This star studded lengthy movie is quite an accurate dramatization of the 1944 attempt by the British troops to capture a series of dutch bridges leading to Berlin by Bernard Montgomery. The tank and paradropping in this movie are actual shots and not computer generated animated.
Most battle enthusiastics believe that the only way to win a war is by outwitting and/or outnumbering the enemy. However in this movie (which is quite an accurate dramatization) there is a second way… be so foolish that the enemy gets confused. The movie is shot from allied point of view and shows the lack of regard for planning and coordination amongst the British troops. Although Montgomery termed the invasion to be 90% successful, the movie clearly answers why Churchill could not afford more of Montgomery successes.
A must watch movie for WW-II enthusiasts
2 replies on “A Bridge Too Far (1977)”
This battle is a subject in the book “The Psychology of Military Incompetence” by Norman Dixon. The strategy and tactics were so foolish – para drop in broad daylight, the ground tank forces to reach in 48 hours on a road that had palce for less than 2 tanks headway(they took 9 days) and even before the para drop, the fact that two crack panzer divisions had moved into the drop zone was ignored. However since Montgomery was already a Field Marshal he could be denied further promotion. At least he should not have been made CIGS.
@Ramaswami..
I agree this battle was the pinnacle of poor strategy.