Favorite WWII Generals?

There's the very obvious choice of Patton, Rommel and Eisenhower for the European side. Over on the Pacific, I'd side with Yamashita and Slim
 
Gavin? The one commanding 82nd, who was behind the failure of Market-Garden?

Gavin and the 82nd were not responsible for the failure of Market Garen, the blame lies with Browning and Monty

Normally (at least here in Britain), the fight of the British 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem gets most of the coverage in accounts of Market-Garden, with very little space reserved for the fighting at Nijmegen. Interestingly, it was German veterans after the war who noted that it was the fighting at Nijmegen that decided the battle, and the fate of the British 1st Airborne.

The main factor is that 82nd Airborne did not make a major effort toward the poorly guarded Nijmegen Bridge right after the airdrop. In fact only two companies were dispatched toward the bridge late in the day and they were stalled by hastily deployed SS reinforcements. So while Gavin's overall record of generalship was good. During Market Garden that he erred on the side of force protection over mission accomplishment. A costly mistake given the nature of the operation the need secure the bridge ASAP.

Gavin wanted to secure his flanks before pushing into the city and did not expect significant German defences. This was a mistake. Consequently, the 82nd Airborne did not secure the Nijmegen Bridge until D+3, which doomed the British effort at Arnhem.

Of course British failure to exploit the American seizure of the Nijmegen Bridges on 20 September is often brought up as an excuse; (the Americans on the spot criticized the British armour units for failing to push on the 10 miles to Arnhem). But there were sound military reasons for not pushing on without infantry support, (if they had it probably would have yielded a column of burning Sherman hulks along the road to Arnhem). The failure exploiting fleeting opportunities - particularly ones that could decide battles - like Nijmegen was the responsibility of Gavin as he was the commander on the spot.
 

Maur

Banned
Justify this comment.
Nijmegen bridge was the one that wasn't captured on time, and it took 82nd some time to get it after the Guards division arrived. Had they did their job, there would be a good chance the folks holding Arnhem bridge would get relieved on time.

That said, Browning was a complete tool.

Hopefully i haven't mixed up the timeline.

EDIT/ Oh, Urban fox explained it much more thoroughly. On a more curious note, i wonder how much was this influenced by the fact Gavin assumed the command of 82nd mere month before the operation.
 
Nijmegen bridge was the one that wasn't captured on time, and it took 82nd some time to get it after the Guards division arrived. Had they did their job, there would be a good chance the folks holding Arnhem bridge would get relieved on time.

Nothing like being asked to do the impossible.

The Son Bridge (blown up by the Germans) was not captured at all by the 101st Airborne. Horrocks had to wait 10 hours while a Bailey Bridge was constructed across the Wilhelmina Canal. Do you fault Maxwell Taylor for this?

Overall, the whole damned thing was run on a schedule that was too tight and down a supply corridor (Highway 69) that was inadequate for the Operation. That is the fault of Montgomery and Eisenhower.
 

Maur

Banned
Nothing like being asked to do the impossible.

The Son Bridge (blown up by the Germans) was not captured at all by the 101st Airborne. Horrocks had to wait 10 hours while a Bailey Bridge was constructed across the Wilhelmina Canal. Do you fault Maxwell Taylor for this?

Overall, the whole damned thing was run on a schedule that was too tight and down a supply corridor (Highway 69) that was inadequate for the Operation. That is the fault of Montgomery and Eisenhower.
No. But you make a compelling case, actually ;)
 
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