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Bijlage AXII
REGERINGSCOMMUNIQUÉ IN ENGELAND UITGEGEVEN OP 15 MEI 1940
NETHERLANDS LEGATION
COMMUNIQUÉ
(The Times May 15th 1940)
The Commander in Chief of the Netherlands Army has issued a proclamation to the troops con
cerned that fighting is to cease.
The decision was taken towards the end of the afternoon of May 14.
Enemy troops in great numbers have succeeded in crossing the Moerdijk bridges and in retaking
Rotterdam, which had previously been heavily bombed.
Consequenthly the heart of the country was laid open to the enemy and the main forces of the
army behind the Dutch waterline were threatened by immediate enemy attacks on their rear.
Under these circumstances and in order to avoid complete destruction of the country the Com
mander in Chief was of the opinion that further resistance had become useless and therefore was to
be abandoned.
In conformity of the decision taken by the Netherlands Government the state of war between the
Kingdom of the Netherlands and Germany continues to exist.
