin would have liked to have overun the whole of europe from vladivostock to portugal!!! and maybe more!! he was just as bad if not worse than hitler!

[Wisey134]

Even I'm British and I agree, Sosabowski was a great General of his country, I feel sorry for him because he knew the dangers of the operation and used as a scapegoat because of some foolhardy, arrogant British generals.

[Seedgroup]

After the battle Sosabowski was unjustly made a scapegoat for the failure of Operation Market Garden, following a critical evaluation by English Lt. Gen. Frederick Browning.He was accused of criticizing Field Marshal Montgomery and the Polish General Staff was forced to remove him as the commanding officer of his brigade on 27 December 1944.He was made the commander of guard troops and in July 1948 he was demobilised.BRITISH HOSPITALITY. They fuckup this operation.Sosabowski was a great general!

[goldyn12345]

yeah your right,browning fucked up not sosabowski

[frankerspanker]

@Seedgroup totally agree with you but you might wanna cite wikipedia..

[Trashcansam123]

@Seedgroup Yeah. Everybody blames the Polish guy.

[SillyGrandpa]

The Poles should have been in charge of this operation. They would have kicked the krauts in the ass, big time.

[goldyn12345]

you could be right there.

[tomeczek132]

but Poles had no airbourne operational expirience. U.S should lead the operation, because they had battle hardened two airborne well equipped divisions. US were more brave in planning than english but they often used to say that they prefer relying on british plans so... I think its all Monty's fault...

[viking303]

well tomeczek132, U.S airborne had only 1 battle experience wich I know of. More experience would be watching gemrans parachute operations in Norway,crete (Greece) and Holland (Maybe some more) and that is maybe why the britts were doing this operation? Tho I would personally have put Sosabowski in charge but, the high commanders at that time could have no idea of Poles expeirence since they listened... to... Nazi propaganda from 1939...

[tomeczek132]

I think that airborne is diffrent formation than infantry so logically they had no expirience in fighting as airborne troops. I am Polish and as a commander I wouldn't put Poles in charge of the operation in that time, although I would carefully listen to all side's problems and claims.

[viking303]

Yeh the units itself had no experience, but the intelligence had some experience of what the germans did. Tho your way of thinking is very good. It is also important to remember the political aspect that the Britts had problems in beeing the leaders, so they tried to the run most operations themselfs (To Gen.Patton's anger). Tho the best would have been tolerent and listened to all parts 100% agree to that.

[tomeczek132]

Don't get me wrong I think Poles had grater expirience in effective fighting against Germans than Allies had till 1942 but since 1944 we (Poles) had nothing to say (including military and politics) especially in that kind of operations.

[viking303]

yes that's pitty

[loewie3007]

at the wide part they could advance further too arnhem germans made ditches along side the road when the lead tank was hit it was over and that happend they could not advance more further for half an hour

[loewie3007]

at the wide part they could advance further too arnhem germans made ditches along side the road when the lead tank was hit it was over and that happend they could not advance more further for half an hour

[goldyn12345]

just making sure who's side your on,lol,great line.

[camselle]

this flick had more Oscar winners than any i can remember...

[goldyn123]

why was sosabowski the only one to speak out against the plan,did they all really think it could work?drop troops 60 miles behind enemy lines,drive a armour coloum along a single track road.doomed to failure

[kealyc]

Mindless optimism, underestimating German strength, Montgomery should have resigned after Market Garden, or Churchill should have sacked him.

[goldyn12345]

thats right,monty even said the plan was ninety per cent succesful,i dont know how he worked that one out.

[hoadmaback]

I wouldnt say mindless optimism, - I'd say they knew how many would die in the attempt to secure a few bridges. They really did know about the SS troops in he area. Do you think hey would tell that to the men they were sending in?

Of course not.

The Poles presence may well have changed this story big time. But lets not forget the incredible way the Brit Paras fought & died, and held off the SS long enough to have the bridges to the south secured

[baliw002]

Monty for all his efforts is a B-level officer. You could call 2nd rate. I dont know what the Brits are thinking wen they gave him command. Is INCOMPETENCE A COMMON TRAIT IN BRITISH MILITARY??

[matt2house]

not all british generals are incompetent, the reason why monty was put in command is because he won a succesful victory at el alamein against rommel. market garden was just an extent of his own ego since the yanks were pounding the shit outta the jerries.

[viking303]

Yes the underestimating of Germans love for their fatherland was a great mistake, it's a reason that many of the German soldiers weren't nazis... They defended their homeland... and now it would happen in REAL in Germany

[qbarycerz]

@goldyn123

British officers trusted Montogomery blindly after his campaign in North Africa. Notabene: after fail of Market Garden, they all blamed one persone: general Sosabowski "for his pesimism". That was rude.

[goldyn12345]

@qbarycerz sosabowski was a great man, he was very brave in voicing his concern for this very poor plan. i personally think monty was overated, he only beat rommel in the desert because he outnumbered him massively in troops,tanks,materials etc!!

[sleeky01]

Gene Hackman had the best lines in this film.

[HenryvKeiper]

I agree with that.

[Plankton2142]

Most of Holland is under sea-level, and some of the land in Holland was too soft for the Horsa glide landings

[airborneSGT]

Is that how they originated the 10 mile tab for the Paras?

[HenryvKeiper]

I guess so.