 On 15 April 1945 , Nazi governor ( ' Reichskommissar ' ) of the Netherlands , Arthur Seyss @-@ Inquart , offered to open Amsterdam to food and coal shipments to ease the suffering of the civilian population . Smith and Strong , representing SHAEF , along with Major General Ivan Susloparov , representing the USSR , Prince Bernhard of Lippe @-@ Biesterfeld , representing the Dutch government , and Major General Sir Francis de Guingand , from 21st Army Group , met with Seyss @-@ Inquart in the Dutch village of Achterveld on 30 April . They successfully negotiated for the provision of food to the starving Dutch civilian population in the cities in the west of the country , and opened discussions for the peaceful and complete German capitulation in the Netherlands that would follow on 5 May . 
