What positives came out of Operation Market Garden?

by [deleted]

I've asked a similar question before but I'd like to know how it affected further operations. I understand it also helped the Dutch in someway through the hongerwinter but am unsure of the specifics. Many thanks.

NoAstronomer

Market Garden had two primary effects on future operations. One was a direct consequence of the ground gained and one was a more subtle effect on the command relationship in the Allied High Command.

The command impact was that following the ... lack of success ... of the operation Eisenhower finally had the ammunition he needed to stand up to Montgomery. Eisenhower killed Montgomery's single thrust concept permanently and ordered him to focus on opening up the approaches to Antwerp for incoming transports. The supply situation at that point was so tight that most of the rest of the Western Allied army had been forced to limit their operations so that Montgomery could get what he needed.

On the ground, although the operation did not secure the final bridge at Arnhem the ground gained up to Nijmegen was used as the staging area for Operation Veritable in February 1945 that took the Allied 21st Army Group up to Rhine river. From there they would cross the river in March 1945 and cross into Northern Germany.

Forma313

I understand it also helped the Dutch in someway through the hongerwinter

How is it supposed to have helped? I can understand for the areas that were taken during and held after Market Garden, but the rest of the country? To hinder German troop movement the Dutch government in exile called for a railway strike in September 1944, their call was answered and the trains stopped.

I don't know how effective the strike was in hindering the Germans, they had trains of their own after all, but they responded by forbidding the transportation of food, for a period of six weeks. Soon after transportation was allowed again the water ways started freezing over, making transporting food by ship difficult. The rail workers stayed at home, fearing reprisals for the strike. Combined with a dearth of fuel, moving large amounts of food became close to impossible. As a result, cities (especially in the west) ran out of food, an estimated 20,000 people died of starvation.