Page 212 - Airpower in 20th Century - Doctrines and Employment

212 airpower in 20 Century doCtrines and employment - national experienCes
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goal had by no means been reached yet. At the beginning of 1940, there was still no
mature and well-oiled organisation in place. In addition to a number of organisa-
tional flaws, there were personnel problems, including a shortage of pilot instructors,
observers and pilots, while the lack of modern aircraft equipment caused an endless
list of problems.
On 10 May 1940, the German invasion of the Netherlands brought an abrupt end
to the policy of neutrality and non-involvement which the Kingdom of the Nether-
lands had consistently pursued since its inception in 1815. After a period of more

The cradle of Dutch military aviation, Soesterberg Air Base during the interwar period.