The subsequent defeat at Arnhem made it clear that the war would not end soon, and that much hard fighting lay ahead. Bradley was drawn into costly battles at Aachen, the Hürtgen Forest and Metz. In making his decision in favour of a broad front advance, Eisenhower took both political and strategic factors into account. He considered the political consequence in an American election year, and damage that might be done to inter-Allied cooperation if one nation was seen as being favoured over the other. He was aware of the glittering prospect of an early victory that Montgomery offered, but rightly judged it beyond reach.