WI no Operation Market Garden?

Carl Schwamberger said:
Clearing the Scheldt would be a very important gain. On the 5th September much of the 15th Army was still in retreat in Flanders.
This has tended to be my preferred choice. Even a few days of continued effort at Antwerp (reached by 1 Sept IIRC) could have pushed out the remnants of 15th Army, which AIUI was more/less on the run at that time.
Carl Schwamberger said:
'Devers Option'
This looks like a really, really good idea.:cool::cool: Better than clearing the Scheldt.:eek:

Question: since the airborne were complaining about lack of use, what about dropping them in advance of XXX Corps at Antwerp? Even if only (mostly:rolleyes:) a diversion for Devers?
 
The problem with the Devers option is that there are not really any strategically important areas across the Upper Rhine ie possible but how does it win the war earlier.

The problem in clearing the Scheldt is Walcheren, which is an island and an Atlantic Wall 'Fortress', which the airborne refused as a target. The only real uses for the airborne forces are Market Garden, the Siegfried line at Aachen, and the Rhine beyond it.
 
Actually, I am not sure how feasible it actually is. But Aachen, although very daring, sounds really intruiging. That would make a sensible foray into Germany which really opens up a whole region, the Rhineland up to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Wesel.
 
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