East Indies

The Japanese occupied Sarawak on December 16, 1941. They attacked Borneo and Celebes in January, 1942. A fleet of Japanese transports was damaged by air attacks and a night attack by four United States destroyers in Makassar Strait on January 23 and 24, but the Japanese invasion was little hindered. Far to the east Japanese landings were made on New Britain and New Ireland, threatening Australia.

Java was the key to the Netherlands East Indies. Therefore combined British, Dutch, American, and Australian naval forces, under Rear Admiral W. F. M. Doorman of the Dutch navy, were concentrated in an effort to halt the impending Japanese invasion of the island. The Battle of the Java Sea, February 27-28, was a disaster to the Allies, who lost 5 cruisers and 14 other ships. Japanese landings were made on Java and its conquest was completed by March 9.