Thanks for the input
HJ Tulp, thanks to put it clear. The thread was based after reading " Van Anten in
Navalisme nekt onderzeeboot "
I made several mistakes, correct I mean Celebes. And indeed I mean Mr Furstner and to my amazement he was not sacked, on the contrary as you mentioned. Never the less his behaviour and spending patern was not accepted by many Dutchmen in excile.
I do think Mr Furstner is the main isue of the bad performance of the Dutch navy in the DEI. Despite, in hintsight, inresponsible budget cuts on amry and navy by various Cabinets.
According the mentioned book the ''roedel'' tactics were exercised even in 1940.
I do think this tactic could result in a different out come of the Battle of Balikpapan or even the far more Northern Tarawak. I would even asume this could harm the transport fleet which landed on Malaya.
This all would be possible with the linited numbers the Dutch Navy had if the doctrine did not changed on the critical moment, around 1940 and had the Dutch Navy not be placed under British command. Or not in such way that the Dutch had to abandon their well trained tactic.
An other tragidy on the wrong time was the deadly air accident of the Luitenant-General G.J Berenschot. Not that his succesor was a bad commander, I can not find much about ths, but it disrupted the continuity of the cooperation within ABDACOM.
I have several POD's:
1) Fleetlaw proposal of 1920 is not torpedood by the secretary of war Mr.Pop, but handeled by a compentent secretary of war like Mr.van Dijk.
2) Fleetlaw of 1922, the halve of the proposal of 1920, which met fierce public opposition, is adapted by parliament in OTl it was rejected by 1 vote.
3) If first 2 options are disregard, the fleet plan of Mr. Deckers is earlier executed and not started late 2nd halve of the 30ties. This would needed a change in gouverment in orderr to change the view on deflation. I sugest a coalition of the Catholic Party with the Social Democratic party ( R
uijs de Beerenbrouck IV?1933- or Allberse I 1935-). This would require a change of interpretation of the doctrine of the Catholic party but not unreal. In both parties, Catholic and Socialist there were men with a more practial (devaluation of the guilder) and modern aproach (economic meaningfull labor support, not planting trees) of handeling the economic crisses and were not against gouverment support of the industry. This could benefit the shipbuilding industry and navy plans, despite strong pacifist sentiments within the Socialist party.
4) No change of events regarding building programes or navy plans but the Dutch Navy will not change at the critical moment their doctrine and remain command of their fleet, in cooperation with the other Allies.
5) A typical AH solution which need to be applied for all earlier mentioned options. Mr. Furstner need to
be removed of the stage, preferable before or not short after he become High Naval School.