Netherlands in WO I

hey guys,

ik just got 2 questions;

-what if Netherlands joined the Central powers (Germany, Austria) during WO I?

-What if what if Netherlands joined the Entente (great britain, France) during WO I?

Thank you :)
 
-what if Netherlands joined the Central powers (Germany, Austria) during WO I?

The Dutch army in 1914 wasn't as bad as it was 26 years later. The Germans might conquer that last bit of Belgium on the other side of the Yser river, but otherwise the Dutch will clog up the Belgian road network even more. A small contribution from a small army which will cost Germany a friendly neutral to import stuff through. Slightly earlier CP defeat due to a more effective British blockade if you ask me.

And Belgium is likely to get the territory it wanted from the Dutch (Limburg, Zeeuws Vlaanderen) which will give Belgium coal and direct access to the North Sea from Antwerp.

That said, I think it's unlikely that the Dutch will join since victory is far from certain (although Queen Wilhelmina was pro-German at the time).

-What if what if Netherlands joined the Entente (great britain, France) during WO I?

Possible if the Germans violate Dutch neutrality by invading through Dutch Limburg into Belgium like they intended. The Dutch army is tiny compared to the German army, but the Dutch do have the Water Line which can stop the Germans.

Again, Germany has lot itself a friendly neutral to import stuff through in this case and once the blockade starts to seriously hamper the German war effort, advances could be made toward the Ruhr Area. If the Entente manage to get to German soil, that will dispel that 'stab in the back' myth before it even gets started.
 
The Dutch army in 1914 wasn't as bad as it was 26 years later. The Germans might conquer that last bit of Belgium on the other side of the Yser river, but otherwise the Dutch will clog up the Belgian road network even more. A small contribution from a small army which will cost Germany a friendly neutral to import stuff through. Slightly earlier CP defeat due to a more effective British blockade if you ask me.

1 And Belgium is likely to get the territory it wanted from the Dutch (Limburg, Zeeuws Vlaanderen) which will give Belgium coal and direct access to the North Sea from Antwerp.

That said, I think it's unlikely that the Dutch will join since victory is far from certain (2 although Queen Wilhelmina was pro-German at the time).



Possible if the Germans violate Dutch neutrality by invading through Dutch Limburg into Belgium like they intended. The Dutch army is tiny compared to the German army, but the Dutch do have the Water Line which can stop the Germans.

Again, Germany has lot itself a friendly neutral to import stuff through in this case and once the blockade starts to seriously hamper the German war effort, advances could be made toward the Ruhr Area. If the Entente manage to get to German soil, that will dispel that 'stab in the back' myth before it even gets started.

1: well this will have an effect on Dutch interbellum politics. At least some political group(s) will want to restore their borders.
2 Queen Wilhelmina wasn't against those German monarchs, but queen Wilhelmina never visited Wilhelm II during his exile, in fact she refused to do so.
 
hey guys,

ik just got 2 questions;

-what if Netherlands joined the Central powers (Germany, Austria) during WO I?

-What if what if Netherlands joined the Entente (great britain, France) during WO I?

Thank you :)

Whats WO stand for?

1. is curious because it would deny the Germans the opportunity to ship stuff in through the neutral Netherlands, but also make German naval forces have a great set of bases nearer to Britain

Oops, gotta go and move a bed!

Best Reggarrds
Grey Wolf
 
Whats WO stand for?

1. is curious because it would deny the Germans the opportunity to ship stuff in through the neutral Netherlands, but also make German naval forces have a great set of bases nearer to Britain

Oops, gotta go and move a bed!

Best Reggarrds
Grey Wolf

WO is Dutch for WereldOorlog, and wereldoorlog is the Dutch word for World War.
 
Whats WO stand for?

1. is curious because it would deny the Germans the opportunity to ship stuff in through the neutral Netherlands, but also make German naval forces have a great set of bases nearer to Britain

Oops, gotta go and move a bed!

Best Reggarrds
Grey Wolf

you are right, WO stand for wereldoorlog, dutch for World War






so its abouts world war 1
 
The Dutch army and navy are pretty irrelevant. So if the Dutch join the war on German site, the German will probably still lose and the Netherland loses Zeeuws Fleanders and Limburg to Belgium and it colonies to (mainly) Brittain.

If Germany invades the Netherlands as they did Belgium, the Netherland will retreat behind the waterline, which the Germans probably can't breach, partly because it is a forminable defense and partly because the Netherlands won't be the focus of the Germans. The Germans will still lose, certainly with the lack of a slightly pro-German neutral nation and the lengthened border they need to defend. End result the Netherlands gains part of Germany (my guess would be East-Frisia) after the war.
 
It also depends on exactly when it happens. A 1914 joining on either side would be vastly different from the same in 1917 or 1918. (though exactly why the Duch would suddenly decide to pitch in in the later years would be a harder question to answer. Perhaps something to do with the blockade?)
Ofcourse, the colonial possessions shouldn't be forgotten in case of a Central Power team-up. Suriname, for instance, was in a rather precarious position between Guiana and Guyana.
 
The Central Powers would have bases in Aruba etc in the Caribbean, as well as Surinam, and in the East Indies

This could have a potentially great effect, tho it might just give the Entente more colonies to capture!

It would change Von Spee's thinking probably...

Maybe Britain and France would ENCOURAGE Japan to invade them?

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
Sorry, couldn't resist!:D

Admiral Graf Spee considered his choices. Even with the reinforcement of a Dutch squadron of destroyers and light cruisers he remained painfully aware that any men or material lost could not be replaced, most importantly the barely 800 shells for the main armament on each of his armored cruisers could not be replaced in the Dutch ports, and while it would take the Allies longer to seize the Dutch East Indies it was only a matter of time. Still he felt the need to try to strike a blow before continuing the long and uncertain journey to Germany.​
 

Deleted member 1487

There are a great many benefits to both sides if the Netherlands joins them, potentially war-winning, but the Netherlands loses in both cases so honestly they have no incentive to join the war for any reason.
Perhaps if they were assured of victory promised Flanders and Brussels, but this would require Germany wanting to give that area up, something they were loath to do (see 1918 OTL) and giving up the Netherlands as a neutral port just in case. The dutch would have to deal with falling into Germany's exploitive Mitteleuropa common market and losing their colonies. They aren't coming back even if France is crushed (Britain+Japan).
 
Makes me wonder if the Germans would even want the Netherlands as an ally.

If the Dutch offered it, might they simply get told "No need for that, you're more use as a neutral. But it would help if you turned a blind eye when we march through Limburg. When we do, mobilise your army and send a strong note of protest. We won't trouble over that. You have to do it to stop the Entente declaring war on you. But the passage through is all we really need."
 
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