Before the German invasion of Poland in September 1939, the political perspective in the Netherlands was dominated by a firm, century-long commitment to strict neutrality, aimed at avoiding involvement in European conflicts. This approach was characterized by a cautious "independence policy" (zelfstandigheidspolitiek) that tried not to antagonize Nazi Germany, a vital trade partner, even as international tensions grew.
Strict Neutrality Policy: The Dutch government believed that, as in World War I, maintaining a neutral stance would keep the country safe from invasion. This resulted in awkward diplomatic situations, including the prosecution of Dutch citizens for criticizing Adolf Hitler, as the government avoided offending a "friendly head of state".
Conservative Leadership & Economic Focus: Prime Minister Hendrikus Colijn (serving 1933–1939) led conservative, coalition-based governments that prioritized fighting the Great Depression, which hit the Netherlands hard. Colijn was privately convinced that Germany would not violate Dutch neutrality.
Delayed Rearmament: Although military spending began to increase in 1936 after the remilitarization of the Rhineland, the Dutch armed forces were still relatively ill-prepared and poorly equipped by 1939 compared to Germany. Only 4% of national spending went to the military in 1939.
Internal Political "Pillarization": Society was divided into ideological "pillars" (Protestant, Catholic, Socialist), with most political power in the hands of center-right coalitions.
Fascism and Internal Politics: A small Dutch Nazi party, the National Socialist Movement (NSB) led by Anton Mussert, gained some traction in the mid-1930s (about 4–8% support) but was rejected by the majority of the population due to its anti-democratic nature.
Mobilization: The Dutch army was not formally mobilized until August 28, 1939, as tensions escalated immediately before the German invasion of Poland.
References
- Anne Frank House. "The German invasion of the Netherlands."
- Warfare History Network. "Dutch Debacle."
- Wikipedia. "German invasion of the Netherlands."
- Wikipedia. "History of the Netherlands (1900–present)."
- Wikipedia. "National Socialist Movement (Netherlands)."
- 1914-1918 Online. "Foreign Policy (The Netherlands)."
- Holocaust Encyclopedia. "Invasion of Poland, Fall 1939."
- Normandy1944.info. "The Netherlands - Holocaust."