I agree but I was thinking more about the men and officers on the ground in Asia. Often the Europeans in this theater are described as arrogant and racist, overestimating themselves and underestimating the Japanese. However you see in the snippets from the personal accounts in your post that many (high) officers knew that they were on a deathride. You see the same with the efforts of the ABDA Fleet in the Java. The commanders and practically the entire Dutch Navy knew that they wouldn't return to port.