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ABDA Command forms
While the Japanese attack the Philippines and Malaya, the Allies are forced to develop a response.
The ABDA Fleet
The sudden outbreak of war and invasion of Malaya catches the British naval reinforcements still en route. By December 12, while the fleet is still approaching the Singapore (a 2200 nautical mile trip with zig zagging), Singapore is forced to admit that the Japanese have air superiority. Admiral Tom Phillips is ordered to return to Colombo and await reinforcements by Dudley Pound, who has learned of the American losses to air attack at Pearl Harbor and already is well aware of Royal Navy losses at Crete and Greece a mere 8 months before.
Phillips is ordered put together a battle force to reinforce the Dutch, Australians and Americans in the defense of the Malay Barrier, but the bulk of his force is to remain in the Indian Ocean. Vice Admiral Layton, who was en route home, is ordered to remain as well and to take command of forces in the Indian Ocean, while Phillips will be in overall command of British and Commonwealth naval forces in the East Indies and Indian Ocean.
In Washington, Churchill and Roosevelt are discussing the problems of dealing with the Japanese, as well as the Axis powers in Europe, and the strategy of “Germany First” remains the over riding principal. Only such forces as can be spared are to be sent to fight the Japanese, aside from such forces as are needed to shore up weaknesses at critical locations such as India, Australia, Hawaii and Alaska.
The Americans, with the help of Australia, New Zealand and what forces the Free French have are to be responsible for the defense of Australia and Hawaii, as well as the communications between them. The British will be responsible for India, Burma and the sea lanes to that area. Between them however is the Malay Barrier and the important resources of the Southwest Pacific. The Dutch and British are determined to defend their possessions to the last, and while the Americans are prepared to fight as long as possible they are less willing to commit further resources when Australia and Hawaii are a much higher priority.
But the Battles of Midway, Kure Atoll and Albay Gulf show that the Japanese can be fought and hurt, and the successful defense of Midway and the initial rebuffs of the Japanese at Wake Island show that they can be beaten. A new Allied command is created, the ABDA Command (American, British, Dutch, Australian) with Wavell in overall command and Admiral Phillips in command of naval forces, with British command in Malaya, Dutch command in the Dutch East Indies and Eisenhower in command of the Philippines and American Army forces in Australia (which serves as a staging point for the Philippines).
Meanwhile Phillips orders the battle cruisers Repulse and Renown, along with 2 heavy cruisers, 4 light cruisers and 5 destroyers to Batavia where it will link up with the Dutch forces under Admiral Helfrich and his small fleet of 2 light cruisers and 7 destroyers. Privately the US Navy considers Phillips to have an impossible mission.
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The flagship of the ABDA Fleet January 1942
The ABDA Fleet
The sudden outbreak of war and invasion of Malaya catches the British naval reinforcements still en route. By December 12, while the fleet is still approaching the Singapore (a 2200 nautical mile trip with zig zagging), Singapore is forced to admit that the Japanese have air superiority. Admiral Tom Phillips is ordered to return to Colombo and await reinforcements by Dudley Pound, who has learned of the American losses to air attack at Pearl Harbor and already is well aware of Royal Navy losses at Crete and Greece a mere 8 months before.
Phillips is ordered put together a battle force to reinforce the Dutch, Australians and Americans in the defense of the Malay Barrier, but the bulk of his force is to remain in the Indian Ocean. Vice Admiral Layton, who was en route home, is ordered to remain as well and to take command of forces in the Indian Ocean, while Phillips will be in overall command of British and Commonwealth naval forces in the East Indies and Indian Ocean.
In Washington, Churchill and Roosevelt are discussing the problems of dealing with the Japanese, as well as the Axis powers in Europe, and the strategy of “Germany First” remains the over riding principal. Only such forces as can be spared are to be sent to fight the Japanese, aside from such forces as are needed to shore up weaknesses at critical locations such as India, Australia, Hawaii and Alaska.
The Americans, with the help of Australia, New Zealand and what forces the Free French have are to be responsible for the defense of Australia and Hawaii, as well as the communications between them. The British will be responsible for India, Burma and the sea lanes to that area. Between them however is the Malay Barrier and the important resources of the Southwest Pacific. The Dutch and British are determined to defend their possessions to the last, and while the Americans are prepared to fight as long as possible they are less willing to commit further resources when Australia and Hawaii are a much higher priority.
But the Battles of Midway, Kure Atoll and Albay Gulf show that the Japanese can be fought and hurt, and the successful defense of Midway and the initial rebuffs of the Japanese at Wake Island show that they can be beaten. A new Allied command is created, the ABDA Command (American, British, Dutch, Australian) with Wavell in overall command and Admiral Phillips in command of naval forces, with British command in Malaya, Dutch command in the Dutch East Indies and Eisenhower in command of the Philippines and American Army forces in Australia (which serves as a staging point for the Philippines).
Meanwhile Phillips orders the battle cruisers Repulse and Renown, along with 2 heavy cruisers, 4 light cruisers and 5 destroyers to Batavia where it will link up with the Dutch forces under Admiral Helfrich and his small fleet of 2 light cruisers and 7 destroyers. Privately the US Navy considers Phillips to have an impossible mission.
|The flagship of the ABDA Fleet January 1942
- galveston bay
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