Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

On January 1, 1882, Prime Minister Linden of the Kingdom of the Netherlands announced that it would provide front-loaded artillery and rifle support for the first time to Mexico, which was launching a war in Mexico, saying that Melbourne would keep its promise and stand with Mexico City.

Not only did the Austro-Hungarian Empire react strongly, but this decision also triggered opposition from many parties, including the Kingdom of Germany, an ally of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Many people analyzed that the Linden government chose this moment to announce the provision of guns, ammunition and artillery to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which may be related to two factors.

Filling gaps, depleting inventory?

In an open letter interview with the Dutch National Broadcasting Network, the Linden government stated that "this is a very difficult decision" and "we have discussed this issue with our allies." He added, "The Mexicans are running out of ammunition and we We must find a way to provide them with sufficient ammunition and continue to rely on maintaining the country's territorial security. Otherwise, are we going to ignore our allies and ignore them?

This is not what the Netherlands does, nor does the Netherlands choose to stand by when its allies face invasion. We have to tell our allies that we are reliable and can be trusted. We in the Netherlands will abide by all signed treaties. This is what a big country does. symbol of"

According to a previous report by the "European Times", Martinas, Secretary-General of the Group of Thirteen Latin American Countries (of Dutch origin), publicly stated on December 10 last year that the Mexican army's artillery consumption rate far exceeded the speed of the country's sound field. Even if countries supported it in the past, The supply of permanent artillery shells is far from keeping up with the speed of use on the battlefield, and he also directly warned that if this continues, the inventory of the entire Latin American Group of Thirteen Allied Member States of the Netherlands will bottom out, and the military industrial enterprises of various countries will be unable to bear it, which will further reduce the price. The ability of allies like the Netherlands to defend themselves may face the risk of being defeated one by one when they encounter the same situation as Mexico.

Therefore, as early as nearly a month ago, Secretary-General Martinas asked the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which has the most industrial strength in the Group of Thirteen, to increase its efforts to support Mexico's guns and ammunition to prevent other allies from degrading their capabilities.

The speech delivered by Martinas at the headquarters in Kiel, the capital of Ecuador, received applause from all representatives present. The Mexican representative even stood up and bent down to express his gratitude to Martinas for his support.

After such a move, the Netherlands' position as the leader of the G13 has been further consolidated.

The Australian Times pointed out that the Netherlands will transport guns and artillery shells from Australia across the South Pacific to Mexico. The special equipment is that the artillery shells will be used in various artillery barrels that the Netherlands has previously sold to Mexico. Prime Minister Lyndon said that the Netherlands can produce all the ammunition for Dutch-style artillery and guns that Mexico needs, and will send all kinds of ammunition to fill the weakness of the fierce war between Mexico and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

In addition to this reason, the Dutch National Broadcasting Corporation also mentioned in the report that the Linden government is inclined to provide Mexico with heavy and powerful weapons such as front-loaded guns.

The Netherlands has stored 2,000 rear rifled guns on the Australian mainland, and 5,000 front rifled guns. Ships to Mexico almost immediately. Because front-loaded guns are not among the top similar weapons currently in service in the Netherlands, even in this regard, they only need to be signed by the Minister of Defense, Prime Minister, and King to release them, without the need for approval by the Dutch Parliament.

However, the British "Financial Times", which has been keeping a close eye on the Dutch defense policy, said that the Netherlands began to develop breech-rifled guns in the 1860s. However, for its own security and the possible invasion of Prussia, France and Britain, William IV just came to power. Intensifying efforts to support the development of the military, arms suppliers have become a key support target of William IV.

Therefore, the Netherlands currently has 5,000 front-loading guns, which are products in active service in the Netherlands more than ten or twenty years ago. The inventory was vigorously produced at that time. This authoritative British newspaper pointed out jokingly that the Kingdom of the Netherlands = these artillery will no longer be sold, and many of them will have ammunition. It's nearing its shelf life.

You can tell what it means at a glance. This British newspaper is trying to sow trust between the Netherlands and Mexico. It is said that the Netherlands used the Mexican War to help it clear its inventory of backward weapons.

The newspaper also deliberately pointed out that a week before the Netherlands announced that it would provide front-loaded artillery to Mexico, a three-party group of Dutch parliamentarians wrote to the Linden government to release a huge untapped arsenal of weapons to Mexico.

"Allies questioned and criticized by many parties?"

According to the Berliner Zeitung, a German newspaper, Antony, the Austro-Hungarian ambassador to the Netherlands, described the Netherlands' supply of front-loaded cannon to Mexico as a "gesture of despair." He said that such actions showed that "the Dutch government realizes that it is powerless to deal with the situation of the war between Austria-Hungary and Mexico. They are taking new crazy actions."

He also said that the Netherlands' move was to prolong the conflict, and that Austria-Hungary would respond strongly. Austria-Hungary also said that the Netherlands should be responsible for the increased casualties on both sides caused by the artillery on the front line.

In response to the Netherlands' supply of front-loaded artillery to Mexico, Cantur, director of the Dutch National Security Council and Atlantic Affairs Coordinator, said at a press conference at the Royal Palace in Melbourne that Mexico has provided a written guarantee that it will use them very, very carefully to prevent artillery shells from falling into the in the homes of Mexican civilians to minimize the threat to the lives of Mexican civilians.

Cantur also said that Mexico "will not use them on the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and not against its own Mexicans."

Even so, the Dutch move still aroused public doubts from opponents such as Austria-Hungary, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

According to Germany's Berliner Zeitung, nearly 50 members of the German Empire expressed disappointment with this decision of the Dutch Linden government.

McColler, the top member of the German House of Representatives Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, said, "The Dutch government's decision to ship heavy weapons to Mexico is unnecessary and a terrible mistake."

The British Broadcasting Corporation also stated that the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Portugal have all expressed opposition to the Netherlands providing these weapons to Mexico.

The Portuguese government said in a statement, "We do not support the Netherlands sending so many front-loading guns to Mexico for use, because this will cause a huge blow to the global balance, especially the breakdown of strategic advantages between European and non-European countries. There is a possibility.”

Belgium's Leopold II, an important participant in the International Court of Justice in The Hague, said in Brussels that his country opposed the Netherlands' shipment of huge amounts of front-loaded artillery to Mexico, the Belgian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

The Belgian king also believes that this move by the Netherlands will inevitably cause a certain degree of disagreement with European countries.