[center][b][u]A Scrap of Paper[/u][/b][/center]

In 1839, with the signing of the London Treaty, the United Kingdom of the Netherlands lost dominion over Belgium and agreed to recognise the independence of Belgium. However, less than 25 years later, words spoken behind closed doors included a plan to break the treaty and once again incorporate Belgium back ino the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 1863, that plan went ahead. Seeking to cause a political crisis and hopefully shift the blame for causing the war, Dutch troops dressed in Belgian uniforms snuck over the border. When the ruse was discovered, shots were fired, and the main part of the Dutch army streamed over the border. The Belgian army reacted quickly to the news of the war.

The first battle took place near the city of Antwerp. The 29 000 strong Dutch force met 32 000 Belgians determined to stop the invaders. The Dutch threw assault after assault at the Belgian lines, only to be pushed back time and time again. As news of the invasion reverberated around the international community, the Dutch strike had already ground to a halt. It looked as if the Belgians would survive and perhaps win the coming battle, had it not been for the intervention of perhaps the most powerful nation on the continent. As the larger part of the Belgian army was busy fighting in Flanders, only 10 000 troops stood against the First Army, a Prussian force of 79 000. Heavily outnumbered, the Belgian troops occupied a hilltop in Liege and fired down at the Prussians. They had the best of the fighting at first, but fearing that the Prussians would encircle them, they retreated back to defend the capital. The Prussian commander Helmuth von Moltke did not follow up on his advantage, instead heading northwest to aid his Dutch allies. Arriving at Antwerp, the fatigued Belgians also gave way, falling back to defend Brussels.
(-2,700 regulars to the Netherlands, -4,000 regulars to Prussia, -3,200 regulars to Belgium)

[center][img]http://www.military-art.com/mall/images/800s/dhm0950.jpg[/img]
[i]Prussian infantry charging at the Belgian position[/i][/center]

As the Prusso-Dutch force marched towards Brussels, the Belgians gathered to defend the capital. As the Dutch force moved from the north, the Prussians swung back round to strike from the east. In the west, a small Dutch force delivered by transport vessels moved through the countryside almost unopposed. King Leopold I of Belgium had gathered his entire force in Brussels. As the invaders entered the city, the Belgians fought back fiercely. At first the determined defenders had the best of it, but the superior numbers of the invaders forced the Belgians to slowly draw further into the city. Finally, understanding that the war was lost, the King bravely commended his soldiers for their brave actions, before ordering them to wait three hours more before surrendering. Using this time, he made plans to attempt to escape the country before he could be captured. The battered Belgian forces ceased firing and surrendered to the invaders.
(-3,300 regulars to the Netherlands, -5,000 regulars to Prussia, Belgium surrenders unconditionally)

As the war ended, a number of things occurred. In Flanders, there was some discontent at having taken the worst of the fighting, and many were unhappy that they had lost the war. However, they were mostly native Dutch, and made few protests as Dutch troops passed through. Indeed, as the Dutch troops put up flags of Flanders, many began to support them. In Wallonia, however, the people seethed against the invaders. Many fled to France, and there were near riots against the invaders. King Leopold I, supported by the people, found it easy to slip through enemy lines and he escaped to France, where he made his way to Paris, hoping to find French support. The Belgian navy, which was not an unimpressive force, also escaped the clutches of the enemy and made their way to French ports, where their captains formally handed them over to the French navy. In the wider international community, there was some sympathy for the Dutch position. For the Prussians, however, there was nothing but fear and distaste. The Prussian army had now invaded two nations in as many years, both of which were much smaller and weaker than Prussia. In the smaller nations of Europe, people were now terrified that the same fate could befall them. Many looked to the French, waiting to see what their response to the invasion would be.
(-2 ships-of-the-line, -3 screw frigates, -6 sail frigates, -3 transport ships to Belgium, +2 ships-of-the-line, +3 screw frigates, +6 sail frigates, +3 transport ships to France, -5 prestige to the Netherlands, -35 prestige to Prussia)