Royal Netherlands Army

The Royal Netherlands Army (Koninklijke Landmacht) is the land forces element of the military of the Netherlands. The Army was raised on 9 January 1814, but its origins date back to 1572, when the so-called Staatse Leger was raised. The Netherlands is regarded to be one of the countries that have maintained the oldest standing army, dating back to the 16th century.

Royal Netherlands Army in The War That Came Early
The Dutch Army was completely unprepared for the German invasion of their country, two weeks before Christmas in 1938. Although a rich country, the Dutch Army hardly had a modern army, as Sgt. Ludwig Rothe discovered as he tore through Holland. He was also surprised that he didn't encounter a single Dutch Panzer.

Within five days, the Dutch army was forced to flee into Belgium when their government surrendered after the bombing of Rotterdam. They still fought with tenacity and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds.