Figure 1.--The Dutch north of the Rhine, by the time the Allies got to them were starving. The Germabns had oprevented food seliveries to the cities. This photograph is unidebntified. The houses in the background look Dutch to us, but we are not sure just where it was taken. The soldiers look American. The Dutch north of the Rhine were primarily liberated by Canadian troops, but this could be an American food convoy. Hopefully we will eventually be able to find more information about the image.

The Allies crossed the Rhine, both the British and Americans (March 1945), but this was south of the Netherlands. A Rhine crossing was a major operation and this meant the Allies had to concentrate their forces and cross in a small number of areas. The Allied plan was to push into the Reich destroy the important remaining Whermacht formations and end the War as rapidly as possible. This ruled out a Dutch crossing because the terraine there would have held up a rapid Allied advance. This would have meant added casualties and delayed the Allies ability to end the War. Thus the Germans were for several more weeks left still in the Netherlands and the Dutch starving. The Canadian First Army spearheaded the liberation of the Netherlands and began to move north into German held areas (April). By the time the Allies reached the Dutch north of the Rhine, people were starving. Estimates suggest that 14,000 died during the Hunger Winter. Many were children. The Georgian Legion serving with the Whermacht as Osttruppen rebeled on the island of Texel (April 5). Texel is an island in the province of North Holland. It is the largest and most populated of the Frisian Islands in the Wadden Sea, and also the westernmost of this archipelago, which extends east to Denmark. Nearly 800 Georgians participated in the action. The Germans crushed the rebellion, but it took them 2 weeks. Casualties included 565 Georgians, 120 inhabitants of Texel, and 800 Germans dead. The 228 surviving Georgians were forcibly repatriated to the Soviet Union after the War where most were sumarily executed. Canadian forces crossed the Rhine at Wesel and Rees (German cities). They then moved north and began the liberation of the Dutch north of the Rhine from the east which meant German territory. To assist the Canadians, a Free French SAS attack was launched to capture the Dutch canals, bridges and airfields in tact--Operation Amherst. It was led by brigadier Mike Calvert who made a name for himself as a Chindit in Burma. Operation Amherst began with 700 Special Air Service French troopers of 3 and 4 SAS (French) dropped (night of April 7). The SAS teams spread out to capture and defend key facilities before the Germans could destroy them. Advancing Canadian troops of the 8th Reconnaissance Regiment crossing the Rhine relieved the isolated French SAS units. The Canadians managed to liberate the Dutch eastern and northern provinces. The western provinces, where the food situation was worst, however, remained in German hands. The Germans had allowed the Swedish Red Cross to provide some relief efforts. The Allies in response to pleas from the Dutch Government, executed Operation Manna--airborn food drops near Rotterdam and the Hague (April 29). Cartons of powdered eggs, flour, and chocolate were included in the drop. Canadian General Charles Foulkes and the German Commander-in-Chief Johannes Blaskowitz reached an agreement on the capitulation of German forces in the Netherlands (May 5). They negotiated in the Hotel de Wereld in Wageningen. The capitulation document was signed the following day in the auditorium of Wageningen University, located next door (May 6). This opened the way for massive deliveries of food to the starving Dutch. Three days later the NAZI Government surrendered unconditionally, ending the War (May 8). Today the Dutch hold Dodenherdenking (Remembrance of the Dead) for the people who fought and died during World War II on May 4. There are gatherings all over the country. The two best-known is held at the National Monument on Dam Square in Amsterdam and at the Waalsdorpervlakte in the dunes near The Hague which the Germans has used as an execution site. Two minutes of silence are observed at 8 PM. Liberation Day is celebrated on May 5. Festivals are held in most cities and towns with parades of veterans and a popular musical festival in Wageningen.

The Allies Reach the Netherlands (September 1944)

The Allied D-Day opened the way for the liberation of Western Europe (June 6, 1944). The Germans managed to bottle the Allies up in Normandy, but could not dislodge the beachhead or prevent an enormous build-up. The Allies found it difficult to fight in the Bockage country, but finally Operartion Cobra succeeded in breaking out led by Patton's 3rd Army (July). The German 7th Army was largely destroyed. The Allies liberated Paris and crossed the Seine. The Germans retreated to the West Wall and prepared to defend the Rhine while the Allies raced for the Rhine. Unfortunately for the Dutch, much of the country was north of the Rhine and the NAZIs decided to use the Rhine as the major defensive line in the West. After the Allies liberated France (August 1944) they reached the Belgian border (early-September). The Dutch, including those north of the Rhine knew of the Allied drive through Belgium and then the Allies reached the Dutch border. As a result, September 5 is now known as Dolle dinsdag (mad Tuesday). A reconnaissance-patrol of the U.S. 113th Cavalry Group Red Horse crossed the Dutch border near Maastricht (September 9). The American 30th Infantry Division "Old Hickory", entered the southern Netherlands in force at Zuid-Limburg (September 12). The British and Canadians entered the Netherlans further east. The Dutch at this time believing their long-awaited liberation was at hand.

Market Garden (September 1944)

Montgomery had been pressuring Eisenhower to order one big push into Germany which of course he thought he should direct rather than Patton. Eisenhower kept insisting on a broad front advance. At this stage of the campaign. Most of the Allied supplies were still coming in over the Normandy beaches. Ports like Brest, Boulogne and Calais were still in German hands. The German V-2 attacks while not a real military threat, were terrifying civilians and it was Montgomery who was best placed to seize the launching sites in the Netherlands which could still be used to hit London. Eisenhower as a result, acceeded to Montgomery's plan to seize the Rhine River bridge at Arnhem and cross the Rhine through the Netherlands. Available supplies were diverted toward this effort, Operation Market Garden (September 17-26). While more attention is given to airborn opertions on D-Day, Market Garden was the largest airborn operation of World War II. Over 30.000 allied paratroopers were employed in the operation. Eisenhower was a proponent of a broad-front offensive against Germany. He felt this was the best way of keeping the pressure on the Wehrmacht and not expose advancing Allied armies to counter attacks. His field commnanders, especially Montgomery and Patton, wanted to focus the offensive on specific sectors (their own) to pierce the enemy defenses. Allied supply lines in September 1944 were inadequate for a general broad-front offensive against the Germans. The Germans had held on to ports to restrict Allied logistics. If there was to be an Allied war-winning offensive in Septmber against the Germans, Eisenhower had to chose a specific sector which he could adequately supply. He chose Montgomery in the Netherlands. Eisenhower has never fully explained this decission. His relations with Montgomery were far from cordial. Several factors were certainly involved. The route through the Netherlands was the most direct and shortest over the Rhine and into the industrial heart of Germany. The Germans were launching V-2 missles from the Netherlands which were causing civilian casualties in London and other British cities. Montgomery's plan offered a key objective, the seizure of the Rhine River bridge at Arnhem. In addition, the liberation of Belgium had brought with it the port of Antwerp which meant that if Montgomery was successful, supplies to exploit the crossing of the Rhine could be brought in through Antwerp, instead of the long truck routes through France. The effort achieved some success, liberating large areas of the Netherlands. Tragically it failed at Arnhem despite a valiant fight by lightly armed British paratroopers. This allowed the Germans to stabilized their Western front as Winter approached and prepare their last offensive of the War.

Germans Cut Off Food: The Hunger Winter (October 1944-April 1945)

The Germans from the beginning of the occupation (Mau 1940) used the Netherlands as a source of food. Rationing meant that all but the Jews and those in hiding got enough food to survive. After the failure of Market Garden and the onset of the Dutch Railway Strike, the German authorities reetaliated by embargoing food transports to the western Netherlands. The Germans partially lifted thre embargo (early November 1944). They allowed restricted food on water transports--primarily barges. The early onset of a particularly harsh winter disrupted barge traffic. The canals froze over making barge operations impossible. Occupation authorities instituted mneasures which virtuall stopped farmers from delivering food to cities and towns. Coal, gas, and electricity was also cut off. Dutch municipal officials did as best they could. Rations were 1,500 calories in October, but sliced to 900 in November. Further cuts were made. Availability differed from town to town, but in some places had declibned to 230 calories and even that was not always available by April. Municipal kitchens were set up, but little food was available. Old buildings were cut down as well as avaiable trees. The children an elderly especially began to exhibit symtoms of starvation (January 1945). The underground issued pleas, but crossing the Rhine was a huge military obstacle. Children were sent by their parents into the streets to steel food. City dwealers in weakened conditions treaked into the country side attemoting to trade whatever they possesed for food. Some farmers tried to help, but others saw these city people as thieves and looters. Often the food they obtained at great cost was confiscated by German patrols when the treakers tried to return home. Estimates suggest that 14,000 died during the Hunger Winter. Many were children.

Liberation South of the Rhine

Market Garden failed in its objective to cross the Rhine before winter weather set in. The Rhine was the only significant natural barrier which could be used to defend the Reich. Market Garden did, however, suceed in beginning the liberation of most of the Netherlnds south and east of the Rhine. The Allies did get across the Meuse and Waal liberating large areas of the Netherlands. After the failure of Market Garden, the British launched Operation Pheasant (October 20). This was the beginning of the liberation of central and western Noord-Barbant Province. The first Canadian Army attacked from Belgium and the British Second Army attacked from the eastern Netherlands. The 51st Highland Division drove to Schijndel village (October 23). The British, Canadians, and Poles liberated souheastern Metherlands (Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, Walcheren and Noord� and Zuid-Beveland) (September through November). The 2nd British Army liberated northwestern Limburg (November-December). This largely completed the liberation of the Netherlands south of the Rhine. The final step was Canadian and American operations after the Buldge which succeeded in liberating northeast Limburg and the German Rhineland. Nijmegen and much of North Brabant, were liberated. Parts of the southern Netherlands were not immediately liberated by Operation Market Garden, which was designed to open a narrow salient between Eindhoven and Nijmegen. British and American forces in Operation Aintree managed to defeat the remaining German forces west of the Meuse (east of North Brabant and in Limburg) (late-September and early-December 1944). They destroyed the German bridgehead between the Meuse and the Peel marshes. The only tank battle ever fought in the Netherlands occurred at Overloon. The Allies also drove into Zeeland. The Germans continue to hold Walcheren and the Scheldt estuary. This was a serious error on Montgomery's part. The Scheldt estuary controlled the approaches to the all important port of Antwerp, vitally needed to supply the advancing Allied armies. Fixated on Market Garden, Montgmery allowed the disorganized Germans to consolidated their position in the Scheldt estuary. Thus after Market Garden, Canadian units were forced to fight the Battle of the Scheldt. The Poles played an important role in liberating the Dutch. Tthe Polish 1st Armoured Division after the Mormandy breakout (July 1944) pursued the retreating Germans along the Channel coast. The Poles liberated, the towns of Ypres, Ghent and Passchendaele. General Maczek then outflanked the Germans suceede in liberating Breda in thesouthern Netherlands without any civilian casualties (October 29, 1944). The Netherlands is a tiny country that at the time of World War II had only a small army. The coyntry's principal defense is opening the dikes and with the resulting flood, would slow an invading army. The Dutch government when Hitler invaded decided not to do this (May 1940). This would essentially turn Holland into an island by flooding the polders. And he resulting island contains the main Dutch cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht). The Government decided that the flooding would be disaterous for the Dutch people which given NAZI policy of reserving available food for the German people was probably the case. Hitler had no such scruples. He ordered the creation of Fortress Holland (Festung Holland) and for it to be held at any price. The creation of such Festugen was a degensive tactic adopted by the Germans in both the East and West as the Allied armies closed in on the Reich. It is at this point that the Germans struck in the south of the Netherlands in the Ardennes launching the Battle of thev Bulge (December 16). Hitler's goal was to seize the port of Antwerp to deny the Allies the ability to supply its northen wing and to cut off the British and Canadian forces in the Netherlands from the Americans further south.

Crossing the Rhine (March 1945)

The Allies crossed the Rhine, both the British and Americans (March 1945). The Americans were first accross after capturing the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen Bridge in tact (March 7-8). The British and Amnericans then crossed the Rhine in force north and south of Remagen. This was all south of the Netherlands. A Rhine crossing was a major operation and this meant the Allies had to concentrate their forces and cross in a small number of areas. The Allied plan was to push into the Reich destroy the important remaining Whermacht formations and end the War as rapidly as possible. This ruled out a Dutch crossing because the terraine there would have held up a rapid Allied advance. This would have meant added casualties and delayed the Allies ability to end the War. Thus the Germans were for several more weeks left still in the Netherlands and the Dutch starving.

Osttruppen Rebellion: Texel (April 1945)

The Georgian Legion serving with the Whermacht as Osttruppen rebeled on the island of Texel (April 5). The Georgische Legion (Georgian Legion) was a Germaqn Wehrmacht formation during World War II. It was composed of ethnic Georgians, recruited from émigrés and Soviet prisoners of war. Georgians signed up to achieve Georgia's independence from the Soviet Union under Nazi Party's doctrine and supervision. Some components of the Georgian Legion came under the operational control of Waffen SS. Many Germans, especially Hitler, has no confidence in the Osttruppen. As a result many battalions, including the Germans, moved west to the West. They helped man the Atlantic Wall, including positions in the Netherlands. The 822 Georgian Battalion was depoloyed on the Dutch island of Texel. Texel is an island in the province of North Holland. It is the largest and most populated of the Frisian Islands in the Wadden Sea, and also the westernmost of this archipelago, which extends east to Denmark. Nearly 800 Georgians participated in the action. The Germans crushed the rebellion, but it took them them 2 weeks. Casualties included 565 Georgians, 120 inhabitants of Texel, and 800 Germans dead. Some fighrtring continued after the Germnan surrender (May 8), It was not finally over for some time until the Canadians arrived in force (May 20). This actionm is sometimes described as 'Europe's last battle'. The 228 surviving Georgians were forcibly repatriated to the Soviet Union after the War where most were sumarily executed by the NKVD.

Canadian Offensive: Eastern and Northern Provinces (April 1945)

The Canadian First Army spearheaded the liberation of the Netherlands. As the Americans and British drove into the Reich from their Rhine bridgeheads, a German occupation force of 120,000 well-armed troops remained on their left flank in the Netherlands. British commander Bernard Montgomery ordered the Canadians to liberate the rest of the Netherlands. The I Canadian Corps arrived from Italy to replace I British Corps (mid-March 1945). Thus it was an all Canadian force crossed the Rhine at Wesel and Rees (German cities). They then moved north and began the liberation of the Dutch north of the Rhine from the east which meant German territory (April). By the time the Allies reached the Dutch north of the Rhine, people were starving. To assist the Canadians, a Free French SAS attack was launched to capture the Dutch canals, bridges and airfields in tact--Operation Amherst. It was led by Brigadier Mike Calvert who made a name for himself as a Chindit in Burma. Operation Amherst began with 700 Special Air Service French troopers of 3 and 4 SAS (French) dropped (night of April 7). The SAS teams spread out to capture and defend key facilities before the Germans could destroy them. Advancing Canadian troops of the 8th Reconnaissance Regiment relieved the isolated French SAS units. I Corps pushed north to the IJsselmeer (April 18), isolating German forces in west Netherlands, while II Corps drove northeast to Groningen (April 13) and Leeuwarden (April 15). The thus managed to liberate the Dutch eastern and northern provinces. The western provinces, where the food situation was worst, however, remained in German hands.

Relief Efforts

The Germans had allowed the Swedish Red Cross to provide some relief efforts. The Allies in response to pleas from the Dutch Government, executed Operation Manna--airborn food drops near Rotterdam and the Hague (April 29). Cartons of powdered eggs, flour, and chocolate were included in the drop.

German Surrender (May 1945)

Canadian General Charles Foulkes and the German Commander-in-Chief Johannes Blaskowitz reached an agreement on the capitulation of German forces in the Netherlands (May 5). They negotiated in the Hotel de Wereld in Wageningen. The capitulation document was signed the following day in the auditorium of Wageningen University, located next door (May 6). This opened the way for massive deliveries of food to the starving Dutch. Three days later the NAZI Government surrendered unconditionally, ending the War (May 8).

Western Provinces (April-May 1945)

As the Allies had crossed the Rhibne to the south (March 1945). the liberation of the northern Netherlands came from the east. With the pressure from the east, the Germans were no longer to fully man their Rhine defenses that had kept the Allies at bay for 7 months. The First Canaadian Army funally crossed the Rhine and seized Arnhem (April14). Arnhem had been the objective of Market Garden 7 months earlier. The town had been largely destroyed and was a huge pile of rubble. The Germans in strong defensive positions still held out in the western provinces, inckluding the major cities. The German commander finally surrendered (May 5), 3 days before the final German surrender. With the surrender of the German forces in the Netherlands (May 5), the Canadians moved into the Western Netherlands, including Rotterdam; the national center of government, The Hague; and the national capital, Amsterdam. The Dutch there had suffered through an unusually harsh winter with little food and fuel. The Allies immediately rushed in relief supplies. The Canadians were every where joyously welcomed. The Dutch refer to it as the 'Canadian summer' The bonds forged between Dutch and Canadian people endure to this day.

Modern Rememberances

Today the Dutch hold Dodenherdenking (Remembrance of the Dead) for the people who fought and died during World War II on May 4. There are gatherings all over the country. The two best-known is held at the National Monument on Dam Square in Amsterdam and at the Waalsdorpervlakte in the dunes near The Hague which the Germans has used as an execution site. Two minutes of silence are observed at 8 PM. Liberation Day is celebrated on May 5. Festivals are held in most cities and towns with parades of veterans and a popular musical festival in Wageningen.

Sources

Created: 5:26 PM 6/9/2013
Last updated: 4:18 AM 10/3/2020