The Aken War
During the 19th and early 20th century the two major European continental powers Germany and France had gone to war several times. The border regions of Alsace-Lorraine, Luxemburg and the Saarland had switched ownership many times, but usually these wars were limited to just the two countries. During the fourth Franco-German war, often called the Aken war, after the Dutch town that was the official cause of the war this changed. As the name implied the war started over a Dutch town, Aken in the south east of the Netherlands claimed by both powers. Obviously the Dutch Republic got involved quickly, but relatively soon a large part of Europe got involved. The war often gets called, the first true world war.
Both France and Germany had old claims to the territory of the Dutch Republic. France claimed all the land south of the river Rhine, also a major reason for its conflict with Germany. Germany claimed several parts of eastern Netherlands, that had remained part of the Holy Roman Empire after Dutch independence, some German nationalists even claimed all of the Netherlands. But the claim over Aken was different. Aken, or Aachen in German or Aix-la-Chappelle in French, had been a major part of both German and French history. It had been the imperial city of Charlemaign, who was considered the founder of both the kingdom of German as well as the kingdom of France. After the fall of the Holy Roman Empire both countries wanted to incorporate the city into their countries, but in the end it was decided that it would go to the Netherlands, partly to avoid conflict and partly because it was already surrounded on three sides by the Dutch province of Overmaas.
Both Germany and France had recognised the integration of Aken into the Netherlands and for more than a century this hadn’t caused any problem in the relationship between them and the Netherlands. They had claims more territory of the Netherlands than just Aken, but a good relationship with the Dutch republic, a wealthy, neutral country, was more important than enforcing those claims, especially considering their mortal enemy was close by and they did not want to drive the Netherlands into the hands of that mortal enemy. But in the late 19th century things had changed. The Netherlands had not been able to keep up with the rest of the world.
Contrary to the other major European powers the Netherlands had been one of the last countries to enter the Industrial age. Part of this was bad luck. The Netherlands lacked any major resources needed for the industrial revolution. It lacked major coalfields (the coalfields near Overmaas and Loon were discovered too late) and iron ore, while just outside of its borders Germany had the Ruhr area and France the Walloon coal fields. Both countries slowly surpassed the Dutch in wealth, while the Netherlands became less and less important in Europe. It still remained a large colonial power, with colonies on all the continents, but in Europe its power declined. In the early 20th century the Netherlands was a mere shell of the power it used to be in the 17th and 18th century, while France and especially Germany was rising to greatness.
In Germany nationalism and national pride was growing. In the latest war against France it had managed to recapture the Saarland and capture Luxemburg. Although it had cost the lives of many young Germans (and obviously French) soldiers, it had caused an insurgence of German nationalism. After the war Germany had settled border disargreements with Poland and Denmark in two small scale wars. Now it was looking west again. It was looking towards the Dutch Republic. Towards Kleef, Lingen and East-Frisia, but mostly towards Aken. Aken the city that stood at the beginning of the German Kingdom. The city were German emperors had been crowned. The city that rightfully belonged to Germany, but wasn’t. The Netherlands was no match for Germany. It had most of its power invested in its colonial empire, fighting wars in Indonesia or Ceylon. France wasn’t considered a problem either. 25 years before France had been beaten. Nobody remembered the number of deaths the trench war in the Ardennes forest or near the Rhine had caused. They only remembered the victory.
France was restless too. It had not forgotten how it had lost the war against Germany. It might have lost that war, but it was generally considered that it were the incompetent politicians and Generals who had lost that war. They were ruled by a new king now, a king that had an education in some of the best schools and universities of France. The top of the army had been replaced and the army had performed excellent in the wars in India and Northern Africa. They wanted revenge on Germany. They waned Luxemburg back and the Saarland and whatever happened, Aken should not belong to Germany. It should be French after all.
The Dutch were between two fires. It was only a matter of time before another Franco-German war and it was unlike that they could sit it out this time.
During the 19th and early 20th century the two major European continental powers Germany and France had gone to war several times. The border regions of Alsace-Lorraine, Luxemburg and the Saarland had switched ownership many times, but usually these wars were limited to just the two countries. During the fourth Franco-German war, often called the Aken war, after the Dutch town that was the official cause of the war this changed. As the name implied the war started over a Dutch town, Aken in the south east of the Netherlands claimed by both powers. Obviously the Dutch Republic got involved quickly, but relatively soon a large part of Europe got involved. The war often gets called, the first true world war.
Both France and Germany had old claims to the territory of the Dutch Republic. France claimed all the land south of the river Rhine, also a major reason for its conflict with Germany. Germany claimed several parts of eastern Netherlands, that had remained part of the Holy Roman Empire after Dutch independence, some German nationalists even claimed all of the Netherlands. But the claim over Aken was different. Aken, or Aachen in German or Aix-la-Chappelle in French, had been a major part of both German and French history. It had been the imperial city of Charlemaign, who was considered the founder of both the kingdom of German as well as the kingdom of France. After the fall of the Holy Roman Empire both countries wanted to incorporate the city into their countries, but in the end it was decided that it would go to the Netherlands, partly to avoid conflict and partly because it was already surrounded on three sides by the Dutch province of Overmaas.
Both Germany and France had recognised the integration of Aken into the Netherlands and for more than a century this hadn’t caused any problem in the relationship between them and the Netherlands. They had claims more territory of the Netherlands than just Aken, but a good relationship with the Dutch republic, a wealthy, neutral country, was more important than enforcing those claims, especially considering their mortal enemy was close by and they did not want to drive the Netherlands into the hands of that mortal enemy. But in the late 19th century things had changed. The Netherlands had not been able to keep up with the rest of the world.
Contrary to the other major European powers the Netherlands had been one of the last countries to enter the Industrial age. Part of this was bad luck. The Netherlands lacked any major resources needed for the industrial revolution. It lacked major coalfields (the coalfields near Overmaas and Loon were discovered too late) and iron ore, while just outside of its borders Germany had the Ruhr area and France the Walloon coal fields. Both countries slowly surpassed the Dutch in wealth, while the Netherlands became less and less important in Europe. It still remained a large colonial power, with colonies on all the continents, but in Europe its power declined. In the early 20th century the Netherlands was a mere shell of the power it used to be in the 17th and 18th century, while France and especially Germany was rising to greatness.
In Germany nationalism and national pride was growing. In the latest war against France it had managed to recapture the Saarland and capture Luxemburg. Although it had cost the lives of many young Germans (and obviously French) soldiers, it had caused an insurgence of German nationalism. After the war Germany had settled border disargreements with Poland and Denmark in two small scale wars. Now it was looking west again. It was looking towards the Dutch Republic. Towards Kleef, Lingen and East-Frisia, but mostly towards Aken. Aken the city that stood at the beginning of the German Kingdom. The city were German emperors had been crowned. The city that rightfully belonged to Germany, but wasn’t. The Netherlands was no match for Germany. It had most of its power invested in its colonial empire, fighting wars in Indonesia or Ceylon. France wasn’t considered a problem either. 25 years before France had been beaten. Nobody remembered the number of deaths the trench war in the Ardennes forest or near the Rhine had caused. They only remembered the victory.
France was restless too. It had not forgotten how it had lost the war against Germany. It might have lost that war, but it was generally considered that it were the incompetent politicians and Generals who had lost that war. They were ruled by a new king now, a king that had an education in some of the best schools and universities of France. The top of the army had been replaced and the army had performed excellent in the wars in India and Northern Africa. They wanted revenge on Germany. They waned Luxemburg back and the Saarland and whatever happened, Aken should not belong to Germany. It should be French after all.
The Dutch were between two fires. It was only a matter of time before another Franco-German war and it was unlike that they could sit it out this time.