Climax at Nijmegen Bridge

Operation Market Garden was to be characterized by intense fighting for the control of a number of vital bridges. Each was a vital link in the chain leading to Arnhem. The road bridge across the Waal River in Nijmegen was …

1944-09-20

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Operation Market Garden was to be characterized by intense fighting for the control of a number of vital bridges. Each was a vital link in the chain leading to Arnhem. The road bridge across the Waal River in Nijmegen was the second of three bridges which had to be secured in order to relieve the British 1st Airborne and throw a force across the Rhine. A task force composed of a mixture of U.S. paratroopers and the British armored relief column was assigned to take it. The paratroopers had successfully crossed the Waal in company strength one mile west in a daring daylight river assault. The orders for the task force in Nijmegen were to cross the road bridge at any cost and link up with the paratroopers who were fighting their way toward the north end of the bridge.

Nijmegen, Netherlands

The Battle of Nijmegen or Liberation of Nijmegen occurred in the Netherlands from 17 to 20 September 1944, as part of Operation Market Garden during World War II. The Allies' primary goal was to capture the two bridges over the Waal River at Nijmegen – the road route over the Waalbrug (Waal Bridge) and Nijmegen railway bridge – and relieve the British 1st Airborne Division and Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade at Arnhem, 10 miles (16 km) north of Nijmegen. The Allied infantry units at Arnhem were surrounded by German forces, and involved in heavy fighting for control of bridges over the Rhine. Delays caused by hastily-organised German reinforcements at Nijmegen ultimately led to the failure of Operation Market Garden. It took the Allies longer than expected to secure a land route to Arnhem, where the British and Polish forces were forced south of the Rhine and sustained massive casualties. In addition, fighting at Nijmegen cost hundreds of civilian lives, and caused significant damage to many buildings in the city.

Wikipedia: Battle of Nijmegen

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