ABSTRACT
The Dutch armed forces – army, navy and air branch – were responsible for security and defence. They were also responsible for protecting the country's international neutrality obligations ‘on the ground’. Proclaiming neutrality alone, of course, could not guarantee independence in wartime. Measures had to be put in place to protect the integrity of both land and sea borders, to supervise cross-border traffic, and to deal with any breaches of neutrality. At the same time, military preparedness was essential in case neutrality failed and one of the Netherlands’ neighbours invaded. In line with developments in other European states, the Dutch military leadership did its utmost to improve the armed forces’ defensive capabilities in the years leading up to 1914. This was, in itself, not easy given the peculiar geography of the country and general loathing of military service among its population. This chapter serves as an introduction to the main players in the coming narrative, and highlights some of the pressing concerns for the military leadership even before the Great War began and Dutch neutrality was declared.
