Latest conspiracy theory.....
Listening to the History Channel while catching up on e-mail....D-Day and later events in Europe was being discussed.
Fact: Montgomery made a wager with Eisenhower.....Ike said war over by Christmas 1944.....Montgomery put a Fiver at risk.
Fact: Montgomery was never accused of being agressive in his plans....liked the set piece battle with a minimum of 3:1 superiority of his forces over the enemy. Market-Garden was very risky...and did not have that usual trademark superiority in forces.
Conspiracy theory....Montgomery seeing his Fiver was at risk....convinced Ike to approve Market-Garden...knowing it would fail...and thus ensure the war would last longer than Christmas and ensuring his winning the Fiver from Ike.