Liberation of the Netherlands
Canadian Forces were pivotal in liberating the Netherlands. Canadians who landed on D-Day, fought battles through France, Belgium and Germany and were then sent back to the Netherlands, joining Canadians who had fought in Italy. Their orders were to push the German troops occupying the northeast back to the sea and to drive German troops in the west back into Germany. The advance was halted on April 12 due to concern for the citizens in the western Netherlands. These people had been starved for months and also ran the risk of being flooded if the Germans opened the dykes. On April 28 Canadians negotiated a truce which allowed supplies to enter the western Netherlands and end the "Hunger Winter".
No part of western Europe was liberated at a more vital moment than the Netherlands and the Dutch people cheered Canadian troops as one town after another was freed. To show their appreciation to the pilots who dropped food from the air, many Dutch people painted, "Thank you, Canadians!" on their rooftops. In honour of their gift of freedom Dutch royal family has made an annual donation of 10 000 tulips to Canada.