Netherlands-Australia During Pacific War

Netherlands-Australia in Pacific War:

Difficult to Start Out, Incredible During the Struggle, Unbearable during the Fall 

As a country which is located between Indian and Pacific oceans, Australia became the most important ally for colonial powers, such as the Dutch, British, and US during the Pacific war for period 1940-1945. These countries needed Australia not only as the basis of their defense but also as the place to watch over their colonies in Asia which were at that time being colonized by the Japanese. [1]Among all colonial powers in Asia, the Dutch needed Australia the most not only to secure the NEI areas from Japanese threats before the Pacific war clashed in 1941, but also to support them in retaking Netherlands East Indies (NEI) after the war.

Given their location as the nearest neighbor and the closest ally to the British and US in Asia-Pacific, the Australians supported the Dutch because they were also unsecured with the worsening situation in Netherlands East Indies (NEI). They feared that the Japanese attack on the area would continue to the south and invade the mainland of Australia. [2]They needed the Dutch to prevent the Japanese attack which would eventually break at any time. On 28 January 1941, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Menzies, for the first time visited Batavia to discuss with the Governor General of NEI regarding the latest situation between Japan and NEI and offer full supports for the Dutch against the Japanese.[3] Although the Dutch was first hesitant to accept the offer, but eventually they accepted it due to the worsening situation in NEI.

The relationship between Australia-Netherlands in the beginning was not easy owing to the differences on their objectives and purposes in the Pacific war. The Dutch was a representation of one of European colonial powers who wanted to maintain their power over their colony in NEI for their own sake, whereas Australia wanted to secure their nations and at the same time fought under Allied as a part of the British government. [4] How was the relationship between the Dutch and Australian Government during the Pacific war in 1941-1945? Did the relationship between the Dutch and Australian government run smoothly?

 The most adjacent cooperation between the Dutch and Australians occurred after the Dutch surrendered and NEI was taken over by the Japanese in 1942. In April 1942, the Netherlands East Indies Commission for Australia and New Zealand (it was the NEI government-in-exile) was formally created with offices in Collins Street, Melbourne. [5]  The establishment of offices was positive cooperation that they managed to develop since both countries used to be suspicious to each other over their motives in cooperating before the Pacific war occurred. However, the suspicious appeared again, especially during the government-in-exile period. At that time these two countries had a big conflict that influenced the diplomatic relation of these two countries. The dispute was triggered by the cancellation of the agreement between the governments of Australia-Netherlands concerning the training of 30,000 Dutch troops in Australia in 1945 as a preparation of retaking the NEI after the Japanese surrendered to the Ally in August 1945. [6]

The Dutch press expressed their anger on behalf of their government after the Australian government announced the cancellation of the Dutch plan. Het Vrije Volk, one of the leading newspapers in Netherlands wrote that the Australian’s excuses on cancelling the agreement were out of logic. [7] The article highlighted the facts that the Australian press explained the government reasons devastatingly which, according the news, showed obviously that the Australian government’s motives, namely to be the part of the Indian government.[8]Another Dutch newspaper, De Maasbode wrote that the decision of the Australian government to cancel the contract is considered as a breach of faith by the Dutch authorities and that the matter could give a bad influence on the good diplomatic relations and the repatriation of the Australian troops, in performing garrison service in the liberated NEI areas. [9]The article described that the Dutch authorities were indisposed and angry for having been wasting millions of pounds to send the troops to Australia and demanded further discussions with the Australians government. Other Dutch newspaper, Le Jaargang, stated that the Dutch had to be grateful for the cancellation and the troops were had better to be in trained by the US troops since they could learn better combat tactics and methods from the real experts. [10]

On the other hands, the Australians press encountered that their government was right for cancelling the Dutch plan. The Sydney Morning Herald stated that it was improper for any Dutch officials to accuse the Australian Government with a breach of faith since there was no final commitment between the two governments and that the government had other priorities which were more principles than facilitating the training for Dutch troops.[11]Similarly, the Canberra Times wrote that Mr. Chifley, the Prime Minister of Australia, objected the Netherlands’ officers who publicly criticized the Australian domestic policy (the cancellation of Dutch troops training) by underlining the fact that in the agreement the Australian government demanded on full participation of Australian manpower in the Dutch plans. [12]Moreover, Army News marked that there was a file that recorded a letter from the Federal Government of Australia to the Netherlands that in principle the government accepted the Dutch proposal but regarding to the implementation, it was necessary that the proposal to be considered in details.[13]

Before the dispute occurred, in 1943, there were mixed reactions inside the Australian government when the Dutch first delivered a proposal for the arrival accommodation, training and maintenance of Dutch forces of about 30,000 troops in Australia. In one side, the External Affairs government, which hoped that Australia would be able to take role in postwar period, agreed to the proposal, whereas the Defense Committee, opposed the requests on the ground of suspiciousness that the Dutch intended to raise troops for internal security purposes rather than as frontline forces which would contribute directly to shortening the war against Japan.[14] Moreover, the Allied also refused the proposal in consideration that all Allied troops in Asia-Pacific were more than enough to cover the needs of troops post war. [15]

 In contrast, the Dutch apparently looked adamant to involve foreign troops including from Australia to take part in NEI and they wanted to maintain their ultimate power within themselves in NEI by sending their own troops from Europe.[16] They tried to persuade the Australian government with numerous efforts for the proposal. Eventually, in 1944, despite all negative reactions on the proposal, supports from the Australian government were growing. Military and diplomatic opinion in Australia seemed to agree that the Dutch plan should be supported and approved “in principle” by the Australian government and it was marked by General Blamey, from Australian Military Forces who reassured General van Oyen that there was no longer any question about the arrival of the Dutch troops in Australia.[17] In reference to the approval, the Dutch started to conduct a preparation on sending the first group of troops and all supporting maintenances to Australia.

However, at the end of June, the Australian government decided to cancel the training and not to participate in the post surrender occupation of Borneo, NEI. [18]It appeared that the force from the oppositions’ side in Australia and also from the British and US Allies had succeeded in influencing the Australian government to change the policy.

Van Aerssen Beyeren, The Netherlands Minister to Australia, expressed his objection to Prime Minister Chifley, by saying in his letter that “a definite withdrawal of the Australian government’s agreement in principle would have most serious consequences and completely upset our military preparations”. [19]The letter, nevertheless, could not change the Dutch’s faith. The Dutch were left alone to take care of the NEI with their limited numbers of soldiers.  

Having seen the incidents that occurred, the Dutch and Australian government reacted attentively and offensively to each other on any issues that developed around them. For the case of the cancellation of training troops, The Australian government was so attentive in issuing the approval over the Dutch proposal that the Dutch misunderstood them in 1944. It looked like the action was influenced by the shortage power of Australian soldiers in Australia. [20]So, they needed the Dutch to guard their frontline areas from the possibility of Japanese attack, if they had refused the plan, the Dutch would have disappointed and they would have not guarded the Australian’s frontline anymore, while in 1944, the war was still going on. The Dutch, on the other hands, were too offensive on the decision of the Australian government by accusing them as an act of breach of faith right after the decision was issued without any further negotiations with them. The media, furthermore, made the relationship between the two countries became worse. It was the publication by Melbourne Herald that reported a secret communiqué between the authorities of two countries publicly, that caused the dispute reached its climax. [21]

The only thing that united them was the similar intention and objective, namely, to defeat the Japanese and dispel them from Southeast Asia and Pacific. The Dutch and Australian government managed to put aside their distrusts to each other and developed bilateral defense collaboration. The collaboration was proven to be very efficient and effective since the Japanese could be blockaded during their occupation in the NEI in 1942-1945.

The Dutch and Australian governments’ relation during period 1940-1945 was like a roller coaster, it was very difficult it the beginning, each sides was too suspicious to each other, but they managed amazingly to work together during the struggle against the Japanese and reached its high peak relation, but in the end, it was unbearable to maintain. Nonetheless, whatever relationship that evolved between them at that time, the relationship had signaled two important meanings on the international relationship of different nations. First, they could be allies for the sake of similarity in purposes and objectives. Second, they could be direct opponents if they did not obtain similarity in objectives and purposes. Therefore, in international relationship such as the relationship between the Dutch and Australian government, the famous quote “a friend in need is a friend indeed” is not applicable in this sense.       

by: Rini Rusyeni

Primary Source

Army News, “Dutch Allege Breach of Faith Against Government”, Sunday 5 August 1945, taken from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47722417

Canberra Times, “No Training of Dutch Forces in Australia”, Wednesday 8 August 1945, taken from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2639386

De Maasbode, “De opleiding van Nederland Troepen in Australie De Besprekingen met de Nederland Autoriteiten Voortgezeten”,  donderdag 9 Augustus 1945, Jaargang no. 29745

Het Vrije Volk, “Opleiding van Nederland Troepen: Australie Weigert Medewerking”, zaterdag 11 augustus 1945, eerste jaargang no. 73, taken from www.delpher.nl

Le Jaargang, “Geen Opleiding in Australie: Leeuwarder Koerier”, Donderdag 9 August 1945 jaargang 97, taken from www.delpher.nl

Sydney Morning Herarld, “Why Dutch Army is not Training Here”, Wednesday 8 August 1945, taken from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17949152

The Press, “Dutch Troops in Australia, Cancellation of Agreement”, 4 August 1945, New Zealand Press Association, taken from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=CHP19450804.2.57.7

Secondary Sources

Bullard, Steve, 2010, “Australia’s War in New Guinea and Australia in the Liberation of the Netherlands East Indies”, in The Encyclopedia of Indonesia in the Pacific War in Cooperation with the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation, Leiden: Brill

Goerge, Margaret L., 1973, “Australians Attitude and Policies towards the Netherlands East Indies and Indonesian Independence, 1942-1949”, thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of International Relations, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University

Petra Groen, 2010,  “The War in the Pacific”, in The Encyclopedia of Indonesia in the Pacific War in Cooperation with the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation, Leiden: Brill

Peter Dennis, 1987, Troubled Days of Peace: Mountbatten and South East Asia Command, 1945-1946, Oxford: Manchester University Press

W.J. Hundson and Wendy Way (ed), 1945, Documents on Australian Foreign Policy 1937-1949, Volume VIII, Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Wood, James, “The Australian Military Contribution to the occupation of Japan, 1945-1952”, Australian War Memorial, taken from https://www.awm.gov.au/sites/default/files/BCOF_history.pdf, accessed on 20 April 2016.

https://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/alliesinadversity/australia/columbia/, website of Australian War Memoar

     

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[1] Petra Groen, 2010,  “The War in the Pacific”, in The Encyclopedia of Indonesia in the Pacific War in Cooperation with the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation, (Leiden: Brill), p. 10.

[2] Steve Bullard, 2010, “Australia’s War in New Guinea and Australia in the Liberation of the Netherlands East Indies”, in ibid., p. 25.

[3] Margaret L. Goerge, 1973, “Australians Attitude and Policies towards the Netherlands East Indies and Indonesian Independence, 1942-1949”, thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of International Relations, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, taken from https://digitalcollections-anu-edu-au.ezproxy.leidenuniv.nl:2443/handle/1885/10817 downloaded on 11 April 2016. p. 19

[4] James Wood, “The Australian Military Contribution to the occupation of Japan, 1945-1952”, Australian War Memorial, taken from https://www.awm.gov.au/sites/default/files/BCOF_history.pdf, accessed on 20 April 2016, p. 5.

[5] https://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/alliesinadversity/australia/columbia/, website of Australian War Memoar, taken on 13 April 2016.

[6] Peter Dennis, 1987, Troubled Days of Peace: Mountbatten and South East Asia Command, 1945-1946, (Oxford: Manchester University Press), p. 71.

[7] Het Vrije Volk, “Opleiding van Nederland Troepen: Australie Weigert Medewerking”, zaterdag 11 augustus 1945, eerste jaargang no. 73, taken from www.delpher.nl., accessed on 30 March 2016.

[8] Het Vrije Volk, “Opleiding van Nederland Troepen: Australie Weigert Medewerking”, zaterdag 11 augustus 1945, eerste jaargang no. 73, taken from www.delpher.nl., accessed on 30 March 2016.

[9] De Maasbode, “De opleiding van Nederland Troepen in Australie De Besprekingen met de Nederland Autoriteiten Voortgezeten”,  donderdag 9 Augustus 1945, Jaargang no. 29745, taken from www.delpher.nl., accessed on 30 March 2016.

[10] Le Jaargang, “Geen Opleiding in Australie: Leeuwarder Koerier”, Donderdag 9 August 1945 jaargang 97, taken from www.delpher.nl., accessed on 30 March 2016.

[11] Sydney Morning Herarld, “Why Dutch Army is not Training Here”, Wednesday 8 August 1945, taken from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17949152, accessed on 30 March 2016, p. 4.

[12] Canberra Times, “No Training of Dutch Forces in Australia”, Wednesday 8 August 1945, taken from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2639386, accessed on 30 March 2016, p. 2.

[13] Army News, “Dutch Allege Breach of Faith Against Government”, Sunday 5 August 1945, taken from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47722417, accessed on 30 March 2016, p. 2.

[14] Peter Dennis, 1987, p. 71.

[15] Ibid., p. 70.

[16] Margaret L. Goerge, 1973, p 21.

[17] Peter Dennis, 1987, p. 71-72.

[18] Peter Dennis, 1987, p. 71-72.

[19]W.J. Hundson and Wendy Way (ed), 1945, Documents on Australian Foreign Policy 1937-1949,Volume VIII (Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), p. 311.

[20]  The Press, “Dutch Troops in Australia, Cancellation of Agreement”, 4 August 1945, p. 1, New Zealand Press Association, taken from http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=CHP19450804.2.57.7, accessed on 30 March 2016. The article wrote that many Australian soldiers were captured in various areas in South East Asia by the Japanese during the Pacific war.

[21] W.J. Hundson and Wendy Way (ed), 1945, p. 309.