Netherlands

The Netherlands was a neutral country during most of the 19th and 20th centuries, but it was involved in several wars and conflicts, either directly or indirectly.

In the early 19th century, the Netherlands was part of the French Empire under Napoleon Bonaparte, who created the Kingdom of Holland in 1806 and annexed it in 1810. The Dutch people resisted the French occupation and joined the coalition against Napoleon in 1813. The Netherlands regained its independence in 1815 as the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, which included Belgium and Luxembourg. However, the Belgian Revolution of 1830 led to the separation of Belgium from the Netherlands, and Luxembourg became an independent state in 1839.

In the late 19th century, the Netherlands expanded its colonial empire in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. The Dutch faced several wars and rebellions in their colonies, such as the Aceh War (1873-1914) in Indonesia, the Padri War (1803-1838) in Sumatra, the Boer Wars (1880-1902) in South Africa, and the Curaçao Revolt (1795) in the Caribbean. The Netherlands also participated in the Scramble for Africa and acquired territories such as Dutch Gold Coast (now Ghana), Dutch Congo (now part of DR Congo), and Dutch Guiana (now Suriname).

In the 20th century, the Netherlands was neutral during World War I (1914-1918), but it faced economic and social problems due to the blockade of trade by both sides. The Netherlands also had to deal with the influx of refugees from Belgium and France, and the violation of its sovereignty by Germany, which crossed its territory to attack Belgium in 1914 and bombed Rotterdam in 1917. The Netherlands also had to execute two Dutch sailors who were accused of spying for Germany in 1915.

In World War II (1939-1945), the Netherlands tried to remain neutral again, but it was invaded by Nazi Germany in May 1940. The Dutch army fought bravely, but it was overwhelmed by the superior German forces. The bombing of Rotterdam by the Luftwaffe forced the Dutch government to surrender after four days of fighting. The Netherlands was occupied by Nazi Germany until May 1945, when it was liberated by Allied troops. During the occupation, the Dutch people suffered from persecution, deportation, starvation, and resistance. About 75% of the Dutch Jews were killed in the Holocaust. The Dutch royal family and government went into exile in London and led a government-in-exile that supported the Allied cause.

The end of World War II did not bring peace to the Netherlands, as it had to face a new challenge: the Indonesian National Revolution (1945-1949). Indonesia was a former Dutch colony that declared its independence in August 1945, after Japan surrendered. The Netherlands did not recognize the new republic and tried to restore its colonial rule by sending troops and launching military operations. However, after four years of war and international pressure, the Netherlands agreed to transfer sovereignty to Indonesia in December 1949.

The Netherlands also played a role in other conflicts during the Cold War era, such as the Korean War (1950-1953), where it sent troops as part of the United Nations forces; the Suez Crisis (1956), where it supported Britain and France against Egypt; and the Congo Crisis (1960-1965), where it provided humanitarian aid and peacekeeping forces. The Netherlands also joined NATO in 1949 and became a founding member of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951, which later evolved into the European Union.

The Netherlands has been involved in several peacekeeping missions and humanitarian interventions since the end of the Cold War, such as in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1995), Kosovo (1999-2008), Afghanistan (2001-present), Iraq (2003-2005), Mali (2014-present), and Syria (2018-present). The Netherlands has also been a target of terrorism, such as the assassination of politician Pim Fortuyn in 2002, and the murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh in 2004 by Islamist extremists.

The military history of the Netherlands shows that this small country has faced many challenges and threats throughout its history, but it has also contributed to peace and stability in Europe and beyond. The Netherlands has a proud tradition of courage, resilience, tolerance, and cooperation that continues to shape its role in world affairs today.