submitted by Lynn de Vree
At the outbreak of World War II, the Netherlands, just as it did during World War I, declared itself neutral. Nonethess, the Germans invaded the country on May 10, 1940. They believed that by controlling Dutch territory they would draw attention from their position in Ardennes, force British and French troops deeper into Belgium, and stop a possible British invasion of North Holland. In addtion, the Luftwaffe, was in need of airfields near the North Sea Coast, which they would gain by the invasion.
