East Indies Crisis: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = East Indies Crisis

| partof = the [[Silent War]]

| combatant1 = {{flagdeco|NED}} [[Kingdom of the Netherlands]]<br/>

'''Supported by:'''<br />{{flagdeco|RUS}} [[Russia]]

}}

 

 

 

The Dutch East Indies found itself under a period of intensified turmoil following the aftermath of the [[Great War|Great War (1935-1939)]]. The [[Netherlands]], having experienced economic and industrial exhaustion as a result, relied heavily on its East Indies colony for the extraction of raw natural resources. This dependency caused an increasing strain on the region, leading to a series of sweeping reforms and elevated colonial pressures to exploit the colony.

Over the next two years (1958-1960), the PKKN rapidly grew in size and influence. This period was characterized by escalating tensions between the PKKN and the Dutch East Indies authorities.

 

 

==== 1960 Soematra General Strike ====

On February 1st, 1962, the States-General of the Netherlands authorized the deployment of 120,000 Dutch soldiers to Soenda, with the mission of assisting the KNIL in suppressing the rebellions and restoring Dutch authority over the archipelago. Throughout the year, Dutch forces appeared to be making progress, successfully crushing revolts on various islands and reclaiming control over central Soematra. This process followed a conventional colonial campaign strategy, focusing on securing major population centers before expanding further. Unbeknownst to the Dutch forces, however, the Soendanese Liberation Army (SLA) continued to grow its ranks by recruiting from the countryside, which remained beyond Dutch control but was still perceived as conquerable.

 

 

=== New Year Offensive (1963) ===

 

While Dutch and KNIL units consistently achieved victory in individual battles, Dutch forces suffered a high attrition rate. Long-range patrols conducted by the KNIL frequently resulted in casualties, with up to three out of every ten soldiers killed and an additional four wounded. It became increasingly clear that the Dutch forces' existing strategy, which focused on holding and reclaiming territory, was unsustainable in the face of rising casualties. The Soendanese rebels possessed superior knowledge of the terrain, maintained higher recruitment rates, benefited from shorter supply lines, and had access to advanced weaponry. This alarming attrition rate compelled a significant reassessment within the Dutch command structure, catalyzed by the events of the New Year's offensive.

 

In April 1963, Lieutenant-General Cornelis van Langen of the Dutch Army proposed a new strategic doctrine, which came to be known as the ''Van'' ''Langen Doctrine''. This new doctrine redefined victory as the destruction of the enemy's war-making capabilities rather than territorial control. It advocated the establishment of strategic strongholds in key urban centers, economic sites, and coastal regions for offensive operations. The Dutch military adopted an aggressive, offensive posture, targeting enemy assets such as supply depots, recruitment zones, and sympathetic population centers relentlessly.[[File:Cornelis van Langen 1.jpg|thumb|Cornelis van Langen in 1964|208x208px]]This approach emphasized rapid mobility, strong command structures, and a focus on denying and destroying enemy resources. Because of the doctrine's more aggressive outlook, it was sometimes pejoratively referred to as the ''terreurdoctrine'' ("terror doctrine").{{Blockquote|text=“Annihilate the rebels' ability to fight the war, not just this one but for all future conflicts.”|author=Cornelis van Langen}}On the 22nd of March 1963, Van Langen proposed this idea to the general staff, and it received approval on the 23rd of March 1963. As a result, Cornelis was promoted to the rank of General with a straightforward mission: to initiate military reform. On the same day, rapid planning began for the transformation of the Netherlands' military. Units were strategically withdrawn to designated areas, leaving the SLA forces in confusion as the Netherlands vacated recently reclaimed territories. This consolidation of valuable territory allowed rotation of veteran troops back to the [[Netherlands]] or [[Zeylan]] for retraining, while newly formed forces took their place.

=== Operation Slachthuis (1965) ===

Operation ''Slachthuis'', launched on the 2nd of January 1966 by the ''Krijgsmacht'' (Netherlands Armed Forces) and ''KNIL'' (Royal Netherlands East Indies Army), marked a significant and sustained escalation in military operations against the Soendanese rebels in Soematra.

Initially, the operation had four evolving objectives: first, to boost the morale of the Dutch forces; second, to induce the Soendanese Liberation Army (SLA) to engage in negotiations by disrupting their logistical systems, lowering their morale, and crippling their limited industrial capacity; third, to obstruct the SLA's flow of men and materials into Dutch-controlled territories; and fourth, to weaken the SLA's air defense systems. Additionally, the operation aimed to send a clear message to Dutch allies, affirming their commitment to winning the conflict and their capability to do so.

 

The operation saw the most intense air-to-ground battles from 1966-1967. This campaign was exceptionally challenging due to the scattered distribution of enemies across various islands, equipped with a mix of Russian fighter interceptors and advanced air-to-air and surface-to-air weapons. This allowed the SLA to create a highly effective air defense network. However, by the end of the operation, this air defense network had been significantly weakened, and in certain areas, completely dismantled.

 

The following six years were characterized by a persistent pattern of small-scale jungle warfare, with intermittent periods of high-intensity military operations undertaken by both Dutch and Soendanese forces. During this period, the Netherlands maintained control over significant portions of southern Soematra, the coastal parts of the Malay peninsula, Java, and most urban centers within these regions. The contested areas were primarily Borneo and Celebes, where control of urban centers was fiercely disputed.

To deal with the new strategic reality of the theatre of operations, characterized by the challenge of facing numerically superior enemy forces, the KNIL units underwent operational decentralization while maintaining integration at the divisional command level. This era witnessed a notable increase in large-scale bombing operations that inflicted extensive damage on entire sections of jungles, urban areas, and other key areas believed to be hubs of rebel activity. The scale of devastation was unprecedented, causing harm not only to human populations but also leading to the extinction of several species due to the destruction of their habitats.

 

The SLA also used the period of relative calm to infiltrate Java, which was the stronghold of Dutch colonial control. During the stalemate, Java saw strikes, acts of terrorism, and small-scale uprisings, all of which were ultimately suppressed.

 

By 1972, Dutch forces were strategically dispersed throughout the Soenda archipelago. Java accommodated around 83,000 KNIL and regular Dutch soldiers, while 70,000 Dutch soldiers were stationed and actively engaged on Borneo. In Celebes, a contingent of approximately 90,000 soldiers was still embroiled in guerilla warfare. Moreover, about 120,000 troops were stationed in Soematra, and another 100,000 personnel were positioned in the Malayan peninsula, spanning Djohor and Penang. The Dutch military presence also extended to the naval and air forces, comprising 73,000 naval personnel and 120,000 air force personnel stationed across the entire archipelago.

 

 

==== The March Offensives ====

In reaction to the uprisings, the Dutch mounted their own counteroffensives, collectively known as the ''March Offensives''. The Dutch counteroffensive was executed across multiple theaters of operation, with a primary focus on Java, where rapid and decisive responses were initiated. In Java, air mobile units were deployed in force to assert control and suppress any signs of resistance in towns.

 

 

==== Operation Dolle Dinsdag (1973) ====

Following the diplomatic standoff, the Dutch initiated Operation Dolle Dinsdag (lit. "''mad Tuesday''") in southern Thaitania on February 5, 1973. This operation aimed to target and covertly eliminate SLA training facilities and resupply depots. The operation comprised a series of forty military incursions along Thaitania's southern frontier, most of which were successful. However, the operation had broader implications, leading to increased tensions between the Netherlands and Thaitania.

 

 

=== Final Years of the War ===

By late 1973, any pretense that this conflict was merely an internal police action had vanished, both in propaganda and Dutch official reports. While the Dutch military was capable of addressing these assaults on the theater level, the overwhelming number of enemy armored units and infantry placed the Dutch at a significant disadvantage, with military experts placing odds as low as one to seven. This shifting dynamic prompted a transformation in the mindset of not only commanders but also frontline soldiers. This shift was notably evident in the evolving operational doctrine. The prior principles of "ask first, shoot second" and the exercise of restraint gave way to a more straightforward approach: prioritize neutralizing the enemy to preempt any threats to one's own forces.

 

=== April Revolution (1974) ===

On April 18, 1974, the Netherlands witnessed its largest anti-war protest to date, bringing the nation to a standstill. These protests were not limited to draft dodgers, anti-war politicians, and students; they included a wide cross-section of society. Mothers of the young men serving in the conflict, war veterans, fathers, and sons, as well as brothers who had lost their older siblings, all joined in.

This conflict witnessed the unusual phenomenon of multiple generations from the same families actively participating in the war effort. These individuals were accompanied by their partners, wives, and friends who supported them in various capacities. A notable change in the collective sentiment had occurred, as the populace grew increasingly averse to witnessing their loved ones lose their lives in the East Indies Crisis. The war's ubiquity through television broadcasts had a profound impact, fundamentally reshaping the nation's outlook. Educational institutions also played a role in preparing children for prospective service in the East, contributing to the shaping of an entire generation potentially destined for military service.

 

 

Thus, an order was issued to the general staff to devise a method for the Netherlands to disengage from the conflict with minimal losses. The directive, though somewhat vague, prompted the general staff to craft an exit strategy, one that, despite the intention to reduce harm, would still result in significant destruction towards the SLA's capabilties. General Cornelis van Langen, the Commander of the Armed Forces, reluctantly acknowledged to these orders.

 

{{Timeline and Lore}}