The Allies in 1944 were still riding high on their successes on D-Day, and they were pushing hard against German forces to bring World War II to a close. Overconfidence is, perhaps, one reason for their failure to take the last bridge at Arnhem, a strategically vital point in the Netherlands. The botched mission inspired A Bridge Too Far -- a book by Cornelius Ryan and a movie directed by Richard Attenborough -- both of which attempted, with differing levels of success, to tell the story. Historian Anthony Tucker-Jones tackles the subject in The Battle for Arnhem 1944-1945, an Images of War book from Pen & Sword.

As is typically the case with books in this series, the author provides plenty of textual detail and context for the subject matter, so readers who aren't already conversant with the battle can quickly get up to speed. In only a few pages, I understood the reasons for the mission, the difficulties facing Allied forces and the limited planning that went into it. Throughout the book, Tucker-Jones explains clearly the action as it occurred, and the disappointing results.

Of course, the real strength of an Images book is the, you know, images. There are more than 150 of them here, including a few from the movie version of A Bridge Too Far for illustrative purposes. Most of the black-and-white photos are from the battle, its preliminary stages and its aftermath. You'll see the leaders who directed the action, and the men who carried out their orders. You'll see the tanks fielded for the advance, the guns, the Bailey bridges they used to cross otherwise impassible waterways, the aircraft -- including gliders -- that were used to land troops ahead of the advancing army. There are also photos from German archives, showing the leaders planning to block the Allied advance, and the men and equipment to whom the task fell. Several maps provide details of their movements. You'll see destruction that was left behind, and the faces of Allied prisoners being led away by German captors.

You'll also see (and learn about) the more successful mission that followed that initial failed push.

The Battle for Arnhem 1944-1945 is another excellent volume from the Images series. By the end of the book, I had a fairly clear understanding of what occurred -- and why.

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