The heel of the conquerer

In the waning months of the war, German measures against the Dutch grew more and more harsh. Raids increased in frequency and ferocity. House-to-house searches flushed out suspected Resistance members, who were deported to work camps or shot. The Nazis starting mining the nation's remaining dikes in preparation for a last ditch stand. In April they blew up the great polder of Wieringermeer, rendering thousands of people homeless.