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

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| strength2 = Estimated: 7.3 million total
| strength2 = Estimated: 7.3 million total
| casualties1 = 194.918 KIA<br>49.000 MIA
| casualties1 = 194.918 KIA<br>49.000 MIA
| casualties2 = 7-10 Deaths<br>205.000 wounded<br>490.000 Missing/KIA
| casualties2 = 8-11 million Deaths (official)<br>1.205.000 wounded<br>1.490.000 Missing/KIA
}}
}}
The '''East Indies Crisis,''' (Malay: ''Krisis Hindia Timur'') also known as the '''Archipelago war,''' '''War of liberation''' and in the Netherlands as the '''Indian war''' (Dutch: ''Indische oorlog''), or ''Oostelijke acties'' (Eastern actions) was a conflict fought through the Indonesian archipelago, with major area’s of combat being on the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Malay peninsula, Java and Celebs. Between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and her allies and the East Indies Liberation Front. Fought from 1960 up to 11th of November 1976 when Batavia fell to the East Indies Liberation Front. It was one of the last and largest colonial conflicts fought in the 20th century, involving not just the Netherlands but also numerous Allies and the British, and was part of the larger cold war.
The '''East Indies Crisis,''' (Malay: ''Krisis Hindia Timur'') also known as the '''Archipelago war,''' '''War of liberation''' and in the Netherlands as the '''Indian war''' (Dutch: ''Indische oorlog''), or ''Oostelijke acties'' (Eastern actions) was a conflict fought through the Indonesian archipelago, with major area’s of combat being on the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Malay peninsula, Java and Celebs. Between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and her allies and the East Indies Liberation Front. Fought from 1960 up to 11th of November 1976 when Batavia fell to the East Indies Liberation Front. It was one of the last and largest colonial conflicts fought in the 20th century, involving not just the Netherlands but also numerous Allies and the British, and was part of the larger cold war.
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1972 the 9th of march marked the start of the final and most brutal phase of the war. Through the 5 years period of relative calm, yet still fighting was intense but no major offensives took place, the EILF had infiltrated and expanded their operations on Java the bastion of Dutch colonial control. This had in the 5 years resulted in several strikes, terrorist attacks, and small uprisings. These were all easily crushed but they were only small scale and thus on the whole Dutch forces were lulled in a sense of security when it came to Java. At the start of march 1972 around 83,000 Dutch soldiers both KNIL and the regular dutch army were stationed on the island. While on Borneo some 70,000 were stationed, on Celebs some 90,000 were stationed on Sumatra 120,000 were stationed and in Malaya 100,000 were station. With a total of 463,000 army personnel and some 80,000 air force and 50,000 naval personnel being stationed through the archipelago.
1972 the 9th of march marked the start of the final and most brutal phase of the war. Through the 5 years period of relative calm, yet still fighting was intense but no major offensives took place, the EILF had infiltrated and expanded their operations on Java the bastion of Dutch colonial control. This had in the 5 years resulted in several strikes, terrorist attacks, and small uprisings. These were all easily crushed but they were only small scale and thus on the whole Dutch forces were lulled in a sense of security when it came to Java. At the start of march 1972 around 83,000 Dutch soldiers both KNIL and the regular dutch army were stationed on the island. While on Borneo some 70,000 were stationed, on Celebs some 90,000 were stationed on Sumatra 120,000 were stationed and in Malaya 100,000 were station. With a total of 463,000 army personnel and some 80,000 air force and 50,000 naval personnel being stationed through the archipelago.


In 1972 on the 9th of a march on the eastern side of the island of java this all changed when a large-scale uprising took place. Across the eastern side of the island in the countryside around major cities they rose up and slaughter took place in the first 48 hours. Dutch forces were engaged everywhere but there and chaos ensued as nobody had expected this. This chaos in the Dutch command structure and the sense of security that was on Java and the lack of troops in eastern java created a slaughter of Eurasian civilians, Dutch civilians, administrators, and everyone who was remotely associated with the Dutch when they took large parts of the cities, with only the harbor sections being defended by local dutch soldiers.  This period that started on the 9th of March and lasted until the 11th of March is known in the Netherlands as “De Java moorden” or the Java killings, in total, it’s estimated some 11,000 civilians died. It was only on the 11th of March that the Dutch command structure had a good idea of what was going on. The uprising on eastern java was coordinated with large-scale conventional offensives on the Malayan peninsula and across Sumatra and Borneo and even an attack on Malakka.
In 1972 on the 9th of a march on the eastern side of the island of java this all changed when a large-scale uprising took place. Across the eastern side of the island in the countryside around major cities they rose up and slaughter took place in the first 48 hours. Dutch forces were engaged everywhere but there and chaos ensued as nobody had expected this. This chaos in the Dutch command structure and the sense of security that was on Java and the lack of troops in eastern java created a slaughter of Eurasian civilians, Dutch civilians, administrators, and everyone who was remotely associated with the Dutch when they took large parts of the cities, with only the harbor sections being defended by local Dutch soldiers.  This period that started on the 9th of March and lasted until the 11th of March is known in the Netherlands as “'''De Java moorden'''” or the Java killings, in total, it’s estimated some 11,000 civilians died. It was only on the 11th of March that the Dutch command structure had a good idea of what was going on. The uprising on eastern java was coordinated with large-scale conventional offensives on the Malayan peninsula and across Sumatra and Borneo and even an attack on Malakka.


The Dutch response to all that was taking place in what was dubbed “Het maard offensief” was one that would set the tone of the remainder of the war. The counter-offensive took place in multiple theatres. The primary theatre and where the response was the quickest was that of eastern Java. Dutch armored forces and the by now famous “Lucht brigades” or air brigades came in hard and fast and started a full-on clearing operation across the countryside and eventually securing the city of Semarang, where brave Dutch defenders held out against the EILF insurgents. When the city was liberated on the 14th of March a large battle ensued that would say many of the insurgents not make it back home. At the same time, marines from de Korps Mariniers supported by the carrier “van Amstel” conduct an amphibious assault near the city of Surabaya, where Dutch soldiers were holding out while being surrounded by insurgents. The fighting around the city and eventually in the city was some of the most brutal fighting the war had seen so far.
The Dutch response to all that was taking place in what was dubbed “'''Het maart offensief'''” was one that would set the tone of the remainder of the war. The counter-offensive took place in multiple theatres. The primary theatre and where the response was the quickest was that of eastern Java. Dutch armored forces and the by now famous “Lucht brigades” or air brigades came in hard and fast and started a full-on clearing operation across the countryside and eventually securing the city of Semarang, where brave Dutch defenders held out against the EILF insurgents. When the city was liberated on the 14th of March a large battle ensued that would say many of the insurgents not make it back home. At the same time, marines from de Korps Mariniers supported by the carrier “van Amstel” conduct an amphibious assault near the city of Surabaya, where Dutch soldiers were holding out while being surrounded by insurgents. The fighting around the city and eventually in the city was some of the most brutal fighting the war had seen so far.


At the end of what was called the Java uprising which officially according to Dutch history ended on the 28th of March 1972, some 11,000 Dutch civilians had died, 5400 soldiers were KIA, 617 were MIA, and 19182 were wounded. While on the EILF side the numbers sometimes disputed were far higher. According to captured documents of the EILF a total of 43,019 men died in the first 3 days, while in the last 15 days a total of 111,179 casualties  (71,192 killed and 39,987 wounded).  It is said to be some of the most brutal fighting and highest casualty rates of the war and it would set the tone for the remainder of the conflict. In regards to civilian casualties caused by the Dutch counteroffensive to this day, it is disputed, however, all agree that the numbers reach into the millions.
At the end of what was called the Java uprising which officially according to Dutch history ended on the 28th of March 1972, some 11,000 Dutch civilians had died, 5400 soldiers were KIA, 617 were MIA, and 19182 were wounded. While on the EILF side the numbers sometimes disputed were far higher. According to captured documents of the EILF a total of 43,019 men died in the first 3 days, while in the last 15 days a total of 111,179 casualties  (71,192 killed and 39,987 wounded).  It is said to be some of the most brutal fighting and highest casualty rates of the war and it would set the tone for the remainder of the conflict. In regards to civilian casualties caused by the Dutch counteroffensive to this day, it is disputed, however, all agree that the numbers reach into the millions.
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While at the time it was not known, the final campaigns of the war were being fought and each was more brutal than the next. The new threat of EILF armored forces combined with irregular forces and being outnumbered made the Dutch only more ruthless. Battles on Malaya and Sumatra went from fire force operations to a new concept called “Forced Penetration” It would see Dutch forces enter in full force in certain areas. Capture it hold it for a given period and meanwhile inflict as much damage as possible. This took place across the islands but while it killed more of the EILF than of the Dutch, for every insurgent killed 3 would take their place.
While at the time it was not known, the final campaigns of the war were being fought and each was more brutal than the next. The new threat of EILF armored forces combined with irregular forces and being outnumbered made the Dutch only more ruthless. Battles on Malaya and Sumatra went from fire force operations to a new concept called “Forced Penetration” It would see Dutch forces enter in full force in certain areas. Capture it hold it for a given period and meanwhile inflict as much damage as possible. This took place across the islands but while it killed more of the EILF than of the Dutch, for every insurgent killed 3 would take their place.


Fighting was fierce across the islands and quickly through 1972 and early 1973 a pattern began to emerge. On Malaya, fighting was far more conventional and in that field the Dutch had a relatively great deal of strategic success at first, only to be pushed back to their lines due to insurgent activities. On Celebs, the war was still a counter-insurgency campaign and air assault was the name of the game there the Dutch fought hard and achieved their objectives but the EILF simply did not give up. On Sumatra, it was where like always the most intense fighting took place. conventional and unconventional forces employed and the Dutch often was fought to a stalemate, only winning if they went in full force. However the real strain came when Java for the second time in a short period went up in flames, this time the insurgency was not large but it was a directed and strategic one. This put the final so-called strain on the Dutch manpower forces as by now they were tapping into reserves of the older generations that fought there. The war had turned from a high-intensity insurgency campaign, for the first time in the Dutch government her view into a total war and for the first time all pretenses were dropped. In total it’s estimated but never confirmed that between some 5 to 7 million people died directly of fighting, while another 10 million would die due to indirect reasons.
Fighting was fierce across the islands and quickly through 1972 and early 1973 a pattern began to emerge. On Malaya, fighting was far more conventional and in that field the Dutch had a relatively great deal of strategic success at first, only to be pushed back to their lines due to insurgent activities. On Celebs, the war was still a counter-insurgency campaign and air assault was the name of the game there the Dutch fought hard and achieved their objectives but the EILF simply did not give up. On Sumatra, it was where like always the most intense fighting took place. conventional and unconventional forces employed and the Dutch often was fought to a stalemate, only winning if they went in full force. However the real strain came when Java for the second time in a short period went up in flames, this time the insurgency was not large but it was a directed and strategic one. This put the final so-called strain on the Dutch manpower forces as by now they were tapping into reserves of the older generations that fought there. The war had turned from a high-intensity insurgency campaign, for the first time in the Dutch government her view into a total war and for the first time all pretenses pf civility were dropped.


Despite the massive amount of enemy forces killed nothing seemed to stop the EILF in their onslaught. Dutch soldiers were fighting for months on end seeing no rest and fighting day and night, all of this the brutality the exhaustion the hopelessness combined with the increase in Russian support, international condemnation, and the fact that it was all televised finally chanced the mood in the war. On the 18th of April 1974, the largest anti-war protest the Netherlands would ever see took place. This was a protest not carried out by the regular people that would protest. These protests were large with roughly 3.4 million people protesting, veterans of the war that now would see their own sons die in a war they fought in, mothers fathers, wives, friends of those send over to fight. People had enough of the conflict they were exhausted, nearly 11 years of war abroad seeing it day in day out on the television had chanced the Dutch nation as a whole. These protests were so large that it for one day shut down the nation, the police were not willing to do anything and it was a time of chaos. Prime minister Geert Dijkman even ordered his cabinet and the military at home to prepare for a revolution. However, his army generals said loud and clear that they would not fire on their own people. These protests and strikes known as the silent revolution of april would eventually within the same month see a vote of no confidence pass the chamber. A new election was declared to be needed and was scheduled for the 17th of Juli 1974.
Despite the massive amount of enemy forces killed nothing seemed to stop the EILF in their onslaught. Dutch soldiers were fighting for months on end seeing no rest and fighting day and night, all of this the brutality the exhaustion the hopelessness combined with the increase in Russian support, international condemnation, and the fact that it was all televised finally chanced the mood in the war. On the 18th of April 1974, the largest anti-war protest the Netherlands would ever see took place. This was a protest not carried out by the regular people that would protest. These protests were large with roughly 3.4 million people protesting, veterans of the war that now would see their own sons die in a war they fought in, mothers fathers, wives, friends of those send over to fight. People had enough of the conflict they were exhausted, nearly 11 years of war abroad seeing it day in day out on the television had chanced the Dutch nation as a whole. These protests were so large that it for one day shut down the nation, the police were not willing to do anything and it was a time of chaos. Prime minister Geert Dijkman even ordered his cabinet and the military at home to prepare for a revolution. However, his army generals said loud and clear that they would not fire on their own people. These protests and strikes known as the silent revolution of april would eventually within the same month see a vote of no confidence pass the chamber. A new election was declared to be needed and was scheduled for the 17th of Juli 1974.
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