The strategic objective of the operation that led to the ‘Battle of Arnhem’ was to create a bridgehead between the Nederrijn and the IJsselmeer with its front to the east. It required deep penetrations or bridgeheads over the River IJssel near Zwolle, Deventer, Zutphen, and eventually Doesburg. The entire bridgehead would have to function as an operational base for an eventual advance north of the Siegfried Line towards the North German Plain and the Ruhr. The tactical objective was to cut off German troops from their launch sites for V2 rockets in the Western Netherlands.
Airborne troops (Operation Market) had to secure the line of advance from the south and the bridges over the rivers and canals up to the Waal at Nijmegen to prepare the way for the ground troops (Operation Garden). The airborne troops consisted of paratroopers and glider troops. The tactical objectives of the airborne Operation Market were to secure the objectives of the land Operation Garden. But events took a different turn.