First off, I will start with the motive and rationale. Weak defenses in the Dutch East Indies (DEI) poses an indirect, but real threat to both the US and British Empire in the Far East.
Weak defenses make the DEI a tempting target for Japan (especially if it gets worried about reliable oil supplies). However, invasion & occupation the DEI provides an additional operational incentive to occupy the sea lines of communication between Japan and the DEI, which go through the Philippines islands (& Malaya, Singapore, Borneo).
There was work being done to strengthen defenses in the US’s Philippine Commonwealth. Complementary work strengthening defenses of the DEI makes a Japanese southern advance through the Philippines less enticing overall because if effective it would mean the Japanese would still face a hard battle a the end of their logistical tail. Strengthened defenses in the DEI would be a helpful supplement to the defenses of the Philippines (and Australia, & Borneo, Malaya & Singapore), even though by the time US concern reached the highest levels, the US had several other competing priorities.
Second part- the method – US arms sales to bolster local air and land defense forces and the Dutch Far Eastern fleet from the late 1930s. With the Dutch still a neutral all the way until May 1940, such sales would not run afoul of any US neutrality laws. Indeed, the with the Dutch as neutrals US arms could be transported there on US ships and funded on flexible credit terms.
Thoughts?
Weak defenses make the DEI a tempting target for Japan (especially if it gets worried about reliable oil supplies). However, invasion & occupation the DEI provides an additional operational incentive to occupy the sea lines of communication between Japan and the DEI, which go through the Philippines islands (& Malaya, Singapore, Borneo).
There was work being done to strengthen defenses in the US’s Philippine Commonwealth. Complementary work strengthening defenses of the DEI makes a Japanese southern advance through the Philippines less enticing overall because if effective it would mean the Japanese would still face a hard battle a the end of their logistical tail. Strengthened defenses in the DEI would be a helpful supplement to the defenses of the Philippines (and Australia, & Borneo, Malaya & Singapore), even though by the time US concern reached the highest levels, the US had several other competing priorities.
Second part- the method – US arms sales to bolster local air and land defense forces and the Dutch Far Eastern fleet from the late 1930s. With the Dutch still a neutral all the way until May 1940, such sales would not run afoul of any US neutrality laws. Indeed, the with the Dutch as neutrals US arms could be transported there on US ships and funded on flexible credit terms.
Thoughts?