Changes

During the 1930s the Netherlands, like other developed Western economies, suffered much from unemployment and the Depression.  The economy was based on trade and agriculture. there was some manufacturing, led by Unilever (soap), Shell (oil refining) and Philips (light bulbs).  World trade levels declines sharply, leaving the large Dutch merchant fleet with less business; one third of the ships were laid up.  Unemployment reached 17% in 1936, then began a slow decline.  GDP fell below the level of the prosperous 1920s.  The politically system continued to function normally, with Catholic and Calvinist religious parties in control. There was little mass unrest or Communist activity and the Socialist party remained weak.  

During the 1930s the Netherlands, like other developed Western economies, suffered much from unemployment and the Depression.  The economy was based on trade and agriculture. there was some manufacturing, led by Unilever (soap), Shell (oil refining) and Philips (light bulbs).  World trade levels declines sharply, leaving the large Dutch merchant fleet with less business; one third of the ships were laid up.  Unemployment reached 17% in 1936, then began a slow decline.  GDP fell below the level of the prosperous 1920s.  The politically system continued to function normally, with Catholic and Calvinist religious parties in control. There was little mass unrest or Communist activity and the Socialist party remained weak.  

====Dutch East Indies====  

====Dutch East Indies====  

In the overseas empire, especially the Dutch East Indies (later renamed [[Indonesia]]) the fall in commodity prices caused a sharp economic decline, as exports fell by two-thirds. Since a fourth of all Dutch wealth was invested there, investors were badly hurt. The colonial government pursued a policy of "indianization," which meant training more and more locals Indonesians for civil service jobs. There was no self government; a local council was only advisory to the governor. Demands for self-government were rising rapidly.  

In the overseas empire, especially the Dutch East Indies (later renamed [[Indonesia]]) the fall in commodity prices caused a sharp economic decline, as exports fell by two-thirds. Since a fourth of all Dutch wealth was invested there, investors were badly hurt. The colonial government pursued a policy of "indianization," which meant training more and more locals Indonesians for civil service jobs. There was no self government; a local council was only advisory to the governor. Demands for self-government were rising rapidly among the 67 million inhabitants, most of them Moslems.

====Dutch fascism====

====Dutch fascism====

A small fringe element of Dutch fascists existed from 1929 to 1940. They were inspired by Mussolini's Italy and was based on traditional corporate ideology. The movement was small, elitist, and consisted of competing bourgeois political associations. It was opposed by the Catholic Church. Nazi-style National Socialism, also existed as an even smaller fringe group; it failed to gain mass support because its ideology was alien to native Dutch political culture.  It too was opposed by the Catholic Church. <ref>Erik Hansen, "Fascism and Nazism in the Netherlands 1929-39." ''European Studies Review'' 1981 11(3): 355-385. Issn: 0014-3111  </ref>

A small fringe element of Dutch fascists existed from 1929 to 1940. They were inspired by Mussolini's Italy and was based on traditional corporate ideology. The movement was small, elitist, and consisted of competing bourgeois political associations. It was opposed by the Catholic Church. Nazi-style National Socialism, also existed as an even smaller fringe group; it failed to gain mass support because its ideology was alien to native Dutch political culture.  It too was opposed by the Catholic Church. <ref>Erik Hansen, "Fascism and Nazism in the Netherlands 1929-39." ''European Studies Review'' 1981 11(3): 355-385. Issn: 0014-3111  </ref>

====World War II====

====World War II====

Although the Netherlands proclaimed its neutrality, the Germans under [[Adolf Hitler]] invaded on May 10, 1940 and after the open city of [[Rotterdam]] was bombed on May 14 by the ''[[Luftwaffe]]'' the Dutch army capitulated on May 15, 1940. A brutal five year German occupation of the country began. The attempt of Nazi military governor, Reichskommissar Arthur Seyss-Inquart, to win the "Aryan" Dutch for Nazism by promoting industrial recovery met with resistance in the form of strikes and underground activity. 250,000 Dutch civilians were forced laborers at factories in Germany, which were targets of Allied air raids.  The heightening demands of the German war machine led to increasingly ruthless exploitation, as more than 40% of Dutch income flowed to Germany by 1942, severely undermining Dutch industry, while large numbers of young Dutch workers went into hiding and the resistance.<ref> Hein A. M. Klemann, "Dutch Industrial Companies and the German Occupation, 1940-1945." ''Vierteljahrschrift Für Sozial- Und Wirtschaftsgeschichte''  2006 93(1): 1-22. Issn: 0340-8728 </ref>

Although the Netherlands proclaimed its neutrality, the Germans under [[Adolf Hitler]] invaded on May 10, 1940 and after the open city of [[Rotterdam]] was bombed on May 14 by the ''[[Luftwaffe]]'' the Dutch army capitulated on May 15. Queen Wilhelmina and her government fled into exile in London, which became their base to fight the Germans, using the small navy and large merchant fleet as its assets, along with its colonies.  

====Japanese=====

 

The Japanese invaded Indonesia in January, 1942, looking for oil. The Shell company blew up all the wells and the Japanese, after long repairs, in the end obtained much less than it needed. Japanese military victory was swift, and nearly 150,000 Dutch citizens found themselves prisoners of the Japanese in horrible conditions.

A brutal five year German occupation of the country began; the Dutch were forced to pay all the costs. The attempt of Nazi military governor, Reichskommissar Arthur Seyss-Inquart, to win the "Aryan" Dutch for Nazism by promoting industrial recovery met with resistance in the form of strikes and underground activity. 250,000 Dutch civilians were forced laborers at factories in Germany, which were targets of Allied air raids.  The heightening demands of the German war machine led to increasingly ruthless exploitation, as more than 40% of Dutch income flowed to Germany by 1942, severely undermining Dutch industry, while large numbers of young Dutch workers went into hiding and the resistance.<ref> Hein A. M. Klemann, "Dutch Industrial Companies and the German Occupation, 1940-1945." ''Vierteljahrschrift Für Sozial- Und Wirtschaftsgeschichte''  2006 93(1): 1-22. Issn: 0340-8728 </ref>

====Japanese====

The Japanese invaded Indonesia in January, 1942, looking for oil. The Shell oil company blew up all the wells and the Japanese, after long repairs, in the end obtained much less than it needed. Japan's victory was swift after it sank the Dutch navy and invaded; nearly 150,000 Dutch citizens found themselves prisoners of the Japanese in horrible conditions.

====Jews====

====Jews====

The Nazis as part of the [[Holocaust]] hunted down, deported and killed three-fourths of the 140,000 Jews in the country.<ref>Pamela Griffioen Ron and Zeller, "Anti-Jewish Policy and Organization of the Deportations in France and the Netherlands, 1940-1944: a Comparative Study." ''Holocaust and Genocide Studies'' 2006 20(3): 437-473. Issn: 8756-6583 Fulltext: [[Project Muse]]</ref> The most famous victim  was [[Anne Frank]] (1929-45), whose family hiding place in Amsterdam was exposed by an informer in 1944 and she died in [[Bergen-Belsen]] weeks before the war ended.  

The Nazis as part of the [[Holocaust]] hunted down, deported and killed three-fourths of the 140,000 Jews in the country.<ref>Pamela Griffioen Ron and Zeller, "Anti-Jewish Policy and Organization of the Deportations in France and the Netherlands, 1940-1944: a Comparative Study." ''Holocaust and Genocide Studies'' 2006 20(3): 437-473. Issn: 8756-6583 Fulltext: [[Project Muse]]</ref> The most famous victim  was [[Anne Frank]] (1929-45), whose family hiding place in Amsterdam was exposed by an informer in 1944 and she died in [[Bergen-Belsen]] weeks before the war ended.