The tension in the Adriatic Sea, known as the Adriatic Crisis, which was somewhat resolved by Germany's apology to Italy, turned out to be the catalyst for new tensions. This was due to Germany (under Hitler) being in a dictatorial political regime where popularity equated to power. The defeat of Italy, which was considered inferior (referred to as Hetalia), had a significant political impact on Germany.
To overcome this situation, Hitler decided to demonstrate two things. Firstly, he aimed to boost military power. Large-scale military exercises and parades involving the army, navy, and air force were conducted. This included showcasing state-of-the-art heavy tanks, jet fighters, and battleships. Through extensive appeals to the public and explanations provided by military experts (the media), the narrative aimed to lead people to believe that Germany's superiority accidentally caused harm to Italy.
Germany also reached out to its friendly states (a few allied nations) such as the Soviet Union, making arrangements for the dispatch of troops (regiment-sized). The Soviet Union, desiring to showcase its military technological prowess to the world (non-G4 alliance countries) and to acquire foreign currency through weapon sales, agreed to Germany's proposal. The joint exercises (appeals) between Germany and the Soviet Union received positive evaluations from the citizens of both countries and neighboring states due to the announced plan alone. However, mere appearances were not enough to deceive.
Furthermore, Hitler aimed for a political victory, with the target being the Netherlands. Germany had long coveted the disproportionate wealth of the Netherlands, particularly the wealth generated by the Dutch East Indies. Now, aiming to restore Hitler's authority, annexing the Netherlands was sought as a political achievement. Due to Germany's schemes, a part of the population in the Netherlands, which had already harbored aspirations towards a United Greater European Reich (fascism), became a perfect target for Germany — it was not about the process (the road) but the objective (the prey).
. . .
The Netherlands
The Netherlands, a member of the League of Nations, and actively engaged in trade with Japan through the Dutch East Indies, was considered a pro-G4 nation (a vassal of the G4). However, the internal situation in the country was somewhat complex.
Politicians and the upper class were favorable towards Japan, as Japan provided financial contributions. The general laborers, on the other hand, were struggling just to make ends meet. However, among the educated middle class, there was growing resentment towards Japan. Their advanced education enabled them to understand that Japan's trade policies towards the Netherlands *1 resembled those of developed countries dealing with developing nations.
While the average Dutch person did not see any benefit in actively engaging with Japan (from Japan's perspective, in terms of trade advantages), they failed to fully comprehend Japan's 100-year technology gap. In this regard, the general populace of countries like the Soviet Union and Germany, with whom conflicts had arisen, understood the terrifying nature of Japan far better. They understood the significance of neighbors leaving for war and not returning.
Nevertheless, due to the physical and psychological distance, the Dutch regarded Japan as an advanced but ultimately Asian nation. Therefore, they found it unforgivable that an inferior Asian nation looked down upon a white advanced nation like the Netherlands. This was an expression of an indelible sense of discrimination.
Moreover, a tiny minority of individuals harbored loathing towards Japan due to their treatment in the Dutch East Indies. These were individuals who had received higher education and had been employed by Japanese companies in the Dutch East Indies. As local employees of Japanese companies, they felt aggrieved at being treated equally or even inferiorly to the local inhabitants (people of the Dutch East Indies). *2
Anti-Japanese sentiment (Yellow Peril theory) in the Netherlands led to a strong assertion that relying on powerful nations like the United States, Britain, France, and even Italy, all close to Japan as G4, would be futile. Instead, there was a strong advocacy for approaching Germany and the Soviet Union to maintain the superiority of the white race that should lead the world. In a sense, laborers *3 who admired Germany's prosperity joined the pro-German faction in the Netherlands, forming a significant political force.
Furthermore, there were individuals within the Dutch government advocating for maintaining an appropriate distance from Germany, which further fueled this movement. Understanding the current international political situation where tensions between Germany and the G4 (France) were escalating, and being informed fragmentarily by France about the future history where the Netherlands would be devastated by Germany, contributed to this. It was both a fear of being devastated by Germany and a sense of helplessness due to the lack of national strength to confront it actively. Although considering aligning with France against Germany was contemplated, the sheer smallness of the Dutch territory made it virtually powerless in the event of war, inevitably leading to its devastation.
Even if France, Britain, or the mighty Japanese army were involved, the smallness of the country's land area meant that the flames of war could not be stopped from consuming the political and economic heartland of the Netherlands.
The Dutch government soberly evaluated this situation. This realization formed the decisive reason why the Netherlands could not afford to be in direct confrontation with Germany.
. . .
Poland
While the Netherlands struggled to determine its options regarding Germany, decisive Poland (the timeless Eastern European rabid nation) reached out to them favorably.
The invitation to join hands and collectively strike Germany was, to put it bluntly, also about using Dutch funds to develop and manufacture weapons. Poland's heavy industry had been developing with technological assistance (and the sale of outdated equipment) from France and Britain. However, excessive budget allocation to industrialization meant that sufficient resources were not directed toward the intended goal of military reinforcement.
While development for new equipment, such as the 30-ton medium tank 32TP, *4 following the trend of standardization among great powers, as a successor to the 25TP, had been achieved, actual mass production posed a significant challenge. To mass-produce medium tanks weighing as much as 32 tons, which would have been considered heavy tanks in the 1920s, extensive expansion of factories and significant updates to manufacturing infrastructure was essential. This required enormous budgets. Hence, the outreach to the Netherlands was precisely for this reason. The aim was to invest in tank production lines.
After careful consideration, the Netherlands decided to accept Poland's proposal.
. . .
Germany
The military cooperation agreement between the Netherlands and Poland would stir anxiety within Germany. Already surrounded by enemies on three sides—France, Italy, and Poland—now another nation was joining the fray. It was a nightmare.
While the Netherlands boasted wealth in its finances, its military threat was minimal. However, it was situated by the sea. In other words, it was in a location where British and Japanese forces could easily deploy in emergencies. Although the nation could be underestimated, its geographical characteristics couldn't be taken lightly. Therefore, emphasizing strategic thinking/perspective, Hitler ordered the acceleration of clandestine operations toward the annexation of the Netherlands.
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Notes
*1: Japan only desired the resources from the Dutch East Indies and showed no interest in Dutch industrial products. While Japan did express some interest in agricultural products, the issue of export costs meant it couldn't compete with trans-Pacific countries like the United States and Australia. Furthermore, to establish their industries, the Netherlands imported a large quantity of machinery from Japan.
*2: From the perspective of Japanese companies, Dutch higher education, though acknowledged, was seen as obsolete by 100 years, and therefore difficult to value highly. While the high learning ability resulting from higher education would reflect in their performance after entering the workforce, it did not necessarily affect their initial evaluation upon joining the company. Moreover, being Dutch (white) did not entail preferential treatment. Consequently, many Dutch employees were placed under Dutch East Indies (Indonesian) counterparts, emphasizing equality.
However, this equality stimulated a sense of superiority in some Dutch individuals, leading them towards anti-Japanese sentiments. Additionally, many young Dutch people who had experienced Japan's advancements in Japanese companies understood the gap with Japan and accepted reality. The issue arose when those who accepted reality remained in their jobs in the Dutch East Indies, while those who became anti-Japanese quit their jobs and returned to the Netherlands. As a result, the voices of anti-Japanese individuals were amplified in Dutch public opinion.
*3: The Nazi regime, which advocated National Socialism, touted generous compensation for workers alongside corporations. This aspect had a practical dimension—it garnered favor from the worker class, a powerful support base for Hitler's regime. Hitler spared no effort to win the support of various workers, offering benefits like access to automobiles (Volkswagen), roads for leisure trips (Autobahn), and housing. These measures led to admiration from foreign workers in Germany. Moreover, no one raised concerns about the source of funds for these measures, whether from the assets of annexed nations, assets confiscated from Jews leaving Germany, or from slave labor by Chinese workers.
*4: The development plan for the 32TP tank began as a medium tank project capable of fulfilling the Polish Army's cherished two armored divisions (six tank regiments) following the failure to mass-produce the 25TP. Emphasis was placed on the tank's ability to engage German Panzer IIIs and Soviet T-34 tanks head-on while minimizing manufacturing costs. Therefore, the design focused on simplicity, excluding improvements in performance except for basic armor and mobility considerations.
This thoroughness was evident in the absence of a machine gun on the front of the tank, a standard feature at the time. The goal was to produce a tank as cheaply as possible that could destroy enemy tanks. This was the requirement for the 32TP. Furthermore, a long-barreled 90 mm gun was introduced from France as the main gun, capable of penetrating any tank of the early 1940s. When the 32TP was unveiled, its impact reverberated across Europe. Not only Britain and France, who boasted more advanced tanks, but also Italy, proud of its status as a quasi-G4 and a European power, were shocked. However, the most significant shock came from Germany, the hypothetical enemy nation. It was a matter of prestige for Hitler. He was furious that Poland, a country he considered inferior, had developed a tank superior to their main medium tank. Consequently, he ordered the establishment of a medium tank development plan to replace the Panzer III series.
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It has taken me some time to get used to my new job, and my update frequency has dropped dramatically. I will try my best to update once a week as much as possible, or at least once a month.
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