(Old page) East Indies Crisis - do not edit: Difference between revisions

== Phase of Fire ==

[[File:Cornelis van Langen 1.jpg|thumb|Colonel (later General) Cornelis van Langen in 1964, he is often cited as one of the founders of the modern Netherlands military doctrine, that to this day is roughly based on his original doctrine. ]]

 

The '''<u>Lange Doctrine</u>''' as it was called was as simple as it was effective. As it was implemented the Netherlands shifted its fighting style and objectives in such a way that the war become more favorable to them.

 

Cornelis van Langen proposed his idea, before the general staff on the 22nd of march 1963. It was accepted on the 23rd of march 1963 and Cornelis was given the task to implement it. On the same day, orders were sent out to all units across the East Indies, to withdrawal from the interior and focus on maintaining coastal areas, urban areas, and areas of either strategic or economic importance. The EILF noted something was happening when at once Dutch forces began to pull out of the interior. Their confusion resulted in the withdrawal being relatively peaceful without much opposition. When Dutch forces arrived in their new positions they were informed of what was to take place, this was new troops being moved in their old gear discarded and new gear being given, and a change in tactics. This resulted in the remainder of 1963 and early 1964 being relatively quiet, no major operations took place and fighting was limited to skirmishes. In this period new troops with their new equipment and tactics were rotated in and soldiers were retrained and redeployed. This massive build-up of men and material was clear for all to see yet the EILF and Russian intelligence apparatuses were not sure what it exactly was. All they knew was that the Dutch were preparing for something big.

 

That something big was the complete and unprecedented reorganisation of the Dutch military her fighting forces, training infrastructure, command structure, logistical infrastructure, and doctrine. At the end of March a order had been placed at the '''Koolhoven Aviation Factory''' to increase the production of their reliable "Krijg-peerd" helicopter. This combined with other orders for armored vehicles, tanks aircraft and guns resulted in the rapid development of remarkably successful military equipment. However the mass increase in production of military equipment meant a rapid expansion of existing capabilities to not intervene with normal economic production, thus a certain limit was created and other production centers where sought abroad in Taulandt and Nieuw Nederlandt pumping a considerable amount of money into their respective industries. The most notable change was the reorganization and reformation of the Dutch national service or ''Dienstplicht''. It was increased in its length and it now was to last 24 months of which 6 months would be spent on training and 18 months deployment, followed by reserve duties up until the age of 50. Before the new doctrine and the reforms the ''Dienstplicht'' period was 18 months total, the lengthening was done to train the soldier up to make him qualitatively better than any other in the world. It was realized that this new mobile style of warfare which included air mobility relied upon highly trained soldiers thus a longer national service period was added. Something that was not popular with the public but passed parliament. This period thus not only resulted in the increase of military spending, National service time, and the change in doctrine but also the start of an anti-war movement. All these reforms were put to the test in December of 1963 during operation Jambi when the first battle-ready units would be deployed in combat. These 12,000 men proved effective and further strengthened the so-called “Hervorming van Langen”.