Military Operations Of The Dutch Army 10-17 May 1940

Most studies of the 1940 Western Campaign have tended to focus on a narrow range of topics principally those relating the German forces or the epic of Dunkirk. The publication of this title is aimed at redressing the balance by providing a detailed account of the operations of the Dutch army during this campaign. The author begins by presenting a detailed account of the Dutch army prior to the campaign including its plan of campaign. He also includes a fascinating chapter discussing the geography of the Netherlands from a military point of view. The remainder of the text consists of a daily account of the Dutch army's operations down to regimental or independent battalion-level. In doing so the author clearly demonstrates the combat capability of the Dutch troops and the brave and tenacious defence with which they met the German invasion. Appendices provide detailed order-of-battle and sample orders. This is a significant contribution to the literature available on the 1940 campaign in France and the Low Countries.