success or failure

Rating: 10/10 (29 December 2001)

I would like to point out that Operation Market Garden was a success despite not achieving its aims and objectives. The majority of the people you have written comments on this film believe this not to be the case. I have studied military history and even serve within in it. There has never been and never will be a military operation that will achieve all its aims by the means first thought of. John Keegan wrote that 'No plan survives first contact with the enemy'. And, therefore, by their reasoning no military operation is successful. Mistakes happen and people don't always come through. The sad and cruel reality of war is people die and most of the time pointlessly. I don't like it but it is true.
The film was designed to highlight the actions and achievements of the individuals involved. The men on the ground held out longer than anyone could have expected and against greater odds. The film should be viewed as a memorial to those that were willing to fight for something better irrespective of whether the last bridge was secured.
Either way this is a film worth watching at least once just so you can understand what your freedom cost.