Navires de guerre (2e GM) - Pays-Bas : livres - histoire

Java Sea 1942 : Japan's conquest of the Netherlands East Indies (Osprey)

The battle of the Java Sea, fought in February 1942, was the first major surface engagement of the Pacific War and one of the few naval battles of the entire war fought to a decisive victory. It was the culminating point of the Japanese drive to occupy the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) and, to defend the territory, the Allies assembled a striking force comprised of Dutch, American, British and even an Australian ship, all under the command of a resolute Dutch admiral.
On 27 February 1942, the Allied striking force set course to intercept the Japanese invasion force in the Java Sea.

In one of the few such times during the whole of World War II a protracted surface engagement was fought unmolested by airpower. For over seven hours, the Allied force attempted to attack the Japanese invasion force, finally breaking off in the early evening.
Some three hours later, the Allied force, now reduced to just four remaining cruisers and two destroyers, attempted another attack on the invasion convoy during which Japanese torpedoes scored heavily, sinking two Dutch cruisers and bringing the battle to a conclusion.
Over the next two days, as the Allies attempted to flee, five more ships were sunk. From that point on, Allied naval power was eliminated from Southeast Asia.

In this illustrated title, Mark Stille tells the full story of the battle of the Java Sea, explaining how and why the Japanese achieved such a resounding victory, and delving into the tremendous impact of the battle on the course of the Pacific War.

Caractéristiques

The Royal Netherlands Navy of World War II (Osprey)

In the late 19th and early 20th century, a combination of coastal defence for the homeland and fleet defence for the East Indies became the established naval strategy for the Royal Dutch Navy and set the template for the world wars.
Battleships were too expensive to build and maintain, so after World War I, there was significant investment in submarine development and construction. A handful of modern light cruisers and a new class of destroyers were also constructed during the interwar years to serve as a small Fleet-in-Being in the East Indies, as well as to support the actions of the navy's submarines.
The light cruiser HNLMS De Ruyter and the Java-class light cruisers were the most powerful units of the new fleet whilst the backbone of the destroyer fleet was the Admiralen-class and the Tromp-class of destroyer leaders.

Beginning in December 1941, the Dutch Navy played a very active role in the defence of the East Indies against the Japanese during World War II. The Battle of the Java Sea at the end of February 1942 crushed Dutch naval power in the East Indies, sinking the cruisers Java and De Ruyter and killing Admiral Karel Doorman.
However, several Dutch surface warships and submarines continued the fight against the Axis powers alongside the Allies until the end of World War II, including a pair of British-built destroyers, Van Galen and Tjerk Hiddes.

This beautifully illustrated book from a leading scholar on Dutch military history provides a comprehensive guide to the Royal Netherlands Navy of the World War II period, complete with detailed cutaways and battleplates of the fleet in action.

Caractéristiques

Nederlandse Marineschepen 1940-1945 (1) - Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog

Vlak voor de Tweede Wereldoorlog werden in Nederland een aantal schepen op stapel gezet om de te kleine oorlogsvloot uit te breiden. Er waren zelfs plannen voor de bouw van drie slagkruisers. Maar toen Duitsland op 10 mei 1940 Nederland binnenviel, één van de grootste koloniale mogendheden ter wereld, moest de Koninklijke Marine in Nederland het stellen met een verouderde kruiser, zes onderzeeboten, negen torpedoboten, een torpedobootjager, veertien kanonneerboten, zeven mijnenleggers, acht mijnenvegers, een antiek pantserschip als drijvende batterij en een tachtigtal vliegtuigen waarvan er misschien tien stuks enige oorlogswaarde hadden.

Dat dit weinige grijs volstrekt ontoereikend was, werd tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog pijnlijk duidelijk. De Koninklijke Marine werd op alle fronten verpletterend verslagen. Door de veerkracht en moed van de marinemannen en met hulp van de bondgenoten, kon de Nederlandse zeemacht de strijd tegen de As-mogendheden echter toch voortzetten.

De serie "Nederlandse Marineschepen 1940-1945" beschrijft alle Nederlandse oorlogsschepen waarover de Koninklijke Marine tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog kon beschikken. Ook de schepen die tijdens de oorlog aan de vloot toegevoegd werden door nieuwbouw, aankoop of op leenbasis.

Deel 1 van Nederlandse Marineschepen behandelt de kruisers, torpedobootjagers, kanonneerboten en de escortevaartuigen. In de volgende delen zullen de onderzeeboten, mijnenvegers en mijnenjagers, torpedoboten, pantserschepen, bewakings- en patrouillevaartuigen, gemilitariseerde schepen van de Gouvernements Marine, kleinere schepen en hulpschepen aan bod komen.

Caractéristiques

Het IJsselmeerflottielje - de verdediging van het IJsselmeer in de meidagen van 1940

With initially only eight requisitioned motor tugs, the Dutch Royal Navy had to prevent German troops from landing on the North Holland IJsselmeer coast from the eastern IJsselmeer ports in October 1939. After the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940, the force was expanded with several gunboats and a torpedo boat. During the war, the command structure was also changed.

After the announcement of the capitulation, there was great confusion among the captains. Due to orders and counter-orders, only one ship managed to divert to England. The other naval vessels were sunk by their own crews in the IJsselmeer to prevent them from falling into German hands.

Based on many authentic reports, including the original German attack plan for the crossing of the IJsselmeer, the author has painted a vivid picture of the events on and around the IJsselmeer.
Retired Adjutant Jacob Topper is deputy curator at the Kornwerderzand Casemates Museum and has been working as a volunteer for this museum for over twenty years.

Caractéristiques