Evening star., 1938-06-20
The bikes of Victory.

The bikes of Victory.
Even though it is not clear whether
the Yellow River naturally overflowed, or
whether Chiang's troops broke the dikes
as measure of military defense, so
much is certain-that the Chinese people
for the first time find cause for JOY in
the behavior of the turbulent and
erratic stream famed in history as
"China's Sorrow" No less evident is it
that in the consequent slowing up of
the Japanese armies on the broad north
central front, when they were almost at
the gates of Chengchow on the way to
Hankow. China is experiencing the same
strategic benefits which the Dutch
achieved in their victorious sixteenth
century war of liberation against Spain.
"As the stars in their courses fought
against Sisera, so the sea and its tides
bafded the skill of the butcher, Alva,"
was written of the ruthless campaign
waged by King Philips commander
against the Dutch rebels in 1572-73 The
tactics which nearly drowned the Span
ish Army-the piercing of the dikes of
Alkmaar-are playing similar havoc with
the invaders of China, who are now in
full retreat in Honan Province from the
surging torrents of the Yellow River and
the flooded no mans land which brought
Japan's drive along the Lunghai to a
stalemate. The defenders are paying a
terrific price in casualties and flooded
villages and farmlands, but "China's
Sorrow is producing military results
they could not have hoped to win by
arms. Thus Dutch history repeats itself.
The Duke of Alva had seized Naarden
and massacred practically its entire pop
ulation. HARLEM was next marked for
destruction, and was finally starved into
submission. Later Alva cut the dikes in
order to sever all of Haarlem's COM
munications with the outside world.
Now convinced that they need expect
no mercy from the invaders, the Neither
landers were prompt to profit from the
example shown them by the Spaniards,
who had turned to the dikes when con-
ventional military tactics failed them
Akmaar (meaning "all-seaD having
been singled out as Alva's next victim,
he sent $4,000 men under his son, Don
Frederic, to besiege it. Then it was that
the brave defenders decided to teach
the enemy a memorable lesson in Dutch
geography. AS most of that part OF
Holland lies from twelve to fifteen feet
below sea level, they cut the local dikes
and returned the countryside around
their city to the sea-" whence it was
originally reclaimed. The resultant flood
nearly submerged the Spanish Army. 1t
promptly raised the siege, broke camp
and retreated to Amsterdam. A few
days later the Dutch feet won decisive
victory in the zuyder Zee. Amsterdam
became untenable for the Duke of Alva,
and his ignominious recall to Spain
shortly ensued. Two years later william
Of Orange and the States met at Rotter-
dam and resolved once more to call in
the aid of the sea. Better ruin the land
than lose IT." was their heroic decision
After five months, when famine had
net in and the plague ragged in Leyden,
the dikes were broken at Schiedam and
Delfshaven and the rich surrounding
farming country was flooded for twenty
miles. A fleet of 200 fiat-bottomed boats
loaded with herring and bread for the
besieged, and with powder and ball for
the Spaniards, moved upon the artificial
ocean. After desperate fighting between
the water beggars' Dutch privateers)
and the Spaniards Leyden was saved,
and soon after Dutch independence was
won.
History records no more thrilling
chapter of Mother Natures alliance
with liberty loving men and women.
She seems to have cleared for action in
all her ancient glory and might in
China.