The Allies devised a daring plan in the summer of 1944 to bridge the Rhine, march far into northern Germany, and ultimately shorten the war. The 'Market Garden' plan called for the 101st and 82nd US Airborne Divisions and the 1st British Airborne Division to land in the Netherlands via parachute and glider and seize strategic bridges. Then the British 30 Corps could push forward over the Rhine and its tributaries, using the bridges as cover. The three major bridges were located at Nijmegen (85 km; 53 km) and Arnhem (100 km; 62 mi) from the starting line, with two additional, smaller bridges located at Veghel and Grave (13 km; 8 mi) between the two cities. If executed, the plan would free the Netherlands, circumvent the German boundary defenses known as the Siegfried Line, and pave the way for an armored push into the Ruhr, the country's industrial hub.

The airborne divisions arrived on September 17. It was one of the largest airborne operations in history, and eventually all the bridges were taken. Since 30 Corps was unable to reach the farthest bridge at Arnhem before German forces overran British resistance, the strategy ultimately failed. Tanks from the German army, including two SS Panzer divisions, went undetected by Allied spies.

Nearly ten thousand soldiers from the 1st British Airborne Division, led by Major General Roy Urquhart, and the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade landed in Arnhem. However, the landing zones were located seven miles (eleven kilometers) from the Arnhem Bridge. Only one battalion made it to the goal, while the rest were trapped in a small area around Oosterbeek, to the west. Few heavy weapons were available to the lightly armed airborne forces, save for a few anti-tank guns and howitzers that were converted to fit inside gliders.

While 30 Corps soldiers and the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States were able to take Nijmegen Bridge, they were unable to reach Arnhem Bridge. It made the majority of its progress along a single, narrow causeway that was vulnerable to German attack or traffic congestion. Marshes that made it impossible to veer off the beaten path slowed the march in several places. Throughout the conflict, the Germans also displayed an impressive capacity to assemble fighting groups from scratch that fought to stall the armored columns.

A lack of available cargo planes further slowed operations. There were three separate drops of airborne troops into the Netherlands. The forested nature of Arnhem significantly limited the range of wireless equipment, reducing the likelihood of success even further due to communication failures. Both the resupply and airlifting of reinforcements were delayed by the dense fog in England and the low clouds above the battle zone.

About 2,100 members of the 1st Airborne Division were transported back across the Rhine on September 24 and 25. Another 7,500 were killed or captured during the conflict. It took six months longer than expected to cross the Rhine and enter the industrial heartland of Germany. The Allies would need to launch a massive offensive to break into the Reich. There was no way to win easily.

Though Operation Market Garden was an expensive loss, it was nonetheless a spectacular military achievement. This is not due to any grand strategic designs but rather to the heroic efforts of Allied airborne troops and the infantry that attempted to reach them. At a time when many people in the Netherlands were on the brink of hunger, it also resulted in the emancipation of a sizable portion of the country.