Three days in Augusts 1914

[lordroel]

Three days in Augusts 1914

From a book written in the Netherlands called Was het anders gelopen (English: did it happen differently) about what if things turn out differently in Dutch history. One of the chapters is called Three days in Augusts 1914 (Dutch: drie dagen in Augustus 1914).

Augusts 3rd (Day 1)

The chapter begins when German units along the border of Belgium are ordered to begin their attack into Belgium but because a mistake made by the German headquarters the German units station at the border of the Netherlands province of Limburg also receive the orders to move into the province of Limburg in order to attack Belgium.

Later in the day while German cavalry units and Infantry are moving true central-Limburg towards Belgium and small fire fights are happening between German and Dutch army units there the German ambassador to Netherlands who is summed by the Netherlands minster of foreign affairs to explain , tells that the movement of German forces true the province of Limburg towards Belgium was a mistake due a fault by the German HQ but that as the attack was already under way the Germans were planning to continue until all German forces had enter entered Belgium, the German ambassador to Netherlands also informs the Netherlands minster of foreign affairs that Germany is offering to pay any damages caused by the German movement true Limburg but if the Netherlands soldiers continue to engage German units crossing the province of Limburg towards Belgium are attack then Germany will be at war with the Netherlands.

Augusts 4th (Day 2)

Despite the Germans claiming that the movement true the Netherlands province of Limburg towards Belgium was a mistake and panic sweeping the country the Netherlands government still is getting reports of fighting across central-Limburg as German cavalry and Infantry units continue to enter the province of Limburg as they had towards Belgium a German ultimatum is given to the Netherlands government in which the German demand the ending of hostilities against German forces in the province of Limburg ore the German Empire will considers itself in war with the Netherlands.

When a Netherlands General informs the minster of War that a birthday party by some high ranking German officers at a farms just across the border in Germany is to be held for a very high ranking German officer , the minster of War suggest to kidnap that officer to be used as a leverage in negations with the German Empire.

So this Netherlands plan is executed when Netherlands forces in Limburg kidnap the German officer who turns out to be none other than the Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm commander of the German 5th Army who is taken in custody and brought to Den Hague, The German government unaware that the crown prince has been kidnaped in the meantime has decided to declare war onto the Netherlands when they are informed about the Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm kidnaping and results that the German emperor decides to back down on declaring war onto the Netherlands as he thinks that Germany would made a foul when it becomes known that a handful of Netherlands soldiers mange to kidnap the German crown prince near the German border and he orders the German minster of foreign affairs to contact his Netherlands counterpart for their demands in releasing the Crown prince.

Augusts 5th (Day 3)

After a day the Netherlands demands are made known to the German Government witch are:

- All German forces present in the province of Limburg are to have left the territory by the end 15.00 clock.

- About the kidnaping ore the enragements with Germany will not be made public.

- Germany will respect the neutrality of the Netherlands.

- News bulletins will be considered to be just unconfirmed.

- The crown prince will be handed over to German officials at a border post near the town of Venlo at 16.00 clock.

- Germany will pay for damages caused by the fighting in the province of Limburg.

[deltaforce]

Why wouldn't the Dutch activate the Hollandic Water Line to halt the German advance, as with World War II war plans? In fact, this scenario is almost exactly along the lines of the 1930s plans for war with Germany (source):

In the 17th century, the Dutch Republic had devised a defensive system called the Holland Water Line, which during the Franco-Dutch War protected all major cities in the west, by flooding part of the countryside. In the early 19th century this line was shifted somewhat to the east, beyond Utrecht, and later modernised with fortresses. This new position was called the New Holland Water Line. The line was reinforced with new pillboxes in 1940 as the fortifications were outdated. The line was located at the extreme eastern edge of the area lying below sea level. This allowed the ground before the fortifications to be easily inundated with a few feet of water, too shallow for boats, but deep enough to turn the soil into an impassable quagmire. The area west of the New Holland Water Line was called Fortress Holland (Dutch: Vesting Holland; German: Festung Holland), the eastern flank of which was also covered by Lake IJssel and the southern flank protected by the lower course of three broad parallel rivers: two effluents of the Rhine, and the Meuse (or Maas). It functioned as a National Redoubt, which was expected to hold out a prolonged period of time,[66] in the most optimistic predictions as much as three months without any allied assistance,[67] even though the size of the attacking German force was strongly overestimated.[68] Before the war the intention was to fall back to this position almost immediately, after a concentration phase (the so-called Case Blue) in the Gelderse Vallei,[69] inspired by the hope that Germany would only travel through the southern provinces on its way to Belgium and leave Holland proper untouched. In 1939 it was understood such an attitude posed an invitation to invasion and made it impossible to negotiate with the Entente about a common defence. Proposals by German diplomats that the Dutch government would secretly assent to an advance into the country were rejected.[70]

[lordroel]

Mar 14, 2017 0:29:09 GMT deltaforce said:

Why wouldn't the Dutch activate the Hollandic Water Line to halt the German advance, as with World War II war plans? In fact, this scenario is almost exactly along the lines of the 1930s plans for war with Germany (source):

In the 17th century, the Dutch Republic had devised a defensive system called the Holland Water Line, which during the Franco-Dutch War protected all major cities in the west, by flooding part of the countryside. In the early 19th century this line was shifted somewhat to the east, beyond Utrecht, and later modernised with fortresses. This new position was called the New Holland Water Line. The line was reinforced with new pillboxes in 1940 as the fortifications were outdated. The line was located at the extreme eastern edge of the area lying below sea level. This allowed the ground before the fortifications to be easily inundated with a few feet of water, too shallow for boats, but deep enough to turn the soil into an impassable quagmire. The area west of the New Holland Water Line was called Fortress Holland (Dutch: Vesting Holland; German: Festung Holland), the eastern flank of which was also covered by Lake IJssel and the southern flank protected by the lower course of three broad parallel rivers: two effluents of the Rhine, and the Meuse (or Maas). It functioned as a National Redoubt, which was expected to hold out a prolonged period of time,[66] in the most optimistic predictions as much as three months without any allied assistance,[67] even though the size of the attacking German force was strongly overestimated.[68] Before the war the intention was to fall back to this position almost immediately, after a concentration phase (the so-called Case Blue) in the Gelderse Vallei,[69] inspired by the hope that Germany would only travel through the southern provinces on its way to Belgium and leave Holland proper untouched. In 1939 it was understood such an attitude posed an invitation to invasion and made it impossible to negotiate with the Entente about a common defence. Proposals by German diplomats that the Dutch government would secretly assent to an advance into the country were rejected.[70]

Because the Germans where only moving true the province of Limburg and not moving to invade the entire country.

[deltaforce]

Mar 14, 2017 3:51:02 GMT lordroel said:

Mar 14, 2017 0:29:09 GMT deltaforce said:

Why wouldn't the Dutch activate the Hollandic Water Line to halt the German advance, as with World War II war plans? In fact, this scenario is almost exactly along the lines of the 1930s plans for war with Germany (source):

Because the Germans where only moving true the province of Limburg and not moving to invade the entire country.

Isn't it considered a violation of neutrality to allow enemy troops to transit through your territory though? It would set a troubling precedent for future conflicts, especially since rumors of letting Germany transit the southern part of the Netherlands left them unable to pursue a formal alliance with the Allies prior to World War II. With German troops in the Netherlands it gives them more opportunity for them to push for more demands and opens the country up to British intervention and also leaves its overseas territories liable to be pulled into the conflict.

[lordroel]

Mar 14, 2017 4:57:49 GMT deltaforce said:

Mar 14, 2017 3:51:02 GMT lordroel said:

Because the Germans where only moving true the province of Limburg and not moving to invade the entire country.

Isn't it considered a violation of neutrality to allow enemy troops to transit through your territory though? It would set a troubling precedent for future conflicts, especially since rumors of letting Germany transit the southern part of the Netherlands left them unable to pursue a formal alliance with the Allies prior to World War II. With German troops in the Netherlands it gives them more opportunity for them to push for more demands and opens the country up to British intervention and also leaves its overseas territories liable to be pulled into the conflict.

Here is the story, made some things different and added some stuff.

Chapter I: Augusts 3rd (The attack)

The German units in the border region received from the German headquarters early in the morning of Augusts 3rd the order to attack. The phone not only rang at the Belgian border but due to a error of the central also on the Netherlands border. When the commander of the Uhlans asked for confirmation, the sector headquarters commander who was irritated responded that the Uhlans where to advance as quickly as possible to the Maas. Speed was of the essence.

The Netherlands defense was stunned and surprise, but the German attackers quickly encountered fierce resistance by the Netherlands defenders who where supported by accurate 6-veld infantry gun fire belonging to the border troops. Was the Netherlands in war with the Empire of Germany?

A picture of a 57 mm infantry gun [6-veld]



Chapter II: Augusts 3rd ( tension in Den Haag)

While the Germans where moving true the Netherlands province of Limburg, in the Netherlands capitol of Den Haag the entire cabinet-Cort van der Linden had been assembled in one of the Haags departments of the prime minster.

Picture of prime minster Cort van der Linden


If anybody looked closely they could see the white faces of the minsters, all had a major question, what was the current situation in Limburg? and what would we going to do about it and also who are we going to ask for help? also how is the young queen going to react.

Prime Minster Cort van der Linden repeated what he had already heard from his meeting with the Commander-in-chief of the Armed forces General Cornelis Jacobus Snijders. In the small area of Middle-Limburg located between Sittard and Roermond a Calvary attack by the Germans was underway. The Netherlands supreme command had already send reinforcements to the east and the passage which the Germans where advancing towards the Maas was being sealed off.

At 10:30 the German emissary F. von Muller had reported to the Netherlands ministry of foreign affairs. Prime Minster Cort van der Linden had met him and asked the emissary what the Germans where thinking. the emissary handed the prime minster a document and apologized for the 'incident'.

After the German emissary had left the Prime Minster read the document and learned that these recent developments in Limburg where due a technical error. But as the attack was already underway, the German government requested that the German troops already on Netherlands soil where to be allowed to advance to Belgium. Germany also offered according to the document a very generous damage payment and would make sure that the Uhlans regiments would be gone as soon as possible. But the document also made it clear that if the Netherlands troops would continue to attack the Germans, than war would be only question of time.

But there where already complications, there where messages coming in from headquarters that German cavalry units had manged to fight themselves a way to the Maas and that already several hundreds of them had crossed the river and where already advancing true Belgium. There where also reports that fire fights between Netherlands and German troops where happening.

The whole country was in turmoil, thousands of citizens where massing and reading bulletins who where pasted across the cities and the extra editions of the major news papers where being sold as crazy.

Now it was time for the prime minster to meet the queen, driving with his Daimler to the Palace Noordeinde, he was brought into the study room of the Queen.

Chapter III: Augusts 3rd (Meeting the queen)

The queen was surprising calm, not something the prime minster was expecting, after having been given a seat Prime Minster der Linden discovered during the conversation that Queen Wilhelmina already knew a lot of the current situation, apparently she had already been briefed by Commander-in-chief of the Armed forces General Snijders. The queen despite only being twenty-four years old showed a lot of interest in military affairs and regularly was briefed directly by members of the General Staff.

Prime Minster der Linden told the queen of the German document regarding what the Germans where calling a 'incident', the queen asked what the options where which the Prime mister responded.

- option I: accept the German apologize and try to resolve the case if the attack was really due a technical error ore faulty communication.

- option II: declare war on the mighty Germany, but not before the British and French have guarantee that they will come to the Netherlands defense.

After hearing the two options the queen asked the prime minster, what do you think in which the prime minster responded that both a settlement and war would have consequences , the uncertain support of the British and French was also a reason to continuity negotiations with Germany. Not only would fighting a bloody war of which the outcome would be already know, which was the Netherlands being occupied by the Germans, the loss of lives would be enormous and the material damages would be extreme.

The queen after hearing this knew that while she wanted to defend here country, she also knew that the cost of war would beyond imagination and thus reluctant she gave here blessing to the prime minster for hem to make a settlement with Germany. 
 

[lordroel]

Chapter IV: Augusts 3rd (discussions)

While the prime minster was returning to Den Haag, the Netherlands cabinet was divided on what to do, the minster of defense who as only minster in the cabinet was anti-German wanted the Netherlands to join the British and French and declare war onto the Empire of Germany. Other minsters where oppose to that, some had sympathy to Germany only because they knew that fighting a war would be pointless. Commander-in-chief of the Armed forces General Snijders also had viewed this opinion. Of course all minsters did agree that a war, even if the Netherlands was supported by the British and French was unwanted.

The emissaries of both the United Kingdom and the French Republic did offer the Netherlands Government their help, but also made it clear that this help could not be large due their own countries where unable to spare troop ore war material due them being confronted by a rapidly advance of the German Army in Belgium and France. Belgium of course could not help the Netherlands at all, itself needed support of United Kingdom and the French Republic, Belgium however was already happy that Belgian refuges could cross with out much problem into the Netherlands and that those refuges where given aid, shelter and food.

The Netherlands government new it was not made easy for them, but time was running out and a decision had to be made soon.

[lordroel]

Chapter V: Augusts 3rd (situation in Limburg)

While the debates about what to do where going on in Den Haag, the situation in the Netherlands Province of Limburg was not looking good, A German AEG B.I two-seat biplane reconnaissance aircraft was shot down and crashed inside the province, Netherlands corporal Wadmuts and two soldiers who where in a nearby bunker where send out to investigate, when they came to the crash they discovered that one of the German pilots was death and another was being treated by German soldiers, the Netherlands corporal knowing that he and his two soldiers who he had with him where outgunned decided to return to his bunker and report what he saw.

A picture of a AEG B.I two-seat biplane reconnaissance aircraft


After a half hour of traveling the came to the bunker where he saw his commanding officer Van Groen talking to a local farmer who was angry about the German invasion, before the farmer left he told that there would be a big officer party at a German farm not far from the bunker. Van Groen told corporal Wadmuts that he was unable to get in contact with either regional ore local headquarters and thus he had to send the corporal to the city of Sittard which was the nearest to this Bunker and that the commander in Sittard would most likely be in contact with regional headquarters located in Roermond.

After a hour of traveling corporal Wadmuts manged with out being seen by the Germans to reach the city of Sittard, there he was received by the commander of the battalion border security. He told the corporal that the Germans had made no move yet to depart Netherlands territory, also the commander had receive word that the Germans where not happy with the downing of their plane and might be even thinking of declaring war on the Netherlands. The Commander told corporal Wadmuts before the corporal heading back to his unit that he would send his report, including that of the big officer party to general headquarters.

[lordroel]

Chapter VI: Augusts 4th (ultimatum)

On the second day of the crisis as it was being called a telegram arrived at the ministry of foreign affairs who passed it along to Prime Minster Cort van der Linden, in the telegram stood that Germany demanded the immediately ending of all hostilities against German troops in Limburg. Also the Germans demanded that the shot down German AEG B.I two-seat biplane reconnaissance aircraft would be brought to the German military airfield of Gangelt, which is located near the border of the Netherlands town of Schinveld. If the two demands where not met before 18:00, then Germany would consider itself at war with the Netherlands.

Reading the telegram, the prime minster immediately called the minister council together to discus the crisis.

Chapter VII: Augusts 4th (crisis meeting)

At 09:00 the minister council began, it was a chaotic scene, the minster of defense wanted to send all available troops to Limburg while other minsters wanted to resolve the crisis by diplomatic means instead of going towards the path of full scale war. When the voting began every minster was demanding that their ideas to solve the crisis was the only won that would work, it was the prime minster who managed to get everybody to become silent when he again made it clear that Germany was much stronger than the Netherlands and he suggested to postpone the meeting of the council until 10:00.

Whit the council meeting postponed for a hour, the prime minster summoned Commander-in-chief of the Armed forces General Snijders who he wanted to be briefed by before he would returned to the council meeting, the general informed the prime minster that it would be best to delay any fatal decision and also told him of the news that there was going to be high level birthday party of some German officers near the Netherlands border, the general also reported to the prime minster that according to what he had find out, a very high ranking German officer would be attending this birth day party. The general suggested that the Netherlands would kidnap this very important guest and with it would be able to blackmail the German government into ending this crisis.

Prime Minster Cort van der Linden toughed this idea was good and gave Commander-in-chief of the Armed forces General Snijders the go ahead to execute his plan to kidnap this mysterious German officer.

[stevep]

Under those circumstances, with the Germans already taking a very hard line against Dutch efforts to defend its own territory, I suspect that trying to take a high level hostage would probably only make them more belligerent. [True since it turns out to be Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm this might end up with the result your assuming but the Dutch don't know who it is at the moment.]

[lordroel]

Mar 15, 2017 23:04:06 GMT stevep said:

 since it turns out to be Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm this might end up with the result your assuming but the Dutch don't know who it is at the moment.]

You right, if it is anybody lower than a prince in would not see the Germans going to make a deal with the Netherlands.

[lordroel]

Chapter VIII: Augusts 4th (the kidnapping part I)

The day was almost at the end, when several German officers belong to the Uhlan regiment where taking another beer in a well supplied barn of a farm, one of the officers, a major named Reger was celebrating his 30 birthday, one of hiss fellow collages told him that as special guest would arrive to congratulate him, not soon as that was told the door of the farm was open and in came a tall German officer wearing a general uniform, a cheer went up ''Es lebe der Kronprinz', the offer that stepped into the barn was none other than the German Crown Prince Wilhelm, commander of the 5th German Army who was inspecting German border troops.

After having spend some time among the officers the crown prince went outside to order his bodyguards to feed his horse, but when he did not return one of the German officers inside the barn went outside and discovered that the crown prince after having given his bodyguards some orders has disappeared.

Chapter X: Augusts 4th (the kidnapping part II)

What the German officers did not know, was that Crown Prince Wilhelm after having given orders to his bodyguards, had gone to take a pee, but not knowingly had crossed the German-Netherlands border, there a group of Netherlands soldiers had waited for a opportunity to take a German officer, manged to take the crown prince and quikly manged to take him into a nearby car who drove him to the regional command located in the city of Sittard before the crown prince was transported to a secure location somewhere in the Netherlands.

[lordroel]

Chapter XI: Augusts 4th (Germans get some news)

While Crown Prince Wilhelm was being moved to a secure location somewhere in the Netherlands, the German government had decided to declare war onto the Netherlands, but that changed when Emperor Wilhelm II received word that his son had been kidnapped by the Netherlands, Emperor Wilhelm II despite feeling anger about the kidnapping of his son did not feel so much about declaring war.

Emperor Wilhelm II knew that Germany would look foolish when it became known that a handful of Netherlands soldiers had manged to kidnapped his son so just across the German border, he decided that a cover up was a good idea at this moment. He gave his minster of foreign affairs the order to make contact with his Netherlands counterpart in order to discus this situation, that would mean that negotiations would have to be done with the Netherlands.

[lordroel]

Chapter XII: Augusts 5th (Germans get the Netherlands demands)

In Den Haag, Prime Minster Cort van der Linden gives German emissary F. von Muller the Neterlands demands wich are:

- All German troops are to be gone from Netherlands territory before 15:00.

- The shotdown AEG B.I two-seat biplane reconnaissance aircraft can be recovered by the Germans, this has to be completed before 15:00.

- The kidnapping of the crown prince nor about the arrangements that resulted in his release will not be made public.

- News reports about this arrangement that might surface will be considered to be rumors.

- The Netherlands neutrality will be respected by Germany.

- The crown prince will be transferred to Germany at 16:00.