Suppose the German army invade the Netherlands. That is to say accidental
German units cross the Dutch border in the province of Limburg in their march to Belgium and France.
The Dutch respond, in line with their armed nuetrality policy, and fire upon the German Units. Germany diplomats respond by giving the Dutch an ultimatum, more or less copy paste of the one the Belgians recieved. The Dutch refiuses and war between the Netherlands and Germany is a fact.
Let asume the, well prepared Dutch field army made a succesfull fighting retreat, as practiced many times, in the process giving the German right flank some head aches and making the Belgian army retreat to the North, to the Nehterlands, instead of the South.
In October the Dutch are behind their rivers and waterlines. This could be the South water line in Brabant and could also be the river Ijssel or the Ducht water line just East of the city Utrecht. Probably the Provice of Zeeland will be still Dutch too.
This part of the West front would most liklely be a side show, how will the West Front will evolve when the whole of Belgium will be occupied?
Any thoughts what kind of weapons, vehicles, vessels could be developed in this innundated front.
And would Churhill come up with his grand stratigy of crossing the Zuyderzee in to Frisland via Groningen to East Frisia and finaly the German Naval base Whilhelms Haven?
Any ideas?
Note:
The Netherlands was one of the first countries who mobilised their army.
The army was devided in a field army and a larger fortification army. The field army main task was to commence a fighting retreat by delaying the enemy, in order to
gain time to prepare the inundations.
The army was for 1914 standards modern. Known short commings was absence of heavy artillery and the low ammunition stok pile.
The field army was wearing field gray uniforms, the older echelons of the fortification army the older dark blue jackets and light blue trousres.
Soldiers were equiped with a relative modern rifles. Field artilery was also up to date for 1914 standards.
As a novum there was a flying group of six Farman airoplanes for scouting and artilery observations.
The Dutch navy was in the home waters more an extension of the army, a brown water navy with river gun boats and coastal defence ships and mine layers. The navy for the high seas was designed to operate in Indonesia. In contrast to the army the navy start to modernise to late.
The Dutch Navy comprises of a several classes of armored cruisers and small battle ships (more coastall defence ships like the Scanidanivians) all build at the turn of the century.When the last of this type ( the Zeven provincien) was commisioned in 1905, debate started to build a proper battleship fleet to deter the threat of the Japanese. A very far developed battle fleet plan evovled after this discussions and a fleet law would pass parlaiment but war prevent this plans executed. The Navy in did had seven submarines of which five where in Dutch waters when war broke out.
German units cross the Dutch border in the province of Limburg in their march to Belgium and France.
The Dutch respond, in line with their armed nuetrality policy, and fire upon the German Units. Germany diplomats respond by giving the Dutch an ultimatum, more or less copy paste of the one the Belgians recieved. The Dutch refiuses and war between the Netherlands and Germany is a fact.
Let asume the, well prepared Dutch field army made a succesfull fighting retreat, as practiced many times, in the process giving the German right flank some head aches and making the Belgian army retreat to the North, to the Nehterlands, instead of the South.
In October the Dutch are behind their rivers and waterlines. This could be the South water line in Brabant and could also be the river Ijssel or the Ducht water line just East of the city Utrecht. Probably the Provice of Zeeland will be still Dutch too.
This part of the West front would most liklely be a side show, how will the West Front will evolve when the whole of Belgium will be occupied?
Any thoughts what kind of weapons, vehicles, vessels could be developed in this innundated front.
And would Churhill come up with his grand stratigy of crossing the Zuyderzee in to Frisland via Groningen to East Frisia and finaly the German Naval base Whilhelms Haven?
Any ideas?
Note:
The Netherlands was one of the first countries who mobilised their army.
The army was devided in a field army and a larger fortification army. The field army main task was to commence a fighting retreat by delaying the enemy, in order to
gain time to prepare the inundations.
The army was for 1914 standards modern. Known short commings was absence of heavy artillery and the low ammunition stok pile.
The field army was wearing field gray uniforms, the older echelons of the fortification army the older dark blue jackets and light blue trousres.
Soldiers were equiped with a relative modern rifles. Field artilery was also up to date for 1914 standards.
As a novum there was a flying group of six Farman airoplanes for scouting and artilery observations.
The Dutch navy was in the home waters more an extension of the army, a brown water navy with river gun boats and coastal defence ships and mine layers. The navy for the high seas was designed to operate in Indonesia. In contrast to the army the navy start to modernise to late.
The Dutch Navy comprises of a several classes of armored cruisers and small battle ships (more coastall defence ships like the Scanidanivians) all build at the turn of the century.When the last of this type ( the Zeven provincien) was commisioned in 1905, debate started to build a proper battleship fleet to deter the threat of the Japanese. A very far developed battle fleet plan evovled after this discussions and a fleet law would pass parlaiment but war prevent this plans executed. The Navy in did had seven submarines of which five where in Dutch waters when war broke out.
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