Netherlands East Indies campaign
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Pacific campaigns 1941-42 |
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Pearl Harbor – Thailand – Malaya – Wake – Hong Kong – Philippines – Dutch East Indies – New Guinea – Singapore – Australia – Indian Ocean – Doolittle Raid – Solomons – Coral Sea – Midway |
Netherlands East Indies campaign 1941-42 |
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Borneo 1941-42 – Manado – Tarakan 1942 – Balikpapan 1942 – Ambon – Makassar Strait – Palembang – Badung Strait – Timor – Java Sea – Sunda Strait – Java |
The Netherlands East Indies campaign was the shortlived defence of the Netherlands East Indies by Allied forces, against invasion by the Empire of Japan in 1941-42. This campaign belonged to the South West Pacific theatre of World War II.
General Hisaichi Terauchi (also known as Count Terauchi), who was the highest commander for the Southern Expeditionary Army Group, began the campaign with attacks against Borneo. On December 16, 1941, Japanese forces successfully occupied Miri, an oil-rich city in northern Sarawak. Nearby there was also an oil refinery built by Shell and its capture was considered important to secure the raw materials and supply line for the Pacific War.
Since January 1, 1942, Allied forces were grouped under the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM), led by the British General Archibald Wavell. However this command existed only for a few weeks and the control of ABDA area was handed over to local commanders, either to British or Dutch forces.
The campaigns includes
- Battle of Borneo (1941-42)
- Battle of Manado (1942)
- Battle of Tarakan (1942)
- Battle of Balikpapan (1942)
- Battle of Ambon (1942)
- Battle of Palembang (1942)
- Battle of Makassar Strait
- Battle of Badung Strait (1942)
- Battle of the Java Sea (1942)
- Battle of Sunda Strait (1942)
- Battle of Java (1942)
- Battle of Timor (1942-43)