Parachutists jump over Dutch heath to mark WWII operation

Hundreds of parachutists floated out of clear blue skies in the eastern Netherlands Saturday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of a daring but ultimately unsuccessful World War II mission that Allied commanders hoped would bring a swift end to the global conflict.

Operation Market Garden was British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's ill-fated plan to drop some 35,000 paratroopers deep behind enemy lines in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands to capture and secure key roads and bridges, so that Allied forces massed in Belgium could pour into Germany's industrial heartland and bring World War II to an end.

On Saturday, military aircraft flew low over Ginkel Heath and parachutists leaped out as thousands of spectators looked on, applauding as the soldiers walked past after landing.

Spectators watch a parade of historic WWII military vehicles prior to a mass parachute drop at Ginkel Heath, eastern Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, as part of commemorations marking the 75th anniversary of Operation Market Garden, an ultimately unsuccessful airborne and land offensive that Allied leaders hoped would bring a swift end to World War II by capturing key Dutch bridges and opening a path to Berlin. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)

The British 1st Airborne Division led the huge airborne assault in September 1944 that also involved the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division and 82nd Airborne Division, along with Poland's 1st Independent Parachute Brigade.

But once on the ground, the Allied troops met with stubborn German resistance in and around the city of Arnhem and their advance stalled on a bridge there spanning the River Rhine in a battle immortalized in the book and Hollywood film "A Bridge Too Far."

More Allied troops — about 11,500 — died in the nine days of Operation Market Garden than in the D-Day landings.

Spectators gather at the Dropzone Y monument prior to a mass parachute drop at Ginkel Heath, eastern Netherlands, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, as part of commemorations marking the 75th anniversary of Operation Market Garden, an ultimately unsuccessful airborne and land offensive that Allied leaders hoped would bring a swift end to World War II by capturing key Dutch bridges and opening a path to Berlin. (AP PhotoPeter Dejong)

Britain's Prince Charles and the former Dutch queen, Princess Beatrix, were among dignitaries who joined the ever-dwindling group of veterans who took part in the operation for the annual commemoration event

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to outline his vision for Europe to become a more assertive global power against a backdrop of war in Ukraine and other security and economic challenges, in a speech on Thursday ahead of pivotal European Parliament elections in June.

The French president plans to focus on strategic and geopolitical issues in Europe, including defense, the economy, protecting the environment and safeguarding democracy, his advisers said. Russia’s war in Ukraine, now in its third year, is expected to be the main theme of the speech Macron will deliver at Paris’ Sorbonne University on Thursday.

France has been an firm supporter of Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, and Macron has often clashed with other Western leaders as he has insisted that Europe must stand by the country at any cost. Last month, the French president alarmed European leaders by saying that sending Western troops into Ukraine to shore up its defenses shouldn’t be ruled out.

Macron, a staunch European, is also expected to rally support for his centrist Renaissance party ahead of the June 6-9 elections for the European Parliament. The French president lost his majority in France’s most influential house of parliament, the National Assembly, after the 2022 election to the far-left coalition and the far-right National Rally party.

The social situation in France remains tense as Paris prepares to host the Olympic Games this summer, amid protests from teachers, police officers, and farmers in recent weeks. The protests follow huge demonstrations last year against Macron’s ultimately successful proposal to rise the retirement age.

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a media conference at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, April 18, 2024. European Union leaders on Wednesday debated a new "European Competitiveness Deal" aimed at helping the 27-nation bloc close the gap with Chinese and American rivals amid fears the region's industries will otherwise be left behind for good. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)