The Netherlands in World War II

Dutch East Indies and the war against Japan

On January 10 1942 the Japanese invaded the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). Dutch navy ships in the Dutch East Indies joined the ABDA fleet (American-British-Dutch-Australian fleet) commanded by Dutch admiral Karel Doorman. On February 27 and 28 1942, Admiral Doorman was ordered to take the offensive against the Japanese. The ABDA fleet encountered the Japanese at the Battle of the Java Sea, Doorman then gave the order to attack. However the ABDA fleet was destroyed in the ensuing battle. The words in which Doorman is alledged to have given the order to attack were "Ik val aan, volg mij!" (I am attacking, follow me!), although he never literally said that.

Related Topics:
January 10 - 1942 - Japanese - Dutch East Indies - ABDA - American - British - Dutch - Australian - Karel Doorman - Japanese - Battle of the Java Sea

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After Japanese troops had landed on Java, the Dutch surrendered on March 1 1942. Dutch soldiers were imprisoned in labour camps. Later all Dutch were captured and sent to camps, some were deported to Japan or set to work on the Thai-Burma Railway.

Related Topics:
Java - March 1 - Thai-Burma Railway

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Dutch submarines escaped and resumed the fight on with the Allies. As a part of the Allied forces they were on the hunt for Japanese oil transports to Japan and troop and weapon transports from Japan headed for the other battlefields (including New Guinea).

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Several Dutch army and navy pilots also escaped, and with Dutch aircraft purchased from the United States formed Royal Australian Air Force No. 18 Squadron (B-25 Mitchells)

Related Topics:
United States - Royal Australian Air Force - B-25 Mitchells

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and No. 120 Squadron (P-40 Kittyhawks). These squadrons helped defend Australia from the Japanese and participated in the eventual liberation of the Netherlands East Indies. http://www.netherlands.org.au/assets/6460Speech%20Unveiling%20Memorial%20Plaque%20-%20RAAF%20Memorial%20Grove.doc

Related Topics:
P-40 Kittyhawks - Australia

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Gradually, control of the Netherlands East Indies was wrested away from the Japanese. The largest Allied invasion took place in July 1945 with Australian landings on the island of Borneo, ostensibly to seize the strategic oilfields from the now cut-off Japanese forces. However, the Japanese had already begun independence negotiations with Indonesian nationalists such as Sukarno - and Indonesian forces had themselves taken over control of a sizeable portion of Sumatra and Java. The Japanese surrender on August 15 1945 precipitated outright conflict between British, Dutch, Australian and American forces on one side and Indonesian forces on the other.

Related Topics:
1945 - Borneo - Indonesia - Sukarno - Sumatra - Java - August 15

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