The Low Countries together with Denmark were in fact the strategic buffer zone among Britain, France, and Germany. Whenever any one of these three countries grew powerful, it would seek to conquer these lands and seize the strategic initiative.
At present, Germany harbored the greatest ambitions toward the Low Countries, while in reality the Low Countries had the closest ties with Britain.
The reason was simple. Among Britain, France, and Germany, Britain was the least likely to annex these places. If Germany or France took this region, they would likely turn it directly into their own territory.
As an island nation, Britain was somewhat "estranged" from the European continent. In other words, as an independent geographical unit, Britain was more like a "distant relative" in Europe's great family compared with the other European countries—and the one least able to bear seeing its European "family members" prosper.
This could be seen from its strategically harmful, self-serving policy of "continental balance." Britain wished for nothing more than greater chaos on the European continent.
Driven by this national policy, Britain naturally regarded the Low Countries as chess pieces for stirring up the European situation, though they also served as a security barrier for Britain itself.
Compared with France and Germany, both of which wanted to incorporate the Low Countries into their own maps, Britain naturally posed far less of a security threat to the Low Countries themselves.
Even so, it was clear that Britain would never easily relinquish its grip on this region, to say nothing of France and Germany.
Sosnkowski said, "France cannot possibly cede its own territory, while Britain and France will not allow Germany to seize the Low Countries and Denmark, the security barriers they value so highly."
"Moreover, these countries themselves have highly concentrated economies, populations, and industries. If