Rotterdam, after the raid of May 1940 Rotterdam played a major part in the Second World War. The battle for the Maas bridge, the raid and the defeat of the Dutch army, the resistance and of course the arrival of the Canadians. Even when Rotterdam was rebuilt people's lives could never go back to what they had been. The city had become unrecognisable. The airraid on 14th May 1940 continues to be a scar on the city centre. It is a traumatic memory for all. The city was ablaze for several days. 850 people's lives were lost, 25,000 homes and 11,000 other buildings were lost and over 80,000 people were made homeless. The museum is for those people who contemplate how such a horrific thing could have happened. It is in remembrance of all the selfless sacrifices people made so that the Netherlands, now almost 70 years on, can enjoy it's freedom. The museum is a memorial but also a warning. It is a protest against injustices that still exist in our world today. This effects us all. The hope for peace and freedom. Respect for one another, tolerance and friendship. A unity in all it's glory, a termination point to the Second World War. The War and Resistance Museum is for everyone!