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I don't like Middlebrooks book anyway, he all took the stories for granted and although I have respect for the old guys, Tom and Sapper ( not personally to you but just for example as you are the Vets on this forum) , most probably know themselves that after so many years things are not too clear always, and I have found out myself with arnhem veterans that stories have changed troughout the years, but he is not a historian but just a "money" writer and didn't take the time to check out if the accounts were correct.
9. Lack of push in 2nd Army and XXX Corps. (And I would single out in particular 2nd (Armoured) Battalion Grenadier Guards after Nijmegen, who did not seem to be prepared to accept losses to break through what was a very thin front)
But who the hell is he too put out the above note, by now it was quite clear the germans had a good defence line, and yes NOW we know it was a thin front, but this was the same with the Oosterbeek perimeter a couple of days later,if the germans had concentrated all there armour and SS troops on one line the would have easly cut it in half, but again NOW thats know.
10. Failure of Urquart to appreciate the importance of the Westerbouwing height and the Rhine ferry below and the failure to accept the advice of Sosabowski that there was a better crossing downstream of where it was attempted by 4th Dorsets
I the orginal plan a company The Border Regiment was ordered to occupied the Westerbouwing which they did, when the operation all had go as planned this was enough, but now it when the other way, and Urquhart probably expected that 2nd Army had an easy trip reaching him, if he knew different that he probably made another plan.
again and again it is al easy talking now, but if we are on this way anyway, what if Hitler never was born would there have been a WOII?
I like the WOII history but would never "Blame" any decisions made during that period as people never knew what we knew now, and would we have done it different without all the knowledge of today?
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