German Forces cross Maastricht Corridor in WWI

Inspired by Parma's Netherlands in WWI thread...

IIRC the original von Schiefflen plan called for German forces to bypass most of the Belgian Forts by moving through the Maastricht Corridor in the south east Netherlands. Following Schiefflen's death this part of the plan (like many others) was modified shifting the outermost thrust of the German offensive south as to not violate the terretorial sovereignty of the Netherlands.

Now WI the German High Command decides to keep that part of the initial plan and send the outermost thrust of their offensive through the Maastricht Corridor? What does the Netherlands do? Do they join the Entente?
 
Those silly Krauts...

Of course the Dutch join the Entente. They've been invaded. They'll also need British support to stop the Japanese from possibly making a grab for the East Indies with their nation under the German heel. Things still go according to OTL. German forces fail to keep to the timeline due to the British and now Dutch forces slowing their maneuvers and the offensive is blunted before the Germans take Paris. The Germans might actually penetrate less into France due to having to cover and control more territory. Hell, the Dutch may even open the dikes and make things very difficult for Germany.

Now I could see this alteration in German tactics leading to the conquest of all Belgium in the best case scenario, but it would come at a cost to France. I could also see this as being even more negative for Germany internationally as they have now invaded yet another neutral power.
 
This plan means taking the bridges in and around Maastricht intact.
In WWII the Germans used unconventional forces to achieve that.
How are they going to do it in WWI?

The Dutch have no other options but to do as Belgium did IRL. Staying neutral despite being attacked would seem moronic.

BTW how did this happen? Did Wilhelm suddenly vanish?

It won't make that much difference for the Germans military-wise; if necessary they can just take the S-Netherlands up to the big rivers and leave the rest for later.
However, that would mean leaving the Dutch alone for at least a week to prepare Fort Holland which isn't that good an idea.

Logistically it'll give the Germans an advantage as they have more room to move West, instead of 'squeezing' through Belgium.
They won't have much use of Dutch railroads however; due to the shape of the S-Netherlands, most railroads will be going North-South or Northwest AFAIK.

However, the Germans might be able to use the 'IJzeren Rijn', a railroad between Antwerpen and Munchengladbach, which runs partly through the Netherlands (thanks to the treaty formalizing the Belgian independence in 1839 granting the Belgians a road/canal/RR to the German Ruhr).
That would make it a lot easier for them to speed up their rightflank movement.
 

HJ Tulp

Donor
No use for the Dykes as Limburg isn't under sealevel. I don't know if the Maas-bridges were mined, I suspect the weren't. However, the Dutch Army was mobilised after the death of Franz Ferdinand. If the Germans don't earmark forces to keep an eye on the Dutch then there could very well be a couple of raids into German territory.
 
No use for the Dykes as Limburg isn't under sealevel. I don't know if the Maas-bridges were mined, I suspect the weren't. However, the Dutch Army was mobilised after the death of Franz Ferdinand. If the Germans don't earmark forces to keep an eye on the Dutch then there could very well be a couple of raids into German territory.

I know. I'm from Maastricht. :D
 
Of course the Dutch join the Entente. They've been invaded. They'll also need British support to stop the Japanese from possibly making a grab for the East Indies with their nation under the German heel.

This is World War One, Japan is a member of the Allied Powers
 
Nice thread,

How would the Dutch cabinet react on an ultimatum of the German Gouverment as happened to Belgium?
Among the Dutch population at that time there were not much anti German simpathies in contrary towards the British. During the Boer wars the ''Africander cousins'' could count on a large support and simpathy of the Dutch population and the British were regarded as arrogant aggressors. This changed after mesages were known about the cruelties German soldiers made to Belgian civilians.
The comander of the Dutch army, General Sneijders, was even open pro German, as were a lot of other officers in variuos degrees. This was just military pragmatism to plain adoration of Prusian militarism. The same could be said for the politicians. How ever most of them had a broder view than the Officers.

The German Gouverment made an ultimatum of using Dutch teritory for pasage of their army. Though Brabant and Limburg.

-Dutch gouverment reject:
Dutch army elements in Brabant would be soundly defeated, as were army elements, regardlless their strenght, so far there were army elemnt so close to the borders. Dutch army would retreat behind the great rivers.
Dutch army would stand and or in worst case retreat to the ''stelling of Amsterdam''
Part of BEF and French army would reinforce Dutch army, but stallmate would reached in this country very fast. It is easy to defend behind marshy lands and rivers, but it is equaly difficult for a counter attack.

-Dutch gouverment cave in making the Netherlands as a part of the Entente:
Dutch army will soner or later get involved in the fighting on the Western front.
It is doubtfull if these extra, badly trained, equiped and motivated, troops would make a difference.
Indonesia would be inmidiatly invaded by the British and even the Japanese. I wonder if the Japanese soldiers treat the Dutch civilians the same as they did 30 years later.
Surinam and Caribian posesions would ocupied by British and French troops.
If war drags on shortage and plain hunger would strike the Dutch population much earlier as the German population did in OTL.
 
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