The First World War (1914-1918)

During the First World War the Netherlands remained neutral, which means that the Dutch didn’t choose sides. Germany wanted to continue trading with the rest of the world through the Netherlands. The United Kingdom tried to stop them, so it was difficult for the Dutch to earn money. Compared to the countries that were actually fighting, though, things were not so bad in the Netherlands.

The Second World War (1940-1945)

The Netherlands was occupied by Germany in 1940. The Queen and the government went to the United Kingdom. During the occupation, three-quarters of the Jewish population of the Netherlands were deported and murdered. In 1944 the south of the Netherlands was liberated by the Allies. The north was controlled by the Germans until May 1945. In the winter of 1944-1945, many Dutch people died because they had nothing to eat. This awful period is known as the hongerwinter (winter of hunger). Every year, on 4 May, the Dutch remember all the people who died in the war. The following day they celebrate the liberation of the Netherlands.

International Cooperation

After the Second World War, the Netherlands, along with many other countries, wanted no more wars. To achieve that, they had to work together. In the section on Work, we have already told you that the Netherands was one of the founders of the EEC, which later became the European Union. The Netherlands was a founding member of several other international organisations set up after the Second World War. They include the United Nations (UN), which now has nearly 200 members, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). The armed forces of the NATO member states work together.