During the hasty and belated military preparations, Godfried firmly rejected the ideas of general Izaak Reijnders. Godfried warned against Blitzkrieg tactics and mechanized warfare, whereas Reijnders believed that a possible German invasion would be preceded by long political and diplomatic tensions. Although, Reinders's plans were initially adopted, his conflict with the secretary of defense Adriaan Dijxhoorn led to the resignation of the former. Since two brothers of the van Voorst tot Voorst family served in the general staff and because their Roman Catholic background was controversial among Protestants, Dijxhoorn appointed the retired general Henri Winkelman, who supported the strategic plans of Godfried. Much time was lost due to these internal arguments, and when Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands on May 10, 1940, the Dutch armed forces were insufficiently prepared. Godfried attempted to defend the Grebbeberg, but was ultimately forced to withdraw to the West of the Netherlands. After the Rotterdam Blitz and the German threat to annihilate other Dutch cities, he advised Winkelman to surrender. After the Battle of the Netherlands, he refused to pledge an oath of loyalty to the Nazis, and as a consequence, he was sent (together with his brother, H.F.M. Baron van Voorst tot Voorst) to a prisoner-of-war camp in Germany for the five remaining years of the war. Following the end of Nazi Germany, he returned to the Netherlands, where he assumed various military and civil positions. In 1960, on his 80th birthday, he was awarded the titular rank of general. Selected publications Honors and decorations Commander of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown Knight of the Legion of Honor Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog Knight of the Order of the Red Eagle References de Jong, L. (1969). Het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden in de Tweede Wereldoorlog (In Dutch). The Hague. External links General Staff 1940 unithistories.com Biography on the website of the Dutch History Institute 1880 births 1963 deaths Jan Joseph Godfried People from Kampen, Overijssel Royal Netherlands Army generals Royal Netherlands Army officers Royal Netherlands Army personnel of World War II Commanders of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Grand Crosses of the Order of the Crown (Belgium) Knights of the Order of the Dannebrog Knights of the Order of Orange-Nassau Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Dutch prisoners of war in World War II Graduates of the Koninklijke