After the first hectic day with massive action all around the area, the second day was characterized by many small scale operations, most of which occurred when Dutch army units tried to clear the area of German troops.

Furthermore, the Dutch army still consisted of untrained troops. Therefore, mobile warfare was very difficult. Most actions took a lot of time to prepare, so the actions later in the war were less massive.

South of the town of Delft, the paratroopers tried to prevent the Dutch linking up with their troops around Rotterdam. In order to do so, they occupied the motorway south of Delft that lay between The Hague and Rotterdam. The whole day, the Dutch assaulted in this area, but without any real success. They managed to force the Germans a few kilometers back towards Rotterdam, but they never came close to breaking through. They did, however, capture another 100 prisoners.

After a night of exchanging fire, near the airfield of Ockenburg, the Germans started to fortify the forest. A dense system of trenches was dug. Even civilians were forced to dig trenches. A German request for a truce in order to care for the wounded was rejected by the Dutch commander. Late in the afternoon, six aircraft dropped supplies in open terrain. Dutch fire prevented the Germans from picking them up. Later a Dutch army unit confiscated them.

To the north of The Hague, a considerable German force occupied the village of Valkenburg. Other Germans had been sighted in the dunes. Dutch army units set out to clear both areas. In the dunes things went badly wrong for the Dutch. This action brought the Germans their biggest victory. Due to lack of communications, one. platoon went into action on its own. Germans from all positions attacked it. The Dutch commander thought them friendly forces and ordered a cease-fire. Half the group managed to escape, while the other half was taken prisoner.

Around Valkenburg the situation was totally different. Despite German numeric superiority, Dutch army commanders believed a victory was possible. After an initial artillery barrage everything seemed to happen the right way. The Dutch soldiers made it into the streets of the village. However, then their own artillery shot them up, by some kind of mistake. Remnants fell back on the nearby village of Katwijk. Immediately a second assault was launched. However, this one had to be broken off due to heavy German fire. The village was left behind in flames.

And so the 2nd day ended around The Hague. A lot of smaller German troops had been captured. However, all assaults against German strongholds were without success.

In the rest of the Netherlands the situation was difficult. Units of SS regiment "Der Fuhrer" had opened the assault on the Dutch main line around Grebbeberg in the center of the country. Dutch resistance was fierce and no real gains were made by the Germans.

In the south the Germans appeared to be unstoppable. French reinforcements entered Holland in the midst of fleeing civilians and retreating Dutch military units. In the evening, the Germans captured Eindhoven.

Around Rotterdam, the situation was unchanged. Dutch counterattacks had damaged the Germans, but were without any major result. Despite heavy artillery bombardments, the Germans furthermore had been able to fly in reinforcements.

More May 1940: German Assault on the Hague

General Introduction
Dutch Situation and Plans
German Situation and Plans
May 10, 1940: The War Begins
May 11, 1940
May 12, 1940
May 13, 1940
May 14, 1940 and Aftermath