What if the Netherlands declared war on Germany in March 1917? POD is that the sinking of the 7 Dutch ships causes anger among the Dutch and this happens as a result. What do you think will happen?
What if Netherlands declares war on Germany in March 1917
- Thread starter ghappy1000
- Start date
Perhaps this will be the result:
March 1917: Germans prepare an offensive into the Netherlands. The German army takes away troops in a salient that was attacked in otl's Nivelle offensive and they withdraw to the Hindenberg Line.
Late March 1917: The Germans launch an attack on the Netherlands. The Dutch government requests help from Allied attacks.
April 1917: The Nivelle Offensive is launched. It is more successful and becomes more of a pyhrric victory than a failure with the German troops in the Netherlands, although it is occupied.
June 1917: Battle of Messines as per otl.
August to November 1917: Passchendeale battle occurs, but the German troops suffer a few thousand more casualties.
October 1917: Caporetto is less of a disaster for Italy although it still happens and less troops are sent there to prevent Italian surrender.
November 1917: Cambrai most likely still fails despite the butterflies.
March 1917: Germans prepare an offensive into the Netherlands. The German army takes away troops in a salient that was attacked in otl's Nivelle offensive and they withdraw to the Hindenberg Line.
Late March 1917: The Germans launch an attack on the Netherlands. The Dutch government requests help from Allied attacks.
April 1917: The Nivelle Offensive is launched. It is more successful and becomes more of a pyhrric victory than a failure with the German troops in the Netherlands, although it is occupied.
June 1917: Battle of Messines as per otl.
August to November 1917: Passchendeale battle occurs, but the German troops suffer a few thousand more casualties.
October 1917: Caporetto is less of a disaster for Italy although it still happens and less troops are sent there to prevent Italian surrender.
November 1917: Cambrai most likely still fails despite the butterflies.
You seem to be missing the point. The main point I was making was that the Dutch wouldn't be foolish enough to enter the war because they were sitting ducks and they knew it. What's more, the Dutch public was consistently anti-war throughout OTL despite provocations from both sides. I actually remember someone saying on another thread (BlondieBC's Prince Henry one, IIRC) that the Dutch were so strongly against fighting at this point that unlike the Belgians they wouldn't have resisted a German invasion had one happened. The Germans sinking Dutch ships would certainly piss Amsterdam off, but they'd pretty much have no choice but to suck it up.
Europe is all like 'Did Romania bite them and give them the stupid virus - how many dumb DoWs can you have in one war?'
Maybe Romania got it from Montenegro.
Depends on conditions...
...If Germany is over-extended, it might work.
In my HMS Heligoland TL (see https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=169824) I had the Danes take on a weakened Germany with UK and Scandinavian support, then the Dutch get dragged in by a massacre of Flamands/Vlaamse near the Belgian/Dutch frontier. German morale was decaying by 1917, so the OP might be realistic.
ghappy1000 - TL please...
...If Germany is over-extended, it might work.
In my HMS Heligoland TL (see https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=169824) I had the Danes take on a weakened Germany with UK and Scandinavian support, then the Dutch get dragged in by a massacre of Flamands/Vlaamse near the Belgian/Dutch frontier. German morale was decaying by 1917, so the OP might be realistic.
ghappy1000 - TL please...
This is with an overextended Germany and a Heligoland in British hands. More likely, the Netherlands is done in just a week or a few at most....If Germany is over-extended, it might work.
In my HMS Heligoland TL (see https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=169824) I had the Danes take on a weakened Germany with UK and Scandinavian support, then the Dutch get dragged in by a massacre of Flamands/Vlaamse near the Belgian/Dutch frontier. German morale was decaying by 1917, so the OP might be realistic.
ghappy1000 - TL please...
However, how about the Dutch doing it in August 1917. After the initial success of 3rd Ypres, if there are no German troops on the Dutch border, they can declare war on Germany and use the sinking of the Dutch ships by u boats as a casus beili. This might give the British some more success at Passchendeale and might prevent Caporetto.
That still doesn't account for the Dutch public's lack of enthusiasm or the Netherlands' internal problems. Also, IIRC most of their armed forces were in the DEI at the time. Who in Amsterdam would be calling for this and what would they realistically gain? Just because London would like this doesn't mean any Dutch policymaker would.
Kitiem3000
Donor
During the 1914 mobilisation the Dutch put 95,000 soldiers in four field divisions, 70,000 in field fortifications, 10,000 deployed to border duty, and 20,000 in depots for a total of 195.000 soldiers.
In 1915 the first soldiers were replaced by new men. Advantage of this system was that the strength of the army stayed level (230.000 men in 1918) and a trained reserve rose of 220.000 men which could be used in emergency situations.
There were also some 35.000 Belgian soldiers interned in the Netherlands.
I still don't see the Netherlands declaring war, but if they do, they aren't entirely helpless. At the very least they can keep some German army busy.
In 1915 the first soldiers were replaced by new men. Advantage of this system was that the strength of the army stayed level (230.000 men in 1918) and a trained reserve rose of 220.000 men which could be used in emergency situations.
There were also some 35.000 Belgian soldiers interned in the Netherlands.
I still don't see the Netherlands declaring war, but if they do, they aren't entirely helpless. At the very least they can keep some German army busy.