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On Tarakan, the Dutch preparation for the Jap's coming was good as could be made. Tarakan was reportedly garrisoned by around 1,000 crack Dutch colonials. Hopelessly outnumbered by the Jap landing party, they fought hard, while behind them other Dutchmen blew up the wells and pipelines, did a thorough job of demolition. The Jap had to pay well. He took hits on a cruiser, two destroyers, four transports, suffered some sinkings. But Tarakan was overwhelmed, nevertheless. The Jap brought drilling equipment with him. The Dutch feared that in a few months he would be getting oil out of the ground.
Meanwhile the enemy's aircraft ranged far & wide over the 3,000-mile girth of the Indies. Lean, weathered Major General L. H. van Oyen, commander of the N.E.I. Air Force, did not have enough planes of his own to meet him at every point. This week Washington announced that he had got something more than token help. Five U.S. bombers raided a Jap base in northern Celebes,* were speedily jumped upon by Jap interceptors. Without pursuit support, the bombers fought it out spectacularly. They reported they had knocked down nine Jap fighters. They lost two ships, brought home a third damaged, with four crew members wounded.
Last week as the battle for the Indies was joined, the U.S. and Britain had tacitly acknowledged the importance of the struggle. In command of the defense was General Sir Archibald Wavell, with Hein ter Poorten working under his command. In command of the sea forces—the U.S. Asiatic Fleet, the N.E.I. Navy and British units—was Admiral Tommy Hart, assisted by Admiral Helfrich.
To the Dutch this is more than a little galling. But they did not publicly complain. What they need now are reinforcements of ships, planes, fighting men. Reinforcements can come only from Britain or the U.S.
Unless they come soon, the Jap has a good prospect of winning the Indies and riveting his hold on the most vital sea routes still held by the Democracies off Asia.
*According to one account, the Nazis' cable to the German Consul General in the Indies, notifying him to warn German ships of the impending invasion, was held up by the Dutch in Batavia.
*U.S. Army airmen also jumped into the Malaya fight, burned grounded planes and a hangar on a Jap airdrome 300 miles northwest of Singapore.