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German invasion of the Netherlands
Nazi invasion of the Netherlands in 1940 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Battle of the Netherlands was part of the German invasion of France and the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands) during World War II. The battle lasted from 10 May 1940 until the main Dutch forces surrendered on the 14th. Dutch troops in the province of Zealand continued to fight the until 17 May, when Germany occupied the whole nation.
Battle of the Netherlands | |||||||
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Part of the Western Front of World War II | |||||||
![]() The centre of Rotterdam destroyed after bombing | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
9 divisions 700 guns[1] 1 tank 5 tankettes 32 armored cars[2] 145 aircraft[3] Total: 280,000 men |
22 divisions 1,378 guns 759 tanks 830 aircraft[4] Total: 750,000 men | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
2,332 KIA (Dutch Army)[5] 8,000–9,000 wounded[5] 216 French KIA[5] 43 British KIA[5] Over 2,000 civilians killed[5] |
2,000–2,250 KIA[5] 7,000–7,500 wounded[5] 225–275 aircraft lost[5] 1,350 prisoners to England[5] |
The Battle of the Netherlands was one of the first major uses of paratroopers to land near important targets before ground troops reached the area. The German Luftwaffe used paratroopers to capture several major airfields in the Netherlands.
The battle ended soon after the terrible bombing of Rotterdam by the German Luftwaffe. The Germans threatened to bomb other large Dutch cities if Dutch forces refused to surrender. The Dutch surrendered to prevent other cities from being destroyed. The Netherlands was occupied by Germany until 1945.