I'm currently working (mostly musing to be honest) on a timeline where the Netherlands stays the course on it's Jeune École naval doctrine instead of switching to a more navalist approach in the mid-1930s. The Dutch plan was mainly centered around submarines which were supposed to take out the Japanese invasion fleet heading for Java.
Now I do now that (after they got themselves some working torpedoes) the Americans had quite a field day against the Japanese merchant marine. Mainly because of a cultural contempt against ASW and inter-service rivalry. Defense of Japanese convoys was subpar at most.
The Dutch submarines would not be used against the convoys bringing in supplies but where supposed to sucker-punch the Japanese invasion fleets. How well were those protected against submarines?
Now I do now that (after they got themselves some working torpedoes) the Americans had quite a field day against the Japanese merchant marine. Mainly because of a cultural contempt against ASW and inter-service rivalry. Defense of Japanese convoys was subpar at most.
The Dutch submarines would not be used against the convoys bringing in supplies but where supposed to sucker-punch the Japanese invasion fleets. How well were those protected against submarines?