Hitler miscalculates

Adolf Hitler had expected to defeat the Netherlands in a day. But his airborne attack had failed and his other troops were trapped in Rotterdam South, unable to take the bridges. His armoured forces, fighting their way westwards, south of the big rivers, did not reach their targets - the long bridges already taken by the paratroopers. His troops advancing in the central and northern areas were stopped at the Dutch defence positions. This was a delay the Germans had not expected and could well have done without. When at last the German tank columns reached Rotterdam South, even they could not take the bridges. And the Germans were afraid that the Dutch army might be reinforced by British troops landing in the Dutch seaports.

So, 4 days later, the Luftwaffe was ordered to break the resistance and to bomb Rotterdam city centre. Squadrons of low-flying bombers were assigned to the task and soon the old city centre was on fire; the exploding bombs, the burning and collapsing buildings killed hundreds. The clouds of black smoke could be seen from far away against the clear blue sky. Threats were made that the other big cities such as Den Haag, Utrecht and Amsterdam would also be destroyed unless the Dutch surrendered.

The Dutch soon realised that they were on their own, British reinforcements were not going to arrive. They had to face an overwhelming German superiority on the ground and, more menacingly, in the air. By this stage they still had their modern anti-aircraft guns, but the best part of their Air Force had been brought down. The Germans were expected to break through the main defence line at any time and the warning that the inner cities would be bombed and destroyed changed it all. It made the Dutch citizens angry, but it never destroyed or damaged their morale. The Royal Family and the government went to England, as did what was left of the Air Force, the Royal and Merchant Navies and almost all of the fishing vessels.

The country had to surrender. The terms stipulated that the surrender would affect only those Dutch forces facing the Germans and would not include the Dutch overseas territories. The Dutch Nation were determined to continue their struggle from overseas, the very reason why their Queen and Government had gone to London.

The afternoon the surrender was signed, the Dutch soldiers destroyed their arms and transport. The ack-ack gunners blew up their guns and the installations which had served them so well. Some did not wait for the Germans to arrive, but donned 'civvies' and went home. Thousands of civilians, soldiers and sailors tried to sail to England from the Dutch ports.

That evening all the lights, long since blacked out against air attack, came on again.