National University of Singapore Press
The Loss of Java
The Final Battles for the Possession of Java Fought by Allied Air, Naval and Land Forces in the Period of 18 February - 7 March 1942
9789971695132
Distributed for National University of Singapore Press
The Loss of Java
The Final Battles for the Possession of Java Fought by Allied Air, Naval and Land Forces in the Period of 18 February - 7 March 1942
The Loss of Java explains in detail the air, sea and land battles between the Allied and Japanese armed forces during the battle for Java that followed the evacuation of southern Sumatra in February 1942. Little has been written about the allied air campaign, or about why Dutch forces fought just one major land battle with the Japanese, the Battle of the Tjiater Pass, in the later stages of the struggle.
P.C. Boer considers whether the assessment of Major General Van Oyen that deploying the Allied air forces might prevent Japanese invasion of Java was realistic, and whether reliance on air power limited the capacity of land and naval forces to repel Japan's advances. The generally accepted idea is that the Allies were ineffective in their fight against the Japanese invaders but in fact the Japanese suffered serious losses. Boer's study shows that Dutch strategy grew out of a carefully-devised plan of defense, and that the battle for Java comprised not one (the Battle of the Java Sea) but four major engagements. However, Japanese commanders at various levels consciously took steps that exposed their forces to great risk but succeeded in putting the Allies under great pressure. In the end the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) and the allied forces capitulated on 8 March 1942.
This book is a translation of Het Verlies Van Java: Een kwestie van Air Power. De eindstrijd om Nederlands-Indie van de geallieerde lucht-, zee- en landstrijdkrschten in de periode van 18 februari t/m 7 maart 1942 (Amsterdam: Bataafsche Leeuw BV for the Koninklijke Militaire Academie, 2006).
P.C. Boer considers whether the assessment of Major General Van Oyen that deploying the Allied air forces might prevent Japanese invasion of Java was realistic, and whether reliance on air power limited the capacity of land and naval forces to repel Japan's advances. The generally accepted idea is that the Allies were ineffective in their fight against the Japanese invaders but in fact the Japanese suffered serious losses. Boer's study shows that Dutch strategy grew out of a carefully-devised plan of defense, and that the battle for Java comprised not one (the Battle of the Java Sea) but four major engagements. However, Japanese commanders at various levels consciously took steps that exposed their forces to great risk but succeeded in putting the Allies under great pressure. In the end the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) and the allied forces capitulated on 8 March 1942.
This book is a translation of Het Verlies Van Java: Een kwestie van Air Power. De eindstrijd om Nederlands-Indie van de geallieerde lucht-, zee- en landstrijdkrschten in de periode van 18 februari t/m 7 maart 1942 (Amsterdam: Bataafsche Leeuw BV for the Koninklijke Militaire Academie, 2006).
640 pages | 6 x 9 | © 2011
Asian Studies: Southeast Asia and Australia
History: Asian History, European History, Military History
Table of Contents
List of maps
List of illustrations
Preface, design of the study, aim and research questions
Introduction- the Japanese advance: Java given up by the allies
Part 1: the battle for air superiority over western Java from 18 February 1942 up to and including 27 February 1942
Part 1A: A description and analysis of the deployment of fighters and anti-aircraft artillery
Chapter 1A.1: the air defence plans and the balance of strength on 18 February 1942
Chapter 1A.2: the fighter operations on 19 February 1942
Chapter 1A.3: the fighter operations on 20 February 1942
Chapter 1A.4: the fighter operations on 21 February 1942
Chapter 1A.5: the events and fighter operations on 22 and 23 February 1942
Chapter 1A.6: the fighter operations on 24 February 1942
Chapter 1A.7: the events and fighter operations on 25 February 1942
Chapter 1A.8: the events of 26 and 27 February 1942
Chapter 1A.9: the results of the air battle over western Java and a brief analysis
Part 1B: A description and analysis of the deployment of the bombers
Chapter 1B.1: the reorganization of the allied bomber fleet after the evacuation of southern Sumatra
Chapter 1B.2: the bomber operations on 18 and 19 February 1942
Chapter 1B.3: the missions of 20 February 1942
Chapter 1B.4: the events and operations on 25 February 1942
Chapter 1B.5: the events and operations on 25 February 1942
Chapter 1B.6: the missions of 23 February 1942
Chapter 1B.7: the bomber operations on 24 February 1942
Chapter 1B.8: the missions of 23 February 1942
Chapter 1B.9: crucial decisions on 25 February 1942
Chapter 1B.10: the events and missions carried out on 26 February 1942
Chapter 1B.11: the search for the Japanese invasion fleets and the bomber missions flown on 27 February 1942
Chapter 1B.12: the results attained, a concise analysis and some conclusions with regard to the struggle for air superiority
Part 2: the battle of the Java Sea
Chapter 2.1: the air support for the Combined Striking Force on 26 February and in the morning of 27 February 1942
Chapter 2.2: the battle of the Java Sea
Chapter 2.3: the events and operations in western and eastern Java on 28 February 1942
Chapter 2.4: the air support during the battle of the Java Sea, an analysis and some conclusions
Part 3: the Battle of Kalidjati
Chapter 3.1: introduction
Chapter 3.2: the allied organization, strategy and resources
Chapter 3.3: the Japanese landing operation at Eretan Wetan and the first allied attacks
Chapter 3.4: the operations on 1 March 1942
Chapter 3.5: the operations on 2 March 1942
Chapter 3.6: the operations on 3 March 1942
Chapter 3.7: Analysis and conclusion
Part 4: the battle of the Tjiater Pass
Chapter 4.1: introduction
Chapter 4.2: the operations on 4 March 1942
Chapter 4.3: the operations on 5 March 1942
Chapter 4.4: the operations on 6 March 1942
Chapter 4.5: the operations on 7 March 1942
Chapter 4.6: Analysis and conclusion
Part 5: Conclusions
Notes
Attachment 1: Abbreviations
Attachment 2: data on the Most Important Aircraft Used
Attachment 3: Data on the composition of the most important type of KNIL Units
Bibliography
Index
List of illustrations
Preface, design of the study, aim and research questions
Introduction- the Japanese advance: Java given up by the allies
Part 1: the battle for air superiority over western Java from 18 February 1942 up to and including 27 February 1942
Part 1A: A description and analysis of the deployment of fighters and anti-aircraft artillery
Chapter 1A.1: the air defence plans and the balance of strength on 18 February 1942
Chapter 1A.2: the fighter operations on 19 February 1942
Chapter 1A.3: the fighter operations on 20 February 1942
Chapter 1A.4: the fighter operations on 21 February 1942
Chapter 1A.5: the events and fighter operations on 22 and 23 February 1942
Chapter 1A.6: the fighter operations on 24 February 1942
Chapter 1A.7: the events and fighter operations on 25 February 1942
Chapter 1A.8: the events of 26 and 27 February 1942
Chapter 1A.9: the results of the air battle over western Java and a brief analysis
Part 1B: A description and analysis of the deployment of the bombers
Chapter 1B.1: the reorganization of the allied bomber fleet after the evacuation of southern Sumatra
Chapter 1B.2: the bomber operations on 18 and 19 February 1942
Chapter 1B.3: the missions of 20 February 1942
Chapter 1B.4: the events and operations on 25 February 1942
Chapter 1B.5: the events and operations on 25 February 1942
Chapter 1B.6: the missions of 23 February 1942
Chapter 1B.7: the bomber operations on 24 February 1942
Chapter 1B.8: the missions of 23 February 1942
Chapter 1B.9: crucial decisions on 25 February 1942
Chapter 1B.10: the events and missions carried out on 26 February 1942
Chapter 1B.11: the search for the Japanese invasion fleets and the bomber missions flown on 27 February 1942
Chapter 1B.12: the results attained, a concise analysis and some conclusions with regard to the struggle for air superiority
Part 2: the battle of the Java Sea
Chapter 2.1: the air support for the Combined Striking Force on 26 February and in the morning of 27 February 1942
Chapter 2.2: the battle of the Java Sea
Chapter 2.3: the events and operations in western and eastern Java on 28 February 1942
Chapter 2.4: the air support during the battle of the Java Sea, an analysis and some conclusions
Part 3: the Battle of Kalidjati
Chapter 3.1: introduction
Chapter 3.2: the allied organization, strategy and resources
Chapter 3.3: the Japanese landing operation at Eretan Wetan and the first allied attacks
Chapter 3.4: the operations on 1 March 1942
Chapter 3.5: the operations on 2 March 1942
Chapter 3.6: the operations on 3 March 1942
Chapter 3.7: Analysis and conclusion
Part 4: the battle of the Tjiater Pass
Chapter 4.1: introduction
Chapter 4.2: the operations on 4 March 1942
Chapter 4.3: the operations on 5 March 1942
Chapter 4.4: the operations on 6 March 1942
Chapter 4.5: the operations on 7 March 1942
Chapter 4.6: Analysis and conclusion
Part 5: Conclusions
Notes
Attachment 1: Abbreviations
Attachment 2: data on the Most Important Aircraft Used
Attachment 3: Data on the composition of the most important type of KNIL Units
Bibliography
Index