Figure 1.--The German World War II invsion shocked the Dutch (May 10, 1940). They assumed that neureality would protect thenm as it had during World War I. Here crowds watch SS troops moving into Amsterdam (May 15). Few Dutch people knew what the SS meant yet. Clearly not everyone was upset. The Governmnt as part of its neutrality effort had discouraged newspapers from reporting on NAZI barbarity. There had been a great deal of sympathy toward the Germans during World War I. . This would change as the nature of the NAZIs bcame apparent.

Gen. Fedor von Bock’s Army Group B would carry out the invasion of Belgium and the Netherlands supported by the Luftwaffe. The Germans launched their long-awaited Western Offensive (May 10). The Dutch were surprised and unprepared. They assumed that as in World War I, the Germans would invade Belgium and France, but not their country. The Dutch were actually sympathetic to the Germans in World War I and provided humanitarian assistance after the War. They were, however, dealing with an even more aggessive Germany in 1940. Hitler had demonstrated after Munich that he had no regard for treaties and accepted standards of diplomatic behavior. And that he was intent on redrawing the map of Europe. The Wehrmacht in fact first focused on the neutral Netherlands and Belgium to the south. There was no declaration of war or other warning. The Germans struck with massive force on a wide front against the neutral Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg and their small, poorly equipped armies. The navies and air forces attempted to help, but were just too small and unprepared. And none of these countries had eraly warning sysdtems so their small air forces were largely caught on the ground. Thed British and French moved north to help Belgium and the Netherlands, but there had been no pre-war planning because these countries were relying on their neutrality. This would creatre a deadly trap that would lead to military disaster. In the meantime, the Germans were more than willing to use the Luftwaffe bombers to snuff out any resistance. The Dutch had helped the Germns build their air force during the inter-ar era and now they were paying the consequnces.

May 9

Late at night, outposts along the Dutch and Luxenbourg frontiers with Germany began reporting intense activity and movement of military vehicles.

May 10

Gen. Fedor von Bock’s Army Group B would launch the invasion of Belgium and the Netherlands. The German surprise attack began before dawn when German inleashed the Blitzkrief demonstrated in Poland on the West. The poorly prepared Dutch forces were unble to cope. Luftwaffe bombers attacked early in the morning (3:55 AM). The initial objective was to destroy the small Dutch Air Force. The first target was Waalhaven airfield just south of Rotterdam. This was the first sugnificant use of paratroops in warfare and something the Dutch had not anticipated. The bombers were followed by a paratroop drop to seize the airfield. Dutch troops at Waalhaven resisted, but were overwealmed by the German paratroopers. This gave the Germans a key air base in the Netherlands. And during the first day the Germans desroyed half of the small Dutch Air Force, 62 planes out of the 125 plane force. Other paratroopers landed at Dordrecht, 10n miles south-east of Waalhaven. Here their assignment was to seize the bridge in the town. TYhis as important in moving motorized combat forces into the country. Armor and troop carriers poured into the Netherlands. The Luftwaffe began bombing the city and harbour of Rotterdam. In the midst of the onslaught, German diplomats in the Netherlands, Belgium, amd Luxembourg a memorandum claiming that the British and French Armies, with the consent of Belgian and Dutch Government, were planning to launch an offensive through the Lowlands to attack the Ruhr. There was no such plan, but this was the German justifation for the invasionn. The Germans in the memorandum assured the Dutch and Belgians that their territorial integrity and possessions would be respected. The small Dutch Air Force also fought back. They attacked the Waalhaven airfield seized by the Germans four times, destroying a number of Luftwaffe planes. By the end of the first day, the Germans held Waalhaven airbase and the key Dordrecht Brudge. They also entered the southern outskirts of Rotterdam. They used Waalhaven to bring in troops. The Luftwaffe had 250 Junkers 52 transport planes to airlift the troops. The Germans also bombed the military airfields and barracks around The Hague. Paratroopers wre dropped in an effort to secure quick victory by taking capturing Queen Wilhelmina and the government. They envcountred fierce from the Dutch oldiers and the Queen escaped their grasp. In the fighting for the Hague, th Germzans lost over 180 transport aircrafts, mostly Ju-52s which would have a subdstantial impact on the paratroop capability. [Brongers]

May 11

The Dutch plan of defense was the samne they have used in their long fight against the Spanish and French--retreat into a bastion around the low-lying area around Amsterdam and Rotterdam. [Keegan, pp. 65.] There from fortress Holland they could use canals and rivers to fight off the invading force. The German seizure of Waalhaven and the use of Junkers transports to bring in troops, however, meant that the entire German 22nd Airborn Division was in the heart of the Netherlands and awaiting Army Group B's Panzers. They were lightly armed, but Dutch military commanders failed to mount an all out attack. The Germans began broadcasts demanding that the Dutch surrender. "Surrender, or we will bomb every city in the country flat to the ground like Rotterdam." The Dutch forces continued to surrender. The Dutch cut trees and built barricades on the roads. They blew up bridges to delay the attacking Germans. Several German attemps to seize key bridges failed. The major battle at Grebbeberg began.

May 12

The Dutch used small naval craft to impede the German advance. Canals and other watersway criss cross thec country and the Dyuch tied to use them to impede the German advance. To support them Commander-in Chief of the Royal Netherlands Navy, Vice-Admiral Johannes Theodorus Furstner, ordered naval ships into the waterways. The destroyer Van Galen' entered the Nieuwe Waterweg. Unable to maneuver, the ship was targeted by Luftwaffe bombers and was badly damaged. (After the German victory, Furstner managed to escape by fishing boat. After reaching London, he organized the remnants of the Dutch fleet.) With the seizure of the outposts the previous day, the focus of the German force was on capturing the Frontline, which ran along the eastern slope of the Grebbeberg. The Dutch reinforcements begin to arrive in the afternoon. German tanks were approaching Rotterdam.,

May 13

Army Group B Panzer spearheads joined up with the 22nd Division paratroopers at Waalhaven. The Germans now had the heavy weapons need to complete the occupation of the Netherlands. After thard fighting, the Germans gain the upperhand at Grebbeberg. The Dutch army held out against the German army for 3 days. This was partky due to flooded land. The rebbe Line finally fell. Queen Wilhelmina fled the country aboard the British destroyer HMS Hereward, arriving in London on 13 May. She at first asked to be landed in another Dutch or Belguian port. During World War I, the Belgians had held not a narrow slice of territory. But by this time it was clear tht Dutch forces could not hold any part of the country and the aitution in Belgium was deteriorating. She remarked, "... in due course, with God's help, the Netherland's will regain their European territory." The fact that the Queen fled sdhockd th Dutvh pople. Rge newspapers had been reporing Dutch successes. The innitial reaction to the Queenbn's flight was negtive. But ovrertine as the charcter of the Germnd be csme pparent, the Queen bcme a nztyionl hero.

May 14

The Germans decided to smash Dutch resistance by mounting a masive attack on the great port of Rotterdam. They idea was to shock the Dutch Governmnt into surrendering. The assault on Rotterdam began (May 14). They claimed British troops were landing on the Maas River, threatening German positions. The Luftwaffe bombed the seaport. The city center was devestated. Nearly 1,000 people were killed, although initial press reports were higher. It was widely believed at the time to be a NAZI terror bombing. This was a tactic in the NAZI War effort. Hitler describes the tactic as "Schrecklichkeit" (frightfulness), the use of terror to break a country's will to resist. It worked. The German ground attack began after nonnon and within hours the Germans were in the center iof the city. An estimated 30,000 civilian were killed or wounded. Finally the German threat to bomb Utrecht, convinced the Dutch government to surrender. The terror bombing of Rotterdam convinced the already hard-pressed Dutch Army to surrender to save Utrecht.

May 15

The Government after the Luftwaffe's bombing of Rotterdam and the departure of the Queen ordered Dutch forces to cease resistabnce (May 15). Dutch commanders were ordered to destroy all their ammunition. The Germans enter Amsterdam.

May 16

Scattered resistance continued for 2 days after the surrender. The rest of the Netherlands was in German hands (May 16). Dutch forces resisted at the Ypenburg and Ockenburg air bases. German transport planes trying to land troops, but were shot down.

Sources

Brongers, E. H. The Battle for the Hague 1940 (Aspekt BV: 2004).

Keegan, John. The Second World War (Penguin: New York, 199o), 607p.

Stueck, Rudi. E-mail, June 22, 2010.

Created: 8:18 AM 12/23/2021
Last updated: 8:19 AM 12/23/2021