The Second World War did not end with the liberation of the Southern Netherlands. The enemy had to be defeated on their own territory, and the Allies therefore decided to invade Germany through the Netherlands. One of the major offensives into enemy territory was Operation Veritable. British troops were gathered in the Nijmegen area (Rijk van Nijmegen) and in North Limburg in preparation for Operation veritable, which was the opening move in the major Rhineland offensive, beginning on February 8 1945. The intention was to encircle German units with an armoured advance via Gennep towards Goch.

The German-Dutch border became a pivotal region in the story of the end of the Second World War. Over a period of six weeks, Allied forces in the Rijk van Nijmegen and North Limburg increased to nearly 500,000 men. After February 1945, these troops had to battle hard for every metre they gained, and many sacrificed their lives in the fight for freedom.