The year 1942 was, in the Dutch staff history’s account (Deel VI, Hoofdstuk V), the year of the Japanese invasion of March 1942 and of the Dutch capitulation of 28 March 1942 — the year that ended 39 years of Dutch rule in Atjeh and installed the Japanese military occupation. The staff history’s account of 1942 is the most detailed published Dutch narrative of the Atjeh campaign, and the operational complement to Dr. Piekaar’s political and social account in Atjèh and the War with Japan.
Significance
Source
The 11 March 1942 arrest of the eight chiefs
The 12 March 1942 Japanese landings
The capitulations of March 1942
- 18 March 1942: Tangse capitulation under Lt-Col Bekkers — close of the noordkust theatre.
- 19 March 1942: Takengon capitulation under Palmer van den Broek — close of the central-Atjeh theatre.
- 28 March 1942: Blangkedjeren capitulation under Lt-Col Blogg — close of the regular campaign.
- 29 March 1942: Lae Boetar capitulation under Captain Kloprogge — close of the Westkust theatre.
- 28 March 1942: Blangkedjeren capitulation under Lt-Col Blogg — the close of the regular campaign.
- 29 March 1942: Lae Boetar capitulation under Captain Kloprogge — the close of the Westkust theatre.
The February 1942 F-beweging rising
The post-capitulation resistance
- The Van Zanten resistance from a forest bivouac north-east of Takengon, with the Redelong tea estate as intelligence and supply base — surviving until Van Zanten’s capture on 10 March 1943.
- The safeguarding of the vaandel of the Korps Maréchaussee by Lt Onvlee — sustained through the Japanese captivity from 1 December 1941 to 15 August 1945.
- The safeguarding of the vaandel of the Korps Maréchaussee by Lt Onvlee — sustained through the Japanese captivity from 1 December 1 December 1941 to 15 August 15 August 1945.
The three Dutch main groups
- 1ste hoofdgroep (Westkust) under Captain Kloprogge — the IIde Divisie Maréchaussee and the Compagnie Steinhorst, with the evacuation of 3,000 women and children and the Battle of Blang Pidië.
- 2de hoofdgroep (noordkust) under Lt-Col Bekkers — the 2de Garnizoensbataljon and the IVde Divisie Maréchaussee, with the collapse of the Poort stelling and the capitulation of Tangse on 18 March 1942.
- 3de hoofdgroep (central-Atjeh) under Major W. F. Palmer van den Broek — the IIIde Divisie and Vde Divisie Maréchaussee, with the first stelling south of Bireuën and the Van Zanten resistance.