Overview

This is the story of the first great air landing operation in history. The plan conceived by Adolf Hitler to capture The Hague by surprise, was carried out as part of the Blitzkrieg offensive in western Europe in May 1940. It became a dismal failure. It also became the only defeat of importance the Germans suffered during their campaign. The so successful course of their offensive, crowned by the surrender of France, enabled them initially to keep silent about the set-back or to present it as a side show. Only after the Second World War it was possible to throw more light on the fighting that took place in the Dutch polders. The defeat of the only German air landing division had not been without consequences. Hitler's enthusiasm for this new arm had diminished, so that its development was slowed down, an advantage for the Allies. Even greater than the heavy losses in air landing troops and paratroopers, were the gaps blown in the ranks of the German air transport fleet. According to authoritative German sources, the Germans never recovered from this blow during the Second World War. An invasion in England thus became a hazardous and difficult to carry out operation; the plans to attack Gibraltar and Malta underwent important changes and were finally cancelled.

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