WI: Original Schlieffen Plan enacted

Quite exactly. Also, in 1914, territorial sovereignty was seen more rigid than what we are used to today.

Whatever they do, in such a case the Netherlands would have to quickly decide where to place their bets. Denying or allowing the Germans to pass - with a very high probability they are in the war afterwards.

Entirely agree.

If they cave in to German demands, they're practically co-belligerents. With German troops and supplies passing through the Netherlands to wage war on the Entente, at the very least the Dutch merchant fleet becomes fair game for Britain and France, and the NEI will end up in British or Japanese hands. A harsh price to pay, and that doesn't even guarantee that the Netherlands proper will remain out of the war.

I don't see what's in it for the Netherlands to accept that the Imperial Army use their railroads and territory to wage war on Belgium, France and Britain.
 

HJ Tulp

Donor
Incidentally, how did the British forces get to Antwerp in 1914? If they came by water, they were passing through Dutch territory even if not actually standing on it.The Netherlands did not declare war over that, or, afaik, even threaten to do so.

If they went by sea they went through the Westerschelde which can't be blocked by the Dutch legally.

It all depends how it comes down I guess. If the Germans hand over the same ultimatum to the Dutch as they did to the Belgians I don't see them agreeing if the Belgians don't. If the Germans march through Limburg without ultimatum there are bound to be incidents with Dutch forces in Limburg. That will cause war. In 1914 Queen Wilhelmina had to plead with the press not to report the fact that the Netherlands was treaty bound to protect Luxembourg as it is.
 
Trouble is, if the Dutch allow German troops to pass through they ARE co-belligerents - no "almost" in it. They can as well declare war on Belgium right away.

Recognized neutrality comes with quite some strings attached. You have to do anything in your power to avoid any use of your territory by a belligerent. If you don't resist to the utmost you WILL be considered a co-belligerent. You may be treated more leniently in the aftermath, but as long as the fighting goes on you are in it for good.
This is the reason, among others, why Switzerland and Sweden had a significantly larger piece of their GDP reserved for military than many other European countries - neutrality only matters if it has enough teeth.
 
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