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

- 436-
In the aftermath of the Limburg affair, as a way of placating the Allies and because
there was little Gennany could do in retaliation, the Dutch government compromised on
other neutrality matters to the advantage of Great Britain and the United States. It allowed
American ships to travel through the Rhine and Schelde with military materials, as long as
they travelled under a merchant guise. 150 This was something expressly forbidden to
Germany in November 1918, when it had made a similar request. 151 The official reason
given was to smoothen the course of continental peace, and to allow the Allies necessary
access to German territory. The Dutch also allowed British POW s in Gennany to use the
Netherlands as a route home, looking after them in camps at Vlasakkers and Oldebroek
while they awaited ships across the Channel. 152 It did not do so for French, Italian or
Belgian soldiers, who were asked to travel across the Gennan-Belgian border instead,
except for any who arrived on the Limburg border; they, like the Gennans who had arrived
on 13 November, were given right of passage. 153 As well, in February 1919, the
Netherlands let demobilised British troops stationed in Belgium and Germany use the
country as thoroughfare. 154
In November and December 1918, human traffic across both the southern and
eastern border was immense. Not only tens of thousands ofPOWs set free in Germany and
Austria-Hungary made their way home via the Netherlands, but also Gennan deserters and
ISO See: Office of the Dutch Liaison Officer in Rotterdam, "Conditions under which the American military authorities
will be allowed to transport military supplies from Antwerp, through the Netherlands, via the Rhine, into Germany",
March 1919, in ARA, "Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken 'A' dossiers" entry number 2.05.04, inventory number
837; Commander-in-Chief, "Regulations for American Ammunition-Transports by Water from the Occupied Rhine­
Territory through the Netherlands to Antwerp" 25 June 1919, in ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Staf' entry no.
2.13.70, inventory no. 918. See also: the correspondence between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and American
Minister in The Hague, January - March 1919, in Oranjeboek: Mededee1ingen van den Minister van BlIitenlandsche
Zakel1 aall de Staten-Generaal Apri/1918 - JlIlli 1919 [Announcements of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the
States General April 1918 - June 1919] publication details unknown (in SMG), pp. 14 - 15.
151 "Nota van het Departement van Buitenlandse Zaken aan het Duitse Gezantschap" [Note from the Department of
Foreign Affairs to the German delegation] 14 November 1918, in Smit (ed.), Bescheidell betreffende de
bllitenlandsche politiek van Nederland 1848 - 1919. Derde Periode 1899 - 1919. Vijfde Deel 1917 - 1919. Tweede
Stllkp.739.
152 Commander-in-Chiefto Commander of the Field Army, 14 November 1918, in ARA, "Archiefvan het
Hoofdkwartier Veldleger" entry no. 2.13 .16, inventory no. 322.
153 "N otulen van de Ministerraad" 13 November 1918, in Smit (ed.), Bescheiden betrefJende de bllitenlal1dsche
politiek van Nederland 1848 -1919. Derde Periode 1899 - 1919. Vijfde Deel1917 -1919. Tvveede Stukp. 737.
154 Commander-in-Chiefto Commander of the Field Army, 15 February 1919, in ARA, "Archiefvan het
Hoofdkwartier Veldleger" entry no. 2.13.16, inventory no. 350. See also: correspondence between Minister of
Foreign Affairs and British Representative in The Hague, January - February 1919, in Oranjeboek: Mededeelingen
van den Minister van Buitenlandsche Zaken aan de Staten-Ge11eraai April 1918 - JlIni 1919 pp. 18 - 19.