Dutch government-in-exile: Difference between revisions
→Background and exile: Wikilink and identify de Geer. Mention Canadian exile of Juliana of the Netherlands and family. |
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Prior to 1940, the Netherlands was a neutral country, generally on good terms with Germany. On 10 May 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands. [[Wilhelmina of the Netherlands|Queen Wilhelmina]] fled the country by sea, arriving in London on 13 May.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/world-war-two-in-western-europe/the-attack-on-western-europe/the-german-invasion-of-holland/|title=The German invasion of Holland - History Learning Site|work=History Learning Site|access-date=2017-06-27|language=en-GB}}</ref> The Netherlands armed forces surrendered two days later as it had been unable to withstand the speed of Germany's blitzkrieg style attack. In London, the queen took charge of the Dutch government in exile, which was established at Stratton House in the [[Piccadilly]] area of London, opposite [[Green Park]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Plaque: Netherlands Government in exile|url=http://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/netherlands-government-in-exile|publisher=London Remembers|accessdate=6 May 2013}}</ref> Initially, their hope was that [[France]] would regroup and liberate the country. Although there was an attempt in this direction, it soon failed, because the Allied forces were surrounded and forced to evacuate at [[Battle of Dunkirk|Dunkirk]]. The Dutch armed forces in the Netherlands, except for those occupying Zeeland, surrendered on 15 May 1940. In Britain, Queen Wilhelmina took charge of the Dutch government in exile.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}} |
Prior to 1940, the Netherlands was a neutral country, generally on good terms with Germany. On 10 May 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands. [[Wilhelmina of the Netherlands|Queen Wilhelmina]] fled the country by sea, arriving in London on 13 May.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/world-war-two-in-western-europe/the-attack-on-western-europe/the-german-invasion-of-holland/|title=The German invasion of Holland - History Learning Site|work=History Learning Site|access-date=2017-06-27|language=en-GB}}</ref> The Netherlands armed forces surrendered two days later as it had been unable to withstand the speed of Germany's blitzkrieg style attack. In London, the queen took charge of the Dutch government in exile, which was established at Stratton House in the [[Piccadilly]] area of London, opposite [[Green Park]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Plaque: Netherlands Government in exile|url=http://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/netherlands-government-in-exile|publisher=London Remembers|accessdate=6 May 2013}}</ref> Initially, their hope was that [[France]] would regroup and liberate the country. Although there was an attempt in this direction, it soon failed, because the Allied forces were surrounded and forced to evacuate at [[Battle of Dunkirk|Dunkirk]]. The Dutch armed forces in the Netherlands, except for those occupying Zeeland, surrendered on 15 May 1940. In Britain, Queen Wilhelmina took charge of the Dutch government in exile.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}} |
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To safeguard the succession, the heir to the throne [[Juliana of the Netherlands|Princess Juliana]] and her family were sent farther to Canada, where they spent the war. |
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⚫ | The government-in-exile was soon faced with a dilemma. After France had been defeated, the [[Vichy France|Vichy French]] government came to power, proposing to [[Hitler]] a policy of collaboration. This led to a conflict between |
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⚫ | The government-in-exile was soon faced with a dilemma. After France had been defeated, the [[Vichy France|Vichy French]] government came to power, proposing to [[Hitler]] a policy of collaboration. This led to a conflict between Prime Minister [[Dirk Jan de Geer]] and the Queen. De Geer wanted to return to the Netherlands and collaborate as well. The government in exile was still in control of the [[Dutch East Indies]] with all its resources: it was the third largest oil producer at the time (after the US and the USSR). Wilhelmina realized that if the Dutch collaborated with Germany, the Dutch East Indies would be surrendered to [[Japan]], as [[French Indochina]] was surrendered later by orders of the Vichy government. |
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==Exile in London== |
==Exile in London== |
Revision as of 14:53, 14 February 2019
This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2010) |
Dutch government-in-exile Nederlandse regering in ballingschap | |||||||||
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1940–1945 | |||||||||
Status | Government in exile | ||||||||
Capital | Amsterdam | ||||||||
Capital-in-exile | London | ||||||||
Government | Transitional government | ||||||||
Queen | |||||||||
• 1940-1945 | Wilhelmina | ||||||||
Prime Minister | |||||||||
• 1940 | Dirk Jan de Geer | ||||||||
• 1940-1945 | Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy | ||||||||
Historical era | World War II | ||||||||
15 May 1940 | |||||||||
5 May 1945 | |||||||||
ISO 3166 code | NL | ||||||||
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The Dutch government in exile (Dutch: Nederlandse regering in ballingschap), also known as the London Cabinet (Dutch: Londens cabinet) was the government in exile of the Netherlands, headed by Queen Wilhelmina, that evacuated to London after the German invasion of the country during World War II on 10 May 1940.[citation needed]
Background and exile
Prior to 1940, the Netherlands was a neutral country, generally on good terms with Germany. On 10 May 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands. Queen Wilhelmina fled the country by sea, arriving in London on 13 May.[1] The Netherlands armed forces surrendered two days later as it had been unable to withstand the speed of Germany's blitzkrieg style attack. In London, the queen took charge of the Dutch government in exile, which was established at Stratton House in the Piccadilly area of London, opposite Green Park.[2] Initially, their hope was that France would regroup and liberate the country. Although there was an attempt in this direction, it soon failed, because the Allied forces were surrounded and forced to evacuate at Dunkirk. The Dutch armed forces in the Netherlands, except for those occupying Zeeland, surrendered on 15 May 1940. In Britain, Queen Wilhelmina took charge of the Dutch government in exile.[citation needed]
To safeguard the succession, the heir to the throne Princess Juliana and her family were sent farther to Canada, where they spent the war.
The government-in-exile was soon faced with a dilemma. After France had been defeated, the Vichy French government came to power, proposing to Hitler a policy of collaboration. This led to a conflict between Prime Minister Dirk Jan de Geer and the Queen. De Geer wanted to return to the Netherlands and collaborate as well. The government in exile was still in control of the Dutch East Indies with all its resources: it was the third largest oil producer at the time (after the US and the USSR). Wilhelmina realized that if the Dutch collaborated with Germany, the Dutch East Indies would be surrendered to Japan, as French Indochina was surrendered later by orders of the Vichy government.
Exile in London
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/PS_Gerbrandy_1941.jpg/170px-PS_Gerbrandy_1941.jpg)
Because the Netherlands' hope for liberation was now the entry of the US or the USSR into the war, the Queen dismissed her prime minister, De Geer, and replaced him with Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy, who worked with Churchill and Roosevelt on ways to smooth the path for an American entry. Aruba and Curaçao, the then world-class exporting oil refineries, were important suppliers of refined products to the Allies. Aruba became a British protectorate from 1940 to 1942 and a US protectorate from 1942 to 1945. On November 23, 1941, under an agreement with the Netherlands government-in-exile, the United States occupied Dutch Guiana to protect the bauxite mines.[3] An oil boycott was imposed on Japan, which helped to spark the Pearl Harbor attack.
In September 1944, the Dutch, Belgian and Luxembourgish governments in exile began formulating an agreement over the creation of a Benelux Customs Union.[4] The agreement was signed in the London Customs Convention on 5 September 1944.
The Queen's unusual action was later ratified by the Dutch Parliament in 1946. Churchill called her "the only man in the Dutch government".[5]
After World War II ended, Wilhelmina and her government returned from exile to re-establish a regime more democratic than ever before.[6]
See also
References
- ^ "The German invasion of Holland - History Learning Site". History Learning Site. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
- ^ "Plaque: Netherlands Government in exile". London Remembers. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
- ^ World War II Timeline
- ^ Walsh, Jeremy. "Benelux Economic Union – A New Role for the 21st Century" (PDF). Lehigh University. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
- ^ "War Over Holland - The Royal Family". Retrieved 9 September 2009.
- ^ "Netherlands - History | history - geography". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 27 June 2017.