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Nijmegen after "Market Garden".

Nijmegen, Netherlands, in the aftermath of the "Market Garden" operation. Nijmegen was the scene of fierce German resistance to the advance of the British armoured column, organised to a great extent by "scratch" Heer and Waffen Ss units on the spot. The resulting delay in the capture of the Nijmegen road bridge was a significant factor in the failure of the Market Garden operation. Somewhat ironically, this bridge was nonetheless a serious weakness in the German defence against the operation, owing to the refusal of Field Marshal Model to demolish it as the British column approached. This refusal was, apparently, just one result of the German confusion as to the objective of the Allied attack, which in this instance persuaded Model that the bridge should be preserved in order to facilitate a German counterattack. When Waffen SS Brigadefuhrer Harmel finally decided to defy Model's order and blow the bridge (with British tanks actually crossing it) the demolition charges failed to explode, possibly due to sabotage by the Dutch resistance. In any event, the crossing of the bridge came too late for the hard-pressed British and Polish paratroopers up the road at Arnhem. Best regards, JR.