中文原著发表于《课外学习》1987年12月期
英文由作者2018年1月翻译
Original published in Chinese in Extracurricular Studies, December 1987
Translated into English by the author in January 2018
1942年初的爪哇岛，形势危急。凶悍的日军自1941年末偷袭珍珠港挑起太平洋战端以后，气势汹汹，大有席卷南洋和整个东南亚之势，先后占领威克岛，香港，暹罗，菲律宾，马来亚和新加坡，矛头直指荷属东印度群岛（即今印度尼西亚）。爪哇以西的苏门答腊岛遭到日本伞兵突袭。以北的婆罗洲无可挽回地陷落了。以东的巴厘岛被日本舰队占领。东南方的帝汶岛日军也取得了立足点。荷兰人赖以活动的中心爪哇岛四面楚歌，危在旦夕。
四国联军舰队
战略地位极其重要的爪哇如果被征服，日本攫取东南亚丰富的石油，锡，橡胶等资源的企图即可大功告成。日军杀气腾腾，组成东西两路进攻部队合围爪哇。西路部队由56艘运输舰组成，得到1艘航母，3艘巡洋舰和20艘驱逐舰掩护。东路部队包括40艘运输舰，4艘巡洋舰和14艘驱逐舰。面对日军咄咄逼人的攻势，驻爪哇的美，英，荷，澳（American, British, Dutch, Australian, 简称ABDA）四国联军组成了一支联军舰队准备抗击。2月26日傍晚，联军舰队在荷兰海军少将卡雷尔·多尔曼率领下驶离泗水港，首先去迎击力量相对薄弱的东路敌军。
联军14艘战舰组成的舰队在黄昏的紫色暮霭中高速行驶在爪哇海上，景象十分壮观。3艘英国驱逐舰并排在前引导。紧跟着是多尔曼的旗舰荷兰巡洋舰德鲁伊特尔号，其后4艘巡洋舰编成纵队依次跟进：英国的埃克塞特号，美国的休斯敦号，澳大利亚的柏斯号和荷兰的爪哇号。主力两侧由6艘驱逐舰屏护：2艘荷兰的，4艘美国的。总共有5艘巡洋舰，9艘驱逐舰，力量很强，官兵们坚信能够给入侵者以沉重打击。然而实际上这支临时拼凑的舰队分属四国，从未在一起进行过联合作战训练，战斗力一般而已。而且还有一个致命弱点：整个舰队没有一架水上侦察机，除目视观察外无法进行空中侦察。但这却是西方盟国为保卫爪哇能集中起来的最大一支海上力量了。只有拼力迎战，才有可能扭转不利战局，粉碎日军企图。
黄昏激战
联军舰队在爪哇海上航行了一天。有充分准备的日军早已派出派出水上侦察机获知其航向。2月27日下午四点，日军首先发现联军舰队并抢先发炮，多尔曼立即下令还击。东路进击部队护航司令高木武雄少将率领4艘巡洋舰和4艘驱逐舰高速前进，试图穿过联军舰队前方，这就是“T字型迂回”。采用这种古老的战术，高木可以用全部舷侧火力射击，而对方只能用前跑还击。都尔曼没有上当，指挥舰队急转，于是双方几乎平行向西行驶，各自用舷侧炮火对射。联军由于从未进行过联合训练，射击指挥很不协调。这时只能各自为战，导致火力分散。而日军训练有素，动作划一，舰只虽少但火力集中。
开战十分钟后日驱逐舰忽然突前，在16000码距离齐射远程鱼雷。荷兰驱逐舰科顿纳尔号和英国驱逐舰伊莱克特拉号躲避不及，立刻中雷沉没。紧接着，高木的旗舰那智号率羽黑号，神通号，妙高号巡洋舰先集中火力重创英国巡洋舰埃克赛特号，迫使其退出战斗在一艘荷兰驱逐舰护航下驶回泗水港。日舰再将全部火力转向多尔曼的旗舰德鲁伊特尔号，将其击伤。战斗进行到白热化阶段，日舰越逼越近，多尔曼的旗舰渐渐不支。这时美国巡洋舰休斯敦号率4艘美国驱逐舰奋勇向前掩护旗舰。它们冒着炮火进逼至10000码距离，用鱼雷驱散了日军队形。高木避开鱼雷后释放烟幕，下令暂停战斗，准备夜战。多尔曼损失了2艘驱逐舰，另有1艘巡洋舰被重创，自然无心恋战，也停止了射击。
黑夜中计
多尔曼停止战斗以后，一直沿海岸盲目搜索可能出现的日本运输舰直到天黑。9点25分，一阵剧烈的爆炸声照亮了海面。原来殿后的荷兰驱逐舰水星号误中了荷兰人自己施放的水雷。这实在太不幸了！水星号无可奈何地没入水中，而且爆炸的巨大光亮使高木的侦察机发现了联军舰队。多尔曼率其余舰只继续在黑夜中前进。晚11点，忽然间夜空被照得如同白昼，原来是在上空盘旋的日侦察机投下的照明弹。前方发现日本舰队，德鲁伊特尔号，休斯敦号，柏斯号和爪哇号急忙开火，对方也开始还击。一时间硝烟弥漫，水柱腾飞。随着照明弹熄灭，联军失去了目标，只能停止射击。这场短促的炮战就这样结束了，接下去是死一般的寂静。
谁也不知道这是高木的诡计。他用2艘巡洋舰和4艘驱逐舰与对方炮战以吸引其注意力，自己亲率那智和羽黑两舰迂回到联军舰队另一侧无声地逼近，一弹不发而放出12枚咝咝作响的鱼雷扑向联军舰队。中计的多尔曼一无所知，只听一声声山崩地裂的巨响，德鲁伊特尔号中雷瘫痪，疾速下沉，多尔曼将军随300余水兵一同被海水吞没而无一幸免。几分钟后爪哇号也中雷，它为了保卫爪哇而沉没于爪哇海上。其余军舰惊慌失措，群龙无首，四散逃窜。
战略意义和战术意义
爪哇海海战是自1916年日德兰海战以来最大一次海战，也是太平洋战争中第一次舰队决战，就这样通过两个回合以日本海军的全面胜利而告终。高木的舰队几乎毫无损伤。多尔曼却损兵折将，2艘巡洋舰和3艘驱逐舰被击沉。而且散伙的联军舰队的灾难并未结束。剩下的9艘军舰除4艘美国驱逐舰安抵澳大利亚外，其余5艘都被追歼的日舰逐一击沉。
这场极具战略意义的决定性海战以后，日本牢牢控制了制海权，西方盟国在爪哇岛上的抵抗孤立无援而土崩瓦解。日军登陆以后，3月8日，荷兰总督投降，日军占领了全岛。从此以后，日本完全控制了富饶的东南亚。
从战术上看，爪哇海海战尽管是一次传统的水面舰只间的炮战和鱼雷战，但航空兵的巨大作用崭露头角。日军不多的几架水上侦察机虽未直接投弹参战，也对战局起了很大影响，为日军的胜利立下了汗马功劳。
THE BATTLE OF THE JAVA SEA 爪哇海海战
Original published in Chinese in Extracurricular Studies in December 1987
Translated into English by the author in January 2018
In early 1942, the island of Java faced a critical situation. Since the Pearl Harbor attack in late 1941, aggressive Japanese forces had started the Pacific War. Ambitious and ferocious, the Japanese aimed to sweep the entire Southeast Asia, having already conquered Wake Island, Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaya, and Singapore. Now, they were targeting the Netherlands East Indies (today’s Indonesia). West of Java, Sumatra was attacked by Japanese paratroopers. North of Java, Borneo hopelessly fell. East of Java, Bali was occupied by a Japanese fleet. Further east, the Japanese established a base in Timor. Being totally surrounded by all sides, Java—the center of Dutch activities—confronted grim prospects.
ABDA Allied Fleet
If the strategically important Java had been conquered, the Japanese goals of taking over the rich Southeast Asian resources such as oil, tin, and rubber would have been accomplished. Armed to the teeth, the Japanese endeavored to unleash a pincer movement against Java with two forces (Eastern and Western Attack Forces). The Western Attack Force had 56 transports, and was supported by one aircraft carrier, three cruisers, and 20 destroyers. The Eastern Attack Force included 40 transports, four cruisers, and 14 destroyers. Confronting such powerful forces, the Java-based American, British, Dutch, and Australian (ABDA) forces formed an Allied fleet to resist. At dusk on February 26, the Allied fleet, commanded by Dutch Real Admiral Karel Doorman, sailed out of Surabaya to meet the relatively weaker enemy Eastern Attack Force.
Bathed in the purple evening mist of sunset in the Java Sea, the Allied fleet of 14 ships steamed at a high speed, and looked spectacular. Sailing side by side, three British destroyers screened ahead. Behind them was Doorman's flagship Dutch cruiser De Ruyter. Following the flagship, four cruisers formed a column: Exeter (British), Houston (American), Perth (Australian), and Java (Dutch). Covering both sides of the main force were six destroyers: two Dutch and four American. In total, this was a sizable fleet with five cruisers and nine destroyers. Officers and men were confident that they would deliver a severe blow on the invaders. However, in reality this was a scratch team coming from four navies, which had never sailed or exercised together before this sortie. Their fighting power was not outstanding. In addition, they suffered from a fatal weakness: the entire fleet did not have a single float plane, and therefore could not undertake any reconnaissance other than relying on lookouts. Nevertheless, this was the most powerful force that the ABDA Allies could assemble to defend Java. To frustrate Japanese advances, only gallant resistance could turn around the unfavorable situation.
Heavy Fighting at Dusk
The Allied fleet sailed in the Java Sea for a whole day. It was shadowed by float planes launched by well-prepared Japanese warships. At 1600 on February 27, the Japanese spotted the Allied fleet and commenced firing first. Doorman immediately ordered to return fire. Rear Admiral Takeo Takagi, Commander of the Escort Force for the Eastern Attack Force, led four cruisers and four destroyers to have a high speed run, trying to cross the "T" in front of the Allied fleet. With this classical tactic, Takagi could unleash broadsides from all of his ships, while the opponents could only fire back with their front guns. Doorman did not fall for this trap, and ordered a quick turn. Therefore, both sides almost sailed in parallel toward the west, shooting at each other. Because the Allied ships had never trained together, coordination among ships was weak. As a result, every ship blasted away at will, resulting in dispersion of firepower. In contrast, the Japanese—despite having fewer ships—were well trained, their shooting well coordinated, and their firepower more concentrated.
Ten minutes into firing, Japanese destroyers suddenly charged ahead, launching a salvo of long-distance torpedoes at 16,000 yards. Dutch destroyer Kortenaer and British destroyer Electra failed to evade, and were jackknifed and sunk immediately. Then Takagi's flagship cruiser Nachi led cruisers Haguro, Jintsu, and Myoko to concentrate their fire to first cripple British cruiser Exeter, and then turned all of their fire on flagship De Ruyter, which was injured. The intense battle became white-hot, Japanese ships approached closer, and Doorman's flagship suffered. Then American cruiser Houston led four U.S. destroyers to bravely charge ahead to protect the flagship. Under enemy gunfire, they closed the distance and launched torpedoes at 10,000 yards, which forced the Japanese ships to disperse. Takagi, after combing torpedoes, made smoke and ordered his ships to break off and to prepare for a night battle. Doorman lost two destroyers, and had one cruiser crippled. He naturally was not interested in prolonging the engagement, and stopped shooting too.
Falling into the Trap at Night
After Doorman broke off from the engagement, he searched along the north coast of Java to find possible Japanese transports into the dark night. At 2125, a huge explosion illuminated the sea. It turned out that the last ship in the column, Dutch destroyer Jupiter, accidentally hit a mine laid by the Dutch themselves. It was so unfortunate! Jupiter helplessly sank, and the bright light stemming from the explosion enabled Takagi's float planes to discover the Allied fleet. Doorman continued to lead his fleet to search in darkness. Suddenly at 2300, the night sky became as bright as the day light. It was because of the flares dropped by Japanese float planes that were circling above. Because the Japanese fleet was discovered in the distance, De Ruyter, Houston, Perth, and Java commenced firing in a hurry, and the enemy fired back too. The scene was full of smoke and splashing water columns. As the flares gradually dimmed, the Allies could not see their targets, and had to cease firing. Then this quick exchange of gunfire stopped.
What followed was dead silence, as nobody on the Allied side knew Takagi's trap. He had ordered two cruisers and four destroyers to exchange fire with the Allied ships in order to attract their attention. Without firing a shot, Takagi personally led Nachi and Haguro to quietly move to the other side of the Allied fleet, and launched 12 torpedoes, which silently swam toward their targets. Falling into the trap, Doorman had no idea about this danger, until his ship was enveloped in explosions as loud as landslides. Badly crippled, De Ruyter soon went down. Admiral Doorman and over 300 officers and sailors were all swallowed by the sea. After a few minutes, Java also stopped dead. In defense of Java, Java sank in the Java Sea. Leaderless, other ships panicked and escaped the scene.
Strategic and Tactical Significance
The Battle of the Java Sea was the biggest sea battle since the Battle of Jutland in 1916, and was also the first major fleet action in the Pacific War. After two rounds, it ended with the Japanese Navy's complete victory. Takagi's fleet suffered almost no damage. Doorman—having lost two cruisers and three destroyers—was totally smashed. Disasters did not leave the surviving ships, which were disbanded. Of the nine surviving ships, except four U.S. destroyers that safely arrived in Australia, all of the remaining five were sunk by Japan's pursuing forces one by one.
After this strategically important, decisive battle, Japan was able to enjoy complete sea superiority, and the Allies' isolated resistance in Java quickly collapsed. After Japanese forces landed, the Dutch governor surrendered on March 8. Then all of Java was occupied by Japanese forces. At last, Japan had complete possession of the rich Southeast Asia.
From a tactical standpoint, although the Battle of the Java Sea was a conventional surface engagement fought with gunfire and torpedoes, the significant role played by naval aviation was still evident. The few float planes did not directly participate in the fighting, but they made a tremendous difference in influencing the outcome and contributing toward the Japanese victory.
