Today in History: Operation Market Garden Begins On this day in 1944, the Allies launched Operation Market Garden, one of the largest airborne assaults of World War II. From September 17–25, Allied forces fought to seize key bridges over the River Rhine and push into German-occupied territory in the Netherlands. The operation led to the liberation of cities like Eindhoven and Nijmegen, along with dozens of towns and villages along a 60-mile corridor through enemy lines. Pictured: Private Thomas