Fifty years after the the start TIME brings a series of extensive articles on World War II. Though the Dutch fought bravely, they were no match for Hitler’s blitzkrieg.

Exiled Thucydides knew

All that a speech can say

About Democracy,

And what dictators do . . .

The habit-forming pain,

Mismanagement and grief:

We must suffer them all again.

– SEPTEMBER 1, 1939, by W.H. AUDEN*

If one man could be singled out as Hitler’s most resolute and effective…

After Queen Wilhelmina called for a free NL’s Commonwealth, to be democratically governed by all its people, Hitler appointed Dutch Nazi Leader Mussert “Leader of The NL. people.”

One week after Queen Wilhelmina went on record for a free Netherlands Commonwealth, to be democratically governed by all its people (TIME, Dec. 14), Adolf Hitler appointed Dutch Nazi Leader Anton Adrian Mussert “Leader of The Netherlands people.”

The new stooge-boss of The Netherlands is a frustrated little fellow who…