About this title: The dramatic final volume in Ryan's superb World War II trilogy focuses on the battle for Arnhem. Ryan draws from a vast cast of characters--from Dutch civilians to British and American strategists to common soldiers and commanders--to bring to life this daring military operation. Photos.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date Published: 1995-05-01
ISBN-13:9780684803302ISBN:0684803305
Description: Very good. Very minimal damage to the cover (no holes or tears, only minimal scuff marks), in some instances dust jackets are not included, no missing pages, minimal to no highlighting/under. read more
Description: Good. 0684803305 Book could have a shelf wear, or a bump, or sunfade to edges. These are new unread books from the publisher with one of these conditions. See are feedback as customers are satisfied in how we grade our books. Has remainder mark. Fast shipping and customer service is our number 1 priority! read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date Published: 1995
ISBN-13:9780684803302ISBN:0684803305
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 672 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date Published: 1995-05-01
ISBN-13:9780684803302ISBN:0684803305
Description: Good. Cover different than shown; Mild shelf and corner wear; Minor to moderate soiling to page edges; Minor soiling to covers and spine; Some pages top corners are folded; Mild rubbing\wear to covers and spine; ** Free USPS tracking and confirm on US orders ** read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Touchstone Books
Date Published: 1995-05-01
ISBN-13:9780684803302ISBN:0684803305
Description: NEW. Softcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9780684803302. read more
Description: Very Good. 0684803305 Besides a little bit of weathering on the edge of the front cover, book is in l; ike new condition--pages unmarked, binmding strong. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date Published: 1995
ISBN-13:9780684803302ISBN:0684803305
Description: Good. Books have varying amounts of wear and highlighting. Usually ships within 24 hours in quality packaging. Satisfaction guaranteed. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date Published: 1995
ISBN-13:9780684803302ISBN:0684803305
Description: Very Good+ 0684803305. Light wear to cover. Otherwise the book is in perfect condition; pages are clean with NO markings, binding tight. WWII. Pasadena's finest independent new and used bookstore.; 1.5 x 9 x 6.2 Inches; 672 pages. read more
Edition: Later Printing
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Touchstone Books, New York
Date Published: 1995
ISBN-13:9780684803302ISBN:0684803305
Description: Very Good. 0684803305. Used in wraps. Black remainder mark to lower page edges, otherwise a clean and tight copy. Moderate soiling to page edges.; B/W Photos and Maps; 8vo 8"-9" tall; 670 pages; A BRIDGE TOO FAR is Cornelius Ryan's masterly chronicle of the Battle of Arnhem, which marshalled the greatest armada of troop-carrying aircraft ever assembled and cost the Allies nearly twice as many casualties as D-Day. In this compelling work of history, Ryan narrates the Allied effort to end the war ... read more
"Probably the best book written about a single operation in WWII, A Bridge Too Far chronicles the ambitious plan of Montgomery to airlift troops into Holland, capture the bridges and cross the Rhine, culminating in the defeat of the German Panzer units on the other side. It was and still is one of the greatest Allied defeats of World War II.
Many plans begin with the chilling phrase, "Home By Christmas." Well, this was the ultimate "Home By Christmas" plan and ended ingloriously. The book details the very pointed philosophy on Monty- get the troops behind German lines via paratroopers, then on the other side, crush them with armor. Sandwiched between the two sides, the Germans would be defeated in droves. The book then details the planning and the shear mass of the invasion- it was actually a bigger overall operation than D-Day. And it was as much a failure as D-Day was a success.
For starters, the book makes no bones- Monty was the wrong man to listen to in 1944 (the book, by inference, leads the reader to believe who was- George Patton). The Allies were coordinating too many troops in too many places with far far too many variables. The book does a superb job explaining these moving parts to the reader (complete with very well detailed maps) without making the reader feel overwhelmed. Its a very good and clean read.
But the book's most striking portrayal is of the enemy- the German high command in the West, reeling from a string of defeats, simply puts together its best points- a fearsome infantry backed by energetic and intuitive leaders and officers punctuated with the zeal to succeed. They then luck into many situations, most notably, the Allies ineptitude, and over-thinking.
The book details the average solider on both sides and what they went through- the sheer terror of being dropped into enemy positions to trying to defend against the might of England and the US (without any real support from back home as most resources were being diverted to the East). All in all, the stories the soldiers had to tell range from terrifying to unbelievable (there is one of a retreating American platoon zigzagging all night with what they believed was a British platoon- later they learned it was a German platoon hot on their heals).
The book also pulls no punches- this was, in part, a German success, but most notoriously an Allied failure. It had all the earmarks of a failure- too many troops, too many immediate objectives, too much considerations to commanders, too many troops fighting too many enemy troops with too many variables. The books paints a grand design in how all this went foul.
In the interests of full disclosure, one of the reasons I love this book is because it is the story of how my grandfather got into Europe (82nd Airborne, 325th Glider), and where he did his fighting it what turned out to be the most important war in Western Civilization. I take a personal interest in the story because its his story. Therefore, view my ranking accordingly."
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