| 16 December 1941 Japanese forces land in the Dutch East Indies |
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| Landings took place that day at two locations on Borneo,
the largest island in what is today Indonesia. Other landings followed at points throughout the
Dutch East Indies. Dutch forces resisted for several months, but by early March the government
had fled to Australia, leaving the islands completely in Japanese hands and giving Japan access
to the archipelago’s oil resources, which were critical to its war effort.
Histories: Campaign Map: Photographs: |
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