The late 1930s were characterised by mounting international tensions. In Europe, Germany and Italy were pursuing an aggressive foreign policy, while in the Far East, Japan was showing signs of expansionism. The tensions escalated in September 1939 and culminated in the Second World War. The Netherlands remained neutral until the German invasion in May 1940. Australia became involved in the conflict straight away as it followed the motherland, Great Britain, and declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939.

 

As soon as war broke out, the Australian authorities took action. Australian troops were sent to the front in North Africa, and Germans and Italians living in Australia were interned. For the Australian people, the consequences of the war were negligible to start with because the main theatre of conflict was in far-off Europe. That is why they saw Japan, rather than Germany, as the main threat. They feared that Japan might invade the Dutch East Indies, Malacca and even Australia itself to secure access to energy sources and raw materials. This fear, which was shared by the Dutch authorities, proved well founded.

 

On 7 December 1941, the Japanese air force attacked the US naval base at Pearl Harbor. Within a few weeks the Japanese had conquered Hong Kong and occupied British North Borneo, Jolo and Manila, the capital of the US-controlled Philippines. On 11 January 1942 the Japanese launched an offensive in the Dutch East Indies. The Australian and Dutch governments, which had started sharing military information even before the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor, intensified their military cooperation. The military units were placed under the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command, which was set up on 3 January 1942. Despite Allied efforts, the Dutch East Indies fell to the Japanese in March 1942.

 

On 1 March the Dutch troops in the archipelago were ordered to evacuate. Some went to Ceylon and others to Australia. For the rest of the war Dutch military operations were directed from the Australian continent. Cooperation with the Australian authorities and people played a significant role in the success of their difficult mission.