#840 - The Netherlands collapsed

Chapter 836 The Netherlands collapsed

Before the seventy or eighty people in the middle of the hall could react, Luke raised his hand and the soldiers immediately tied them up and took them away.

Amidst the noisy explanations and questions, all the influential people in Middelburg were caught in one fell swoop.

Cook arranged his men to screen these people in a familiar way - he had done these things many times in other cities recently.

Senior officials and "uncooperative" wealthy businessmen will be taken to the prison in Antwerp, the capital of the Flemish Republic.

Middle and low-level officials who are considered "capable of cooperating with the government" will be retained and assigned new positions.

Businessmen and bankers who cooperate more will also be paroled after paying the "bail".

In a few days, officials appointed by the Flemish Parliament will take office and take over the management of Middelburg.

At that time, the whole city will also undergo a comprehensive purge, and all those who are loyal to the Dutch government, whether you are a commoner or a noble, will be sent to the western coast to work as rowing laborers.

Under such a thorough purge, the Flemish Parliament will be able to control the three provinces in the south of the Netherlands as quickly as possible.

At noon the next day, Luca placed an account book in front of Sihaik and said proudly: "Uncle, a total of 620,000 Dutch guilders, and 15% of the shares of the two banks."

The latter flipped through it casually and nodded: "It's better to divide it according to the old rules."

"Don't worry, it's all done."

The so-called "old rules" are-the money obtained in the purge is divided into four parts, the Flemish Parliament and the Flemish military each take one, Sihaik takes one, and the remaining one is given to the French consultant.

As for those bank shares, they will all be acquired by an anonymous French bank. Of course, the price must be a discount and then two more hammers.

The reason why Sihak worked so hard was because he knew very well that he was a waste without brains and ability. If he wanted to gain a foothold in the Flemish government, he had to cling to France.

The French Intelligence Agency had promised him that it would help him set up a political party before the Flemish election.

After his nephew left, Sihak summoned his staff and ordered: "Let the soldiers rest in the city for two days. The day after tomorrow we will cross the Waal River and march to Utrecht."

"Yes, General!"

...

The Netherlands.

Amsterdam.

Kemperen and a group of senior government and military officials sat around the long table, each of them with a gloomy face.

They were still immersed in the joy of signing an armistice agreement with France, and the news of Flemish's sudden declaration of war knocked them out like a heavy hammer.

The Flemish were very fast. In just one week, they had swept through the three southern provinces of the Netherlands and could attack Amsterdam at any time.

The most fatal thing is that the Dutch Parliament has no army that can resist them.

Dutch Minister of War Bronckhorst was the first to break the silence: "The newly recruited 3,000 soldiers will be deployed next week. Including Breda's army, we will have 6,000 troops for defense..."

The Dutch Parliament has the ability to immediately recruit tens of thousands of soldiers. There are indeed many Dutch people who are willing to join the army to resist the invasion, but there are no instructors to train them.

Untrained soldiers go to the battlefield not only to die, but also to disrupt their own formation and take the old soldiers with them to die.

In recent years, the Netherlands first interfered with the Brabant Uprising and was wiped out by the Franco-Austrian coalition.

Then they put all the troops that had just been formed into the anti-French alliance, but they were beaten and captured by Joseph, and almost all of them could not come back.

Most of the remaining officers in the country were imprisoned or exiled for war crimes, and the entire Netherlands had almost no military capabilities left.

If there were not a few officers in the aristocratic group that was previously excluded by the Patriot Party, I am afraid that now I can't even train a new soldier.

Campelon frowned and looked at the Minister of War: "How confident are you that you can defend the Waal River?"

The latter just squeezed his cane and said: "I will personally go to the Waal River to command the defense."

"Please answer me directly, how confident are you?"

"..."

Bronckhorst could only remain silent.

At present, there are only a few middle-level officers in the entire Netherlands, and the soldiers below are all new recruits. Unless God appears, no one can win this war.

Danders had served in the army before, and soon understood the key. He looked at Bronckhorst: "If we release those officers in prison, do you think..."

Before he finished speaking, others cut off his words with knife-like eyes.

Those in prison are war criminals who the French demanded to be tried, and they are also the basis of the Franco-Dutch armistice agreement.

If you dare to release them, the French will probably tear up the agreement immediately and break through Amsterdam before the Flemish.

Moreover, Campbellen and others also knew that these officers were thrown into prison by the Dutch Parliament. Even if they were released now, they might not be able to fight for the Netherlands sincerely.

No mistakes, one sentence, one post, one content, one look!

Campbellen looked at the foreign minister next to him: "Have Britain and Prussia responded?"

The latter lowered his head and whispered: "They refused to meet our envoys."

You, the Netherlands, have just announced the abolition of the Anglo-Dutch Alliance. The British are giving you face by not coming to beat you up. How could they send troops to help you fight?

What's more, even if the British have the intention, they have no troops to send.

The Dutch high-level officials discussed for a whole day, but still could not come to a conclusion.

Bronckhorst stood up and bowed slightly to Campbellen: "Mr. Prime Minister, I have to rush to Zaltbommel overnight."

Zaltbommel is an important ferry city guarding the south bank of the Waal River.

"May God bless you."

"May God have mercy on the Netherlands."

However, God does not seem to like Bronckhorst and the Netherlands.

Four days later, Schecker ordered Lieutenant Colonel Vermeer to start crossing the river, and the Dutch defenders fought back.

Although the combat effectiveness of the Flemish National Army was very average, they had at least 13,000 people, and their foundation was also the Austrian regular army.

The Dutch recruits who lacked officers almost collapsed at the first touch. Vermeer led 3,000 vanguard troops and occupied Zaltbommel in less than half a day.

When Schecker's main force caught up, even the city of Tiel on the other side of the river was almost taken down.

The news of the defeat reached Amsterdam, and the whole country of the Netherlands was shocked.

From Zaltbommel to Amsterdam, there was only one Utrecht that could barely hold on.

The Dutch Parliament had no troops available at this time.

What's worse, General Bronckhorst, the last Dutch general with the ability to command a corps, was hit by shrapnel in the battle a few days ago and was dying.

In the Parliament Building in Amsterdam, a group of Dutch politicians were silent for a full 20 minutes. Finally, Campelen stood up and patted the Foreign Minister with a dark face: "Mr. Blanzen, you go and negotiate with the Flemish."

Less than three weeks after the armistice negotiations with France, the Dutch Parliament once again embarked on the road of armistice negotiations.