Five Brothers and a War

Holland “Prepares” for War

Holland was unprepared for war. The reality was that as Germany was militarizing and mobilizing, the Dutch passively assumed that their German neighbors would honor their neutrality. On the one hand, it would seem that setting up a strategic defense of such a small country would be so simple, but on the other hand, having the North Sea on one side and Germany on the other created a real challenge. The main defense was to create what was named Vesting Holland (“Fortress Holland”). There were five keys to creating that defense: 1. The south front, along the Hollands Diep, 2. The southeastern sector Gorinchem, along the Merwede and Waal-Linge line, 3. The eastern leg at the Grebbeline, with the east front of Fortress Holland behind it, 4. The unmanned north-front, Amsterdam - Zaandam - IJmuiden. 5. The coastline, which was lightly defended with concentrations and coastal artillery at the sea-port areas.

holland

Five Brothers and a War

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