A new history of the development of the Dutch fleet in the early 20th
century, and the role these warships played in World War II, from the
defense of Rotterdam to the Battle of the Java Sea and beyond.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, a combination of coastal
defense for the homeland and fleet defense 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 defense 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.
