Thats because the French were trying to fight World War II like World War I. I see what your trying to say, but the funny thing was that the British and French had more men, tanks and aircraft in the first year of the War but the problem was that the British and French were still stuck in the past on tactics.
Well they did count on a German flank manovuer by the Germans through the Low countries so they planned to advance into these countries and keep the fight out of France.
Yes but the French were still based there tactics on defence rather than offence. The French didn't want to repeat the same casualties they had in the First World War thats why they built the Maginot Line.
RAAARGH! Why didn't the alerts warn me of the epic what-if's that have been going on?! Critical hit! It's not very effective...
I don't have it set to sending auto-emails. I should... Let's do that immediately, to get more useless mail!
Yep. Somewhere, I'm happy the Paradox Forums fail to immediately send me an update email, and only do so once a day. I mean, I have to go through about 25 emails when I get up, but oh well.
Unlike the French, the Dutch had not fortified their borders with the Germany. According to the Dutch ministry of defence at that time, the likeliest scenario would be that the Germans attack the Netherlands (particularly the North Brabant) to create an extra passage in the western front. Since the Franco-German border is heavily fortified and the Belgian Ardennes are considered unsuitable battleground. A German attack is likely going to happen in the area between Liege in the south and the Meuse river to the North: east Flanders and south-east Netherlands.
So the Dutch ministry believed that there was going to be an attack but didn't bother to fortifie the borders. Also by attacking the Netherlands, Germany drawed away attention from their operations in the Ardennes and lured British and French forces deeper into Belgium.
Not only did most of the Dutch equipment consist of WWI technology, defending the border would've been useless, as the Germans bombed the hell out of Rotterdam anyway. Not to mention any defence would've been swept away within hours.
Well yes, I'm just saying that when most countries fell that they may be attack they try to forifie, but as you stated there was really no point to and also would of most likely ended up causing more deaths.
They were actually able to repel a German paratroop assault on The Hague (apparently, the first in history), but the Germans had underestimated the size of the Dutch army there.
Exactly. The British and US citizens just love to hate on the French for capitulating while they were fighting a lost fight, while the British and US citizens were happily hiding on their islands waiting for the moment to strike (which I agree with is the best tactic), then claiming the French were pussies and taking all the credit. I think the Swiss had defence plans, but with the terrain and preparation they had, the Swiss were a very tough nut to crack compared to the Dutch, who were fighting on flat terrain with outdated technology. "Result: Pyrrhic Dutch victory" Repelling indeed seems the best choice of words. Had attacks like these continued, the Germans would've won anyway. In the end, they went with the safe option of bombing Rotterdam and threatening to do the same to Amsterdam.
Well, we had the Waterlinie to fortify the Randstad, but we all know how that worked out... Nah, the allies were never able to send aid, since they weren't too prepared. Hitler was disappointed, though. He expected to take the Netherlands in 1 day, instead it became 5, so his planned surprise attack on London couldn't continue. The former airfield of Ypenburg is only 5 minutes of walking from my house, really. The fights were pretty heavy. German planes tried to land on the airfield, which was blocked, so instead they had to land on the Rijksweg (high way), only about 100 meters away, which was full of crashed German planes. The fighting was pretty heavy. I don't think the people in my village had any idea of what was going on, except for the gun shots and bombs dropping, because they didn't really want to take a look (obviously). Some where scared, but not much. In fact: My father once told me my grandpa's father had to get up 5 o'clock that day, to milk the cows. My grandfather actually had to hide during the war, because of the workers razzia's by the Germans. He was 15 when the war started, and 20 when it ended, so that was pretty much his youth...
On a sort of unrelated note, is that the airport where they've constructed these massive houses there, and named the streets after planes?
Have you been there? Err... They didn't name the streets after planes (they did name two of the streets "Nootdorpse Landingsbaan" and "Ypenburgse Landingsbaan", though), but they did put massive, ugly-ass houses there, yes. Stupid Vinex-wijk...
Have you been there? Err... They didn't name the streets after planes (they did name two of the streets "Nootdorpse Landingsbaan" and "Ypenburgse Landingsbaan", though), but they did put massive, ugly-ass houses there, yes. Stupid Vinex-wijk...
Most historian would probably agree that the Netherlands and Flanders are the same nation. HOWEVER, due to some "accidents" in the past caused by some greater nations around them and little bit farther away. And their nationalistic, religious, or whatever motivations. The Netherlands and Flanders are now separated! But the Flemish have shared Belgium with the "Franskiljons" for more than one and a half century now. And everything went fine, right?
Well, if we're talking about the same airport, I have family living there. But, to verify it, off to Google maps! Aaand it seems like we're indeed talking about the same airport. A street there is called "Spitfire", which was indeed a plane. And I agree, some of the houses look terrible.
Yeah US is a known island you know P.S Good night you guys, I'll be going to bed now, see you tomorrow (maybe).
I have nothing agianst the French and they weren't "pussies". It pisses me off when people say that. To me the French did the best they could with what they had. I feel the only problem with the French army in World War II was there leadership. They were using out dated tactics for example they believed the main purpose of tanks were to support infantry rather than to use the tanks to push forward in an attack like the Germans. As for the swiss they had a good terrain for defense and the Dutch did hold out for 5 days which Hitler thought would last only 1.
