Arnhem was the final and most critical objective of the operation. The British 1st Airborne Division and the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade were tasked with capturing the Arnhem road bridge across the Lower Rhine.
: The largest airborne operation in history up to that point, involving the drop of approximately 35,000–40,000 paratroopers and glider-borne troops behind enemy lines. Their goal was to seize and hold nine key bridges in the Netherlands.
: British troops were dropped 8–10 miles away from the bridge due to fears of anti-aircraft fire, losing the element of surprise. Arnhem 1944 : Operation Market Garden
: Lieutenant-Colonel John Frost and the 2nd Battalion managed to reach the northern end of the bridge and held it for four days under intense pressure before being overwhelmed. Outcome and Legacy
The operation was split into two distinct but interconnected components: Arnhem was the final and most critical objective
: The Allies encountered battle-hardened veterans from the 9th and 10th SS Panzer Divisions, who were refitting in the area.
: A ground assault by the British XXX Corps, which was to advance 62 miles (100 km) from the Belgian border along a single narrow road to relieve the airborne troops and cross into Germany. The Battle of Arnhem: "A Bridge Too Far" Their goal was to seize and hold nine
Ultimately, the operation failed to secure the bridge at Arnhem, which became famously known as "a bridge too far".