Nederland en de United States Security Coordinator
In: Militaire spectator: MS ; maanblad ; waarin opgen. de officie͏̈le mededelingen van de Koninkl. Landmacht en de Koninkl. Luchtmacht, Band 183, Heft 2, S. 80-86
ISSN: 0026-3869
In: Militaire spectator: MS ; maanblad ; waarin opgen. de officie͏̈le mededelingen van de Koninkl. Landmacht en de Koninkl. Luchtmacht, Band 183, Heft 2, S. 80-86
ISSN: 0026-3869
In: Militaire spectator: MS ; maanblad ; waarin opgen. de officie͏̈le mededelingen van de Koninkl. Landmacht en de Koninkl. Luchtmacht, Band 11
ISSN: 0026-3869
The Cold War was a tense time. The Netherlands took precautions to protect its people from potential disasters, in particular nuclear threats. One crucial aspect of this was the establishment of the Civil Defence Corps. The organisation played a key role in setting up command stations and training centres, such as the one in Overvoorde, Rijswijk, near The Hague, which ran exercises and training to prepare people for possible disasters. From large practice ruins to advanced alarm systems, the complex was fully equipped to deal with a broad range of threats. Although the threat of a nuclear attack subsided and the Civil Defence was officially disbanded in 1985, these command stations retained their importance. Many of them have since been repurposed, from storage sites to museums. The bunkers in Overvoorde now serve as an educational centre under the management of Korpora, the Public Safety Heritage Centre. By preserving these sites, we can ensure that future generations can learn from the past and the sacrifices that were made for their safety.
An image in technicolor. Fifty years of wars in Vietnam 1940-1990 gives a broad and innovative interpretation of the history of Vietnam between 1940 and 1990. Black and white characterisations, one-sided interpretations and prevailing myths are debunked. Instead, a nuanced and multifaceted picture is given in which the United States is less prominent.
History is not only written by the victors and, in this case too, the history of Vietnam during this period cannot be attributed solely to Ho Chi Minh and the success of the Communists in 1975. The internal losers, that is, the other political movements and their leaders, must also be given a crucial place in Vietnam's history. For example, the civil wars that took place between 1940 and 1990 played an unmistakable role.
The older, idealised image of North Vietnam is inaccurate. This country was a dictatorial and oppressive police state. After 1954, the North Vietnamese leaders were embroiled in a fierce power struggle and were largely responsible for the war in South Vietnam. The answer to the question of who the legitimate representatives of the Vietnamese nation were also requires a more balanced judgment of non-Communist politicians, such as Bao Dai, Ngo Dinh Diem and Nguyen Van Thieu.
As for the role of international players, initially, it was the Cold War that determined the United States' interference; later, it was American credibility. In the end, it was the support from China and the Soviet Union that was the deciding factor for North Vietnam's victory.
Important new perspectives are given on the role of minorities, the meaning of 'a third way', the devastating effects of the strategy, the role of women and girls, and the mental and cultural aspects of the wars.
In: Acta politica: AP ; international journal of political science ; official journal of the Dutch Political Science Association (Nederlandse Kring voor Wetenschap der Politiek), Band 5, Heft 1, S. 20-42
ISSN: 0001-6810
An attempt to give a classification of internal violence, occurring in 40 developing countries, in order to provide a 'structure of violence' for each country in the period 1950-67, & to r this structure to the changes in the real per capita income of these countries. For the collection of the various items of internal violence, Keesings Historical Archives (Dutch version) was used. They were classified as follows: (1) Diffuse SP unrest (strikes, demonstrations, riots, etc, in which people were wounded, killed &/or property was destroyed). (2) Coup d'etat-like activities. (3) Small guerrillas in the countryside & clusters of (anticolonial) violent actions in the towns. (4) Limited civil or anti-colonial war. (5) 'Endemic' guerrillas. (6) Situation of serious anarchy. (7) .1Pol'al' pogroms of total civil or anticolonial war. A 'profile of violence' for each country was constructed. In the Latin Amer couutries coup d'etat activities prevailed; in several African countries these activities became numerous some yrs after independence was obtained; in the Middle Eastern countries all types of violence occurred; & in the ethnically complicated Asian countries, small & endemic guerrillas frequently arose. A relation between types & extent of internal violence, & level of nat'l income & its yr'ly per capita growth could not be proved. The material suggests that nat'l income & changes therein as such, may not be very interesting variables. Distribution of income & changes therein might be more relevant. The difficulty, however, is to obtain reliable data on these variables. A number of suggestions are made. Modified IPSA.
Since poison gas was used during World War I, long-range bombers had been introduced and tensions were rising in Europe, the Air Raid Precautions Act was passed in the Netherlands in 1936. The legislation emphasised individual responsibility for self-protection. This meant that citizens had to buy a gas mask themselves. The Gas Mask Decree (1937) required all gas mask models for Civil Defence units and civilians to be approved by the Dutch State Arsenal. Facepieces and filter canisters had to be marked with the State Acceptance Number and year(s) of approval and production. This paper identifies and describes the gas masks used by police, fire brigades, Civil Defence units and individual citizens, 1931-1940. Three models are heavy, regular Army box respirators, whose filter containers are worn in a haversack on the chest. All the other models are lighter civilian gas masks, with an easily replaceable screw-on filter canister attached to the facepiece. The gas masks were carried in a basic satchel or cylindrical metal case. Two Dutch-made gas masks have a peculiar design: the Veritex gas mask's facepiece has a swimcap type hood; the Hevea-Electro Model 128 gas mask's facepiece has no outlet valve. Air is inhaled and exhaled through the filter canister.
In: van Essen , A 2021 , ' Staatsbelang boven regentengezang : de politieke traktaten van Simon van Slingelandt (1664-1736) en het functioneren van de Republiek ' , Doctor of Philosophy , University of Groningen , [Groningen] . https://doi.org/10.33612/diss.178636338
Simon van Slingelandt (1664-1736) has been in the service of the Republic of the United Netherlands during his entire working life. In 1690 he started his career as secretary of the Council of State (Raad van State). In 1725 he was appointed Treasurer-General and in 1727 he accepted the position of Grand Pensionary over Holland and West Friesland. In this final position he was 'le premier homme de la Republique' during the Second Stadtholderless period. This period commenced after the death of stadtholder-king William III in 1702 and would last until 1747. As a civil servant, he has left a great impression upon the daily affairs in both domestic and foreign political business. He sharply perceived how hairline cracks in the union of the seven provinces (Utrecht 1579) threatened to become fractures. After the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1713), the Republic faced hard times. This incited Van Slingelandt to write critical texts. In both a personal capacity and as secretary of the Council of State, he pointed out the danger of a collapse of the system of government to the domestic allies. He also made propositions to improve the political-administrative system and financial policy. Van Slingelandt gathered these ideas in several treatises. These writings circulated during his lifetime, but were published later, in 1784-1785, titled Staatkundige Geschriften (Political Writings), fifty years after his death. This book contains a complete analysis of these treatises – as yet missing from historiography – which is preceded by an extensive biographical chapter about Van Slingelandt.
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