During the Korean War, Dutch troops from Europe also joined the "United Nations Forces" led by the United States. As a small country, why did the Netherlands go to the Korean Peninsula in the Far East to fight the war? What purpose did they come for? What was the result? What happened to this force that they did not dare to disclose the war damage figures for more than 60 years? What was it that made this part of history a scar that the Dutch did not want to mention?
1. Three reasons why the Netherlands entered the war
In 1949, the Netherlands joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and officially became an ally of the United States in Europe. When the Korean War broke out, the United States decided to intervene with troops and called on its allies to form a "United Nations Force". As a loyal follower of the United States, the Netherlands naturally did not miss this opportunity to show their loyalty.
At that time, the Dutch economy had not fully recovered from the trauma of World War II and was in dire need of American assistance. The Dutch government believed that participating in the Korean War would not only curry favor with the United States, but also get a piece of the "Marshall Plan" led by the United States. So, the Netherlands did not hesitate to send an infantry battalion to North Korea.
In addition to economic considerations, the Netherlands also wants to take the opportunity to expand its influence on the international stage. You must know that the Netherlands was once a maritime power, with a large number of colonies around the world in the 17th century, and even occupied the mainland Taiwan for 40 years. By the 20th century, however, the Netherlands' international status had changed from what it had once been, and it had become a small country with little notice. The Dutch still have dreams of the former empire in their hearts, eager to regain their former glory.
The third reason for entering the war was that the Netherlands wanted to take advantage of the war. They have learned from the history of the invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance: as long as they stand on the side of the victorious country, even if they send a few people symbolically, they can sit back and enjoy the results afterwards and obtain various benefits. The Dutch calculated, even if they could not defeat the Chinese, and the United States as a backer, wouldn't it be beautiful to occupy the name of a "victorious country" and gain some political and economic benefits at that time?
All in all, the Dutch entry into the war was a political bargain, both to curry favor with the United States and to make a fortune while also improving its international status. However, reality slapped the Dutch in the face. They never expected that the 819 people sent this time would have 765 casualties and 3 missing in just one fight with the volunteers.
Why did a mere Dutch battalion suffer such a crushing defeat? The reason was that they had encountered a different opponent than they had been. At the end of the 19th century, the great powers could easily bully the poor and weak Qing government and arbitrarily carve up China's territory, but now, in the face of a powerful new China, the Dutch can no longer do whatever they want with the same means.
The battle-hardened warriors of the Volunteer Army, their courage and tenacity, coupled with their proper command, quickly routed the unprepared Dutch battalion. This battle not only gave the Netherlands a taste of blood, but also made them realize their true status on the international stage. From then on, the Dutch kept silent about the Korean War, for fear of being ridiculed as paper tigers. It was not until 63 years later that they had to admit this inglorious history and publish the figures on war damage.
2. The 351st Regiment of the Volunteer Army was ordered to intersperse detours
In February 1951, the Korean War entered the fourth phase of the campaign. The command of the Volunteer Army decided to concentrate forces and destroy the enemy's living forces on the right flank of the central line. Among them, the 117th Division of the 39th Army was temporarily placed under the command of the 42nd Army, and received a special task - to intersperse a detour to the area of Xia Ri and Hegu-ri west of Hengcheng, and occupy favorable terrain before 7 o'clock in the morning of the 12th to cut off the enemy's retreat.
The 117th Division, with the 351st Regiment as the vanguard, set off in the vast night. The warriors wore white towels to make sure they could identify themselves in the dark. They made their way along a rugged mountain road, surrounded by high mountain cliffs on both sides, and the mountain wind howled and the cold was biting. The snow was icy, the roads were slippery and difficult to navigate, and from time to time someone in the team fell.
Passing through a village, the 351st Regiment encountered a small force of South Korean troops. The two sides exchanged several rounds of fire, and the enemy quickly broke up. The fork in the road at the entrance of the village was covered with heavy snow, and the guide said that you should take the road on the left. So, the whole regiment turned to the left.
Who knows, it was a bad decision. After the 351st Regiment trekked 20 kilometers in the wind and snow, the regiment commander Wang Deyu and the political commissar Peng Zhongtao realized that the direction was wrong. They hurriedly sent people to chase the 2nd battalion at the front and make them turn around. At this time, the heralds of the division headquarters also arrived, confirming that they had indeed taken the wrong path.
Wang Deyu was annoyed and worried that the fighter plane would be delayed. That's when the unexpected happened. On the hillside in the northeast corner, more than a dozen people suddenly walked out, chattering non-stop. It turned out that this was a group of South Korean soldiers, and they still regarded the 351st Regiment as their own!
Seeing this, the guards immediately raised their guns and pointed them at the incoming people. When the enemy approached, Wang Deyu gave an order, and a dense burst of gunfire and explosions rang out. In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen enemies were killed and wounded, and the five who survived became prisoners.
The interrogation of the captives made Wang Deyu overjoyed. The captives not only explained the situation of the enemy in the vicinity, but also said that there was a small road that would allow them to reach their destination faster. The regiment headquarters hurriedly checked the map, and sure enough, there was such a shortcut. This is undoubtedly great news and can make up for the loss of going the wrong way.
Led by the captives, the 351st Regiment entered a ravine and sprinted along a more difficult mountain road. They climbed two hills and a 700-meter-high mountain. The snow on the mountain was knee-deep and the horses could not advance, so the soldiers disassembled the cannons and carried the barrels, shells and artillery mounts on their shoulders. When descending the mountain, they simply took advantage of the snow on the slopes and rolled down and pushed forward as fast as they could.
At dawn on February 12, the 2nd Battalion, the vanguard of the 351st Regiment, finally arrived at the road between Xia Ri and Hegu-ri. At this time, the sky was twilight, and the enemy convoy on the highway was still passing, and the headlights formed a long line. The enemy clearly did not expect that the Volunteer Army would suddenly appear behind their flanks.
The fighters of the 2nd Battalion quickly attacked, guns and artillery fired, and grenades rained down on the enemy positions. It turned out that this force was mainly Dutch, mixed with some American troops. They were placed in this relatively safe position, and they did not expect to be attacked by the volunteers at all.
In the face of the sudden attack, the unprepared Dutch army was suddenly in disarray. According to some sources, the 351st Regiment deliberately wore South Korean uniforms in order to cover their identities, so the Dutch also regarded them as friendly troops, shouting "Don't get me wrong, we are friendly troops." At that time, there were indeed frequent incidents of accidental injuries within the "United Nations Army," and the Turkish army had defeated the South Korean Army to the ground.
The Dutch battalion commander Auden stood in front of the position and shouted loudly: "We are the Dutch army, your friendly army, don't make a mistake!" However, the volunteer soldiers don't care who the other party is, since they are enemies, they can't run away. They concentrated their fire, aiming at the guy wearing the officer's epaulettes.
Poor Auden died instantly, inexplicably. The commander was killed, and the Dutch battalion was completely crushed. With a single charge, the 2nd Battalion wiped out the enemy, and most of them were either killed or wounded, and they were captured as formations.
III. The encounter between the 351st Regiment and the Dutch battalion
At dawn on February 12, 1951, the 2nd Battalion of the 351st Regiment of the Volunteer Army finally arrived at the road between Xia Ri and Heguli. At this time, the sky was twilight, and the enemy convoy on the highway was still passing, and the headlights formed a long line. The enemy clearly did not expect that the Volunteer Army would suddenly appear behind their flanks.
It turned out that this force was mainly Dutch, mixed with some American troops. They were placed in this relatively safe position, and they did not expect to be attacked by the volunteers at all. In the face of the sudden attack, the unprepared Dutch army was suddenly in disarray.
The fighters of the 2nd Battalion quickly attacked, guns and artillery fired, and grenades rained down on the enemy positions. According to some sources, the 351st Regiment deliberately wore South Korean uniforms in order to cover their identities, so the Dutch also regarded them as friendly troops, shouting "Don't get me wrong, we are friendly troops." At that time, there were indeed frequent incidents of accidental injuries within the "United Nations Army," and the Turkish army had defeated the South Korean Army to the ground.
The Dutch battalion commander Auden stood in front of the position and shouted loudly: "We are the Dutch army, your friendly army, don't make a mistake!" However, the volunteer soldiers don't care who the other party is, since they are enemies, they can't run away. They concentrated their fire, aiming at the guy wearing the officer's epaulettes.
Poor Auden died instantly, inexplicably. The commander was killed, and the Dutch battalion was completely crushed. With a single charge, the 2nd Battalion wiped out the enemy, and most of them were either killed or wounded, and they were captured as formations.
The main force of the 351st Regiment, which arrived later, quickly occupied the commanding heights on both sides of the road, completely cutting off the enemy's retreat. In this battle, the 117th Division annihilated a total of 3,550 enemy troops, captured more than 2,500 people, and captured a large number of weapons and equipment, laying the foundation for the victory of the fourth battle.
After the battle, the 351 regiment gathered the Dutch prisoners for counting. The Dutch soldiers were all earthy and trembling, and it was evident that they had not recovered from the sudden blow. They really couldn't figure out why they were ambushed by volunteers in the rear?
It turned out that although the Dutch battalion was subordinate to the 2nd Division of the US Army, because its combat effectiveness was too poor, the US Army did not worry about letting them go to the front line, so they arranged them in the flank and rear, thinking that it was safe here. Who knows, the volunteers unexpectedly circled behind them and caught them off guard.
The soldiers interrogated the prisoners and learned that the Dutch unit had come to Korea at the call of the United States. They thought that it was not wrong to follow the United States, and maybe they could make some benefits. Who knows, just after entering the battlefield, he suffered such a big defeat, not to mention heavy losses, and was captured so many people, it was really disgraceful.
A Dutch officer sighed: "We completely underestimated your strength. I didn't expect your warriors to be so brave and good at fighting, and so flexible in command. We're no match at all!"
When the commanders and fighters of the 351st Regiment heard this, they couldn't help but wonder. Yes, the soldiers of the Volunteer Army have been in a hundred battles, fought bravely and tenaciously, and in addition to the proper command, how can a mere Dutch battalion resist it? What's more, they also made a serious mistake and completely neglected the defense of the flank, which gave the Volunteer Army an opportunity.
The soldiers recalled the battle and were amazed at the ignorance and incompetence of the Dutch army. How could the armies of the dignified European countries be so vulnerable? Have they not learned the lessons of World War II at all?
In fact, the Dutch army did very badly in World War II. In May 1940, Germany launched a blitzkrieg, and the Dutch army surrendered after only five days of resistance. The whole country fell, the king and queen went into exile in England, and 80,000 Dutch soldiers were captured by the Germans.
After the end of World War II, although the Netherlands regained its independence, its national strength declined, and its army collapsed. They are completely dependent on the United States and regard the United States as their master. When the United States asked them to fight, they obediently went to war, without any consideration for their own interests.
This crushing defeat on the Korean battlefield once again exposed the weakness and incompetence of the Dutch army. Although they are advanced in weaponry, they lack the will to fight and fighting spirit. In the face of the heroic and good fighting of the volunteers, they could not resist at all, and could only be slaughtered by others.
After the war, the Dutch kept the defeat secret, and for 63 years did not disclose the war loss figures. It was not until 2013 that the Dutch ambassador to South Korea admitted that 120 Dutch people were killed, 645 wounded and three missing during the Korean War. Since the Dutch army had largely only participated in the fourth campaign, almost all of these casualties were inflicted in encounters with the 351st Regiment.
It can be said that this battle left an indelible scar on the Dutch army and the Dutch people. In order to curry favor with the United States and for a little petty profit, they sent the country's young people to a foreign land to serve as cannon fodder, but in the end they paid a heavy price and great humiliation.
Fourth, the secrecy after the war is as deep as deep
The Dutch army suffered heavy losses in the encounter with the 351st Regiment of the Volunteers, with 765 casualties and 3 missing, almost completely annihilated. This was undoubtedly a devastating blow to the Dutch battalion of 819 men. However, after the war, the Dutch side kept this secret, and for 63 years did not disclose the war damage figures.
It wasn't until 2013 that Paul Monkwede, then the Dutch ambassador to South Korea, broke his silence and officially revealed the Dutch army's casualties in the Korean War. According to Munkwede, a total of 5,322 Dutch army and navy participated in the war on a rotational basis, of which 120 were killed, 645 were wounded and three were missing. Since the Dutch army had largely only participated in the fourth campaign, almost all of these casualties were inflicted in encounters with the 351st Regiment.
Why should the Netherlands keep its mouth shut about such heavy losses? There are several reasons for this. First of all, the defeat was too humiliating and disgraced the Dutch army and government. The regular armies of dignified European countries were actually beaten to the ground by the volunteers, losing 90% of their troops, and it is really embarrassing for such a record to be spread.
Secondly, the Dutch entry into the war was already unpopular. Many Dutch people believed that the Korean War was a struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union, and that it had nothing to do with the Netherlands, and that the government should not send the country's youth to a foreign land to be used as cannon fodder. Now that the casualties are so high, it is tantamount to confirming this suspicion, and the government is naturally reluctant to make the scandal public.
Moreover, the Netherlands entered the war for another ulterior purpose, that is, to take advantage of the opportunity to make a fortune and reap the benefits of the United States and the war. However, instead of getting any oil and water, they lost their wives and soldiers, and they lost all their money. Naturally, the Netherlands is reluctant to let its own people and the international community know about such a result.
Finally, this defeat also exposed the weakness and incompetence of the Dutch army. During World War II, the Netherlands was defeated by the German Blitzkrieg in five days, and the whole country fell. After the war, although the Dutch army was replaced with American-style equipment, its combat effectiveness did not improve much. In the face of only one regiment of the volunteers, they were completely lost, which shows that they lack the will to fight and fighting spirit. Naturally, the Netherlands is reluctant to show such an embarrassment.
It was precisely because of these concerns that the Netherlands kept this fiasco secretive and tried to cover up this disgraceful history. However, the paper can't contain the fire, and the truth will eventually be revealed to the world. To this day, the battle still leaves an indelible scar on the Dutch army and the Dutch people.
On the other hand, the officers and men of the Volunteer Army were not afraid of strong enemies, fought bravely and well, defeated the strong with the weak, and created one war miracle after another. The 351st Regiment alone, with the strength of a reinforced regiment, inflicted heavy losses on the Dutch battalion, annihilated more than 3,000 enemy troops, captured more than 2,500 people, and captured a large amount of weapons and equipment. Such a result is enough to go down in history and shine for a thousand years.
The victory of the volunteers not only defended the dignity of the motherland, but also won the respect of the world. With their blood and lives, they composed a heroic hymn that can be sung and cried, and won glory for the Chinese nation. This spirit of serving the country and the people is always worth learning from and carrying forward.
In contrast, the crushing defeat of the Dutch army has taught us a profound historical lesson. It tells us that a country cannot be blinded by interests, let alone underestimate the strength of its opponents. Those countries that entered the war with the mentality of making a fortune could not escape the fate of defeat in the end.
The destruction of the Dutch battalion also warned us to be cautious about war. Every war means the loss of life and the breakdown of families. We need to settle disputes peacefully, not resort to force. Only with peace and tranquility can the country prosper and become strong and the people happy.