Cornelis Jacobus Snijders

Cornelis Jacobus Snijders (29 September 1852 - 26 May 1939) was a Dutch military leader. He was born in Nieuwe Tonge on 29 September 1852.[1] In 1865, he went to study in Middelburg but did not finish his education there.[1] 1869 he joined the Royal Military Academy in Breda, becoming an engineer.[1] In 1883, he married Johanna Adriana Everdina.[2]

General Cornelis Jacobus Snijders
Commander-in-chief of the Armed forces
In office 31 July 1914 – 9 November 1918
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Lieutenant general Willem Frederik Pop
Personal details
Born	(1852-09-29)September 29, 1852 Nieuwe-Tonge, Netherlands
Died	May 26, 1939(1939-05-26) (aged 86) Hilversum, Netherlands
Military service
Allegiance	Netherlands
Branch/service	Royal Netherlands Army
Rank	General

On 1 July 1910, he was made chief of the general staff.[1] He was a proponent of military aviation.[1] In 1913, Snijders created the Aviation Department.[1][3] Later the navy received an airforce as well.[4] Snijders was also First Chairman of the Dutch Association for Aviation.[4]

When tensions grew in anticipation of World War I, he was made Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.[1] Shortly afterward, he was promoted to full general.[1]

In April 1918, one month after the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which freed Germany on its Eastern Front, he opposed war with Germany, making clear that if war was to be fought, he preferred to fight for the Entente.[1]

He died in Hilversum on 26 May 1939.[1]