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The Battle of Java (Invasion of Java, Operation J) was a battle of the Pacific theatre of World War II. It occurred on the island of Java from 28 February – 12 March 1942. It involved forces from the Empire of Japan , which invaded on 28 February 1942, and Allied personnel.
The torpedo ignited the magazines to Java's 5.9-inch (15 cm) main battery, and a massive explosion blew the cruiser apart in an instant. In under two minutes, Java sank, with only 19 of her crew of 526 surviving. [5] [7] [9] [13] [24] Haguro under refit in 1936. Four minutes later, one of Haguro's torpedoes hit Admiral Doorman's flagship.
The East Indies was one of Japan's primary targets if and when it went to war because the colony possessed abundant valuable resources, the most important of which were its rubber plantations and oil fields; [13] [14] the colony was the fourth-largest exporter of oil in the world, behind the U.S., Iran, and Romania.
The story is set in February 1942, in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Singapore.As the British stronghold of Singapore falls to the invading Imperial Japanese Army, a mixed collection of soldiers, nurses, fleeing civilians, a small boy, and at least one spy attempt to escape the burning city aboard the Kerry Dancer, a battered freighter crewed by a disreputable captain and sailors.
A recipient of the Military Order of William, he was one of only four Dutch pilots to dogfight the Japanese in the Battle of Java. [2] Born in Tubbergen, Overijssel, Bruggink followed a Catholic seminary. He met his wife, Corien, while serving in the Dutch East Indies and they were married in January 1942. [2]
Following instructions issued by High Command, Doorman gave the order to attack at the approach of the Japanese fleet. The tactical command was "I am attacking, follow me"; he did not signal at the beginning of the battle in the Java Sea. It is a loose translation of the signal sent by him, "All ships – follow me" to remedy the confusion.
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The land battle for the pass began around noon of 5 March, when Japanese vanguard light tanks encountered Dutch fortifications in form of pillboxes and a 5-cm gun. Dutch defenders were supported by just a single battery of four guns, which did not have a significant effect on the fighting. [ 21 ]