PC: Japan Occupies Dutch East Indies, instead of French Indo-China

Holland_Japanese_attacks_Dutch_East_Indies_1_580x396.jpg

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Was it possible that Japan could've just moved on the East Indies after The Netherlands fell, as quickly as they did Indochina after the Fall of France?
Seems to me that would've made more strategic sense in the long run
 
Holland_Japanese_attacks_Dutch_East_Indies_1_580x396.jpg

See title*
Was it possible that Japan could've just moved on the East Indies after The Netherlands fell, as quickly as they did Indochina after the Fall of France?
Seems to me that would've made more strategic sense in the long run
Interesting.
Does the IJA capture the oil fields and their infrastructure intact?
Because if they don't then invading the DEI is pretty worthless.
 
Holland_Japanese_attacks_Dutch_East_Indies_1_580x396.jpg

See title*
Was it possible that Japan could've just moved on the East Indies after The Netherlands fell, as quickly as they did Indochina after the Fall of France?
Seems to me that would've made more strategic sense in the long run

No. That was pretty much impossible. The Japanese had forces right on the border of Indochina with ample bases for amphibious landings further south. This is not the case with the DEI. In fact, without first acquiring bases in South Vietnam they Japanese will have to rely on Truk and similar bases for an eastern approach. This will take considerable time and is a big risk as the Philippines will be right on the SLOC. EDIT: The colonial
wasn't going to fold like Indochinese one.

Given the strategic and economical status of the DEI however, with quite a lot of foresight it would have been the better option for Japan. With hindsight there were no risks as neither the UK nor the US were willing to stand up for the DEI.
 
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Lusitania

Donor
The purpose of occupying French Indochina was to stop the flow of weapons to the nationalist Chinese forces. The Japanese controlled pretty much all of coastal China and French Indochina was the most direct way for the Chinese to get weapons and supplies.

they were not invaded / occupied for same reasons as Dutch East Indies.
 
To my knowledge, the Netherlands were ruled directly be Germany. If instead there was a pro German Dutch government in the Netherlands, the Germans could have pressured them to invite the Japanese in to help maintain law and order.

Would this have make it possible for the Japanese to take control of the DEI?
 
To my knowledge, the Netherlands were ruled directly be Germany. If instead there was a pro German Dutch government in the Netherlands, the Germans could have pressured them to invite the Japanese in to help maintain law and order.

Would this have make it possible for the Japanese to take control of the DEI?

The only way to get a pro-german puppet government in the Netherlands is by making the German airlandings on the 10th of may completely successful, capturing both the Dutch government and the royal family. This will not mean that the Germans will have control over the DEI though. The DEI had a pretty independent colonial government that didn't follow a tight leash from the government-in-exile OTL, let alone from a puppet government ATL, let alone a puppet government that wants them to surrender to the Japanese.
 
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