Between the devil and the deep blue sea - University of Canterbury

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then it was more likely that its neutrality would receive greater recognition, thereby
decreasing the chance of one of the belligerents forcing it to take part in the hostilities. It
would provide the neutral with an international voice, which many neutrals feared would be
lost to them in a post-war world dominated by the interests of the victors. For these reasons,
the Netherlands was not the only neutral state that tried its hand at liaising between the two
waning sides. The Scandinavian neutrals, Switzerland and even the Vatican City did the
same, although with little success. 55
Among the general population, the desire for peace found a variety of expressions,
which were closely associated with underlying assumptions about neutrality, the
Netherlands' position in the world, and the value of the military and its mobilisation. From
August 1914 onwards, the most obvious display of the "peace cause" came in the form of
peace movements, which were either already in existence or created in response to the
outbreak of war. Membership of these movements increased significantly between 1914 and
1918 and they played a prominent role in supporting and furthering public opinion. It is not
the intention here to study the development of such movements, nor of the role played by
the Netherlands in easing an annistice dialogue. 56 What is important is the role these
movements played in heightening anti-military attitudes among civilians and conscripts
alike.
There were two distinct types of peace movement. Some, like the Internationale
Vrouwenbond voor den Duurzamen Vrede (International Women's Bond for Long-term
Peace, IVDV), the Vrede door Recht (Peace through Law) movement, and the
Nederlandsch Anti-Oorlog Raad (Dutch Anti-War Council, NAOR, a conglomeration of
several smaller peace movements), were concerned first and foremost with a cessation of
hostilities and creating a condition of permanent peace. 57 They received widespread support
55 Due-Nielsen, "Denmark and the First World War" p. 7. See: series of documents in ARA, "Ministerie van
Buitenlandse Zaken 'A' dossiers" entry no. 2.05.04, inventory no. 841, about negotiations between the Netherlands
and other neutrals on gaining an international voice, protecting neutrality, and sueing for peace.
56 More work needs to be done on the role played by the Netherlands in fostering peace. See: Smit, Nederland in de
Eerste Wereldoorlog. Derde dee/ pp. 112 - 119.
57 Beek en Donk, The History of the Peace Movement pp. 35 - 46; A. C. van Tricht, "De Neutralen Staten" [The
neutral states] in Meester (ed.), Gedenkboek van den Ellropeescliell OOl'log in 1918 - 1919 pp. 209 - 212;
Nederlandsche Anti-Oorlog Raad, Wat de Nederlandsche Anti-Oorlog Raad Doet en Gedaan Heeft. [What the
Netherlands' Anti-War Council does and has done] The Hague: publisher unknown, 1918; Anna Polak, "De
vrouwenbeweging in Nederland" [The women's movement in the Netherlands] and J. de Louter, "De vredesbeweging
in Nederland" [The peace-movement in the Netherlands], both in Bas (ed.), Gedenkboek 1898 -1923 pp. 140 - 151,
177 - 187; Ritter, De Donkere Poort Volume 1, pp. 237 - 240, Volume 2, pp. 70 - 84; Heijmans et. a1. De IA.M. V.