The Allied Defense of the Malay Barrier, 1941–1942

Though few realize it, the Netherlands East Indies were the object of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Likewise, their invasions of Guam, Wake Island and the Philippines were mainly diversionary operations to safeguard their main assault on Dutch and British colonies. Since the end of World War I, Japan had coveted the vast East Indies oil reserves, and the colony had feared invasion since Germany overran Holland in May 1940. Isolated politically the weakly defended archipelago was a tempting prize. The East Indies government initially maintained a strict policy of neutrality while desperately working to build up its military strength. As Japanese actions pushed the region toward war, the Dutch reluctantly embraced closer ties with America and Britain. For a brief period, the East Indies were key players in Pacific War strategy. This book details for the first time in English the Dutch prewar strategy, their efforts to counter Japanese espionage and their sizable though largely forgotten military contribution in the early months of the Pacific War.

Tom Womack is the director of public relations for a leading global provider of community management services and has written more than 50 magazine articles. He lives in Dallas, Texas.

Tom Womack
Format: softcover (8.5 x 11)
Pages: 368
Bibliographic Info: 76 photos, 23 maps, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2016
pISBN: 978-1-4766-6293-0
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2267-5
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments 1
Abbreviations and Acronyms 3
Introduction 5
1. Trade Wars 8
2. Build-Up to War 15
3. Spies, Lies and Secret Ties 21
4. On the Edge of Darkness 30
5. The Fleet Plan of 1940 39
6. The East Indies Squadron 47
7. The MLD 66
8. Command and Control 76
9. The Deployment of Force Z 82
10. The Japanese Land 90
11. The Formation of ABDA 99
12. Japan Declares War 108
13. Balikpapan and Sinkawang II 115
14. The Japanese Move South 122
15. The Formation of the Combined Striking Force 132
16. The Battle of Banka Strait 141
17. The Inglorious End of ABDA 152
18. The Destruction of Port Darwin 158
19. Fire in the Night: The Loss of Bali and Timor 169
20. The Japanese Move Against Java 179
21. “In the afterlife, Sonny” 188
22. “We spanked the Japs … and we’ll do it again!” 195
23. “We will lead you to the enemy” 202
24. The Battle Begins 207
25. The Withdrawal of Exeter 215
26. “Bravely but not very skillfully” 222
27. Aftermath 233
28. Hopeless Fights 241
29. The Final Line of Defense 254
30. Evacuation 267
31. The Evacuation of Tandjoeng Priok 284
32. “What art thou Faustus, but a man condemned to die?” 294
Chapter Notes 313
Bibliography 343
Index 351

“Well-written…details many aspects of the East Indies campaign never before written about in English…wonderful detailed-laden charts and photos…an exceptional and comprehensive book…an important contribution to English language literature on the Dutch East Indies in the 20th century…essential…highly recommended”—Combined Fleet.