The bombing of Rotterdam,May 14-1940

The battle of the Netherlands was really best described in biblical terms, it was a fight between David and Goliath. However in this case David lost.

Valiantly the Dutch fought the Germans for 4 days, Although they were poorly equipped and badly organized they kept fighting and caused significant damage to the Germans.

But on May 14,1940 when the Luftwaffe virtually destroyed the Netherlands 2nd biggest city and its economical heart,Rotterdam, the Dutch finally succumbed.

This is a picture of how Rotterdam looked like before the war.

After May 14 1940

All together 25.479 dwellings were lost in which 77.607 people were housed. Besides that, 26 hotels, 117 boarding houses and 44 lodgings, in which some 2000 people lived, had been destroyed. In total 79.600 persons, who represented 12,8 % of the population of Rotterdam, were left homeless. Of these people, as from June 15th 1940 onward, 20.887 were accommodated…