On the ground, the Irish Guards of XXX Corps launched their advance eighteen hours late—at 2:15 PM on September 18. The single highway quickly became a parking lot. The Germans, realizing the Allied plan, had dug in with anti-tank guns and artillery. Every bridge had to be cleared by infantry before tanks could cross.
Meanwhile, the ground forces of XXX Corps encountered unexpected delays, due to congested roads and unexpected resistance from German troops. The corps was unable to link up with the airborne troops as quickly as planned. A Bridge Too Far
But instead of a final victory, it became a haunting reminder of the limits of military power. The phrase "a bridge too far," coined by British Lieutenant General Frederick Browning On the ground, the Irish Guards of XXX
The phrase "" originated during the final planning stages of Operation Market Garden in September 1944. It was reportedly coined by Lieutenant General Frederick Browning , who expressed concern to Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery that the ambitious Allied plan to end World War II by Christmas might be overreaching—specifically regarding the final bridge at Arnhem . Every bridge had to be cleared by infantry
: The largest airborne operation in history, dropping thousands of American, British, and Polish paratroopers to seize key bridges in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands.