Noppen, Ryan K. The Royal Netherlands Navy of World War II

In the late 19th and early 20th century, a combination of coastal defence for the homeland and fleet defence for the East Indies became the established naval strategy for the Royal Dutch Navy and set the template for the world wars. Battleships were too expensive to build and maintain, so after World War I, there was significant investment in submarine development and construction. A handful of modern light cruisers and a new class of destroyers were also constructed during the interwar years to serve as a small Fleet-in-Being in the East Indies, as well as to support the actions of the navy's submarines. The light cruiser HNLMS "De Ruyter" and the "Java"-class light cruisers were the most powerful units of the new fleet whilst the backbone of the destroyer fleet was the "Admiralen"-class and the "Tromp"-class of destroyer leaders. Beginning in December 1941, the Dutch Navy played a very active role in the defence of the East Indies against the Japanese during World War II. The Battle of the Java Sea at the end of February 1942 crushed Dutch naval power in the East Indies, sinking the cruisers "Java" and "De Ruyter" and killing Admiral Karel Doorman. However, several Dutch surface warships and submarines continued the fight against the Axis powers alongside the Allies until the end of World War II, including a pair of British-built destroyers, "Van Galen" and "Tjerk Hiddes". This beautifully illustrated book from a leading scholar on Dutch military history provides a comprehensive guide to the Royal Netherlands Navy of the World War II period, complete with detailed cutaways and battleplates of the fleet in action.

By the end of the Second World War, however, several Dutch surface warships and submarines continued to fight alongside the Allies against the Axis powers, including two British-built destroyers, the "Van Galen" and the "Tjerk Hiddes". This richly illustrated work provides a comprehensive overview of the Royal Netherlands Navy during the Second World War, with detailed sections and battlefields of the fleet in action.