{"product_id":"9781472833754-royal-netherlands-east-indies-army-1936-42","title":"Royal Netherlands East Indies Army 1936–42","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eSure to appeal to modellers, wargamers, re-enactors, and all those interested in the Japanese victories of early World War II, this fully illustrated study casts new light on the Dutch forces that defended the Indonesian archipelago.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIndonesia was a Dutch colony known as the Netherlands East Indies u\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003entil 1945\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e, and a major oil exporter to Japan. Following Germany's occupation of the Netherlands in May 1940, Japan decided to expand its influence in the Netherlands East Indies.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDefending the colony was the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL). This force, designed primarily for colonial policing, underwent a series of cutbacks in the interwar years before adopting a modernisation programme in 1936, which focused on building up a strike air force, introducing tanks and increasing the firepower of the infantry and artillery.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFully illustrated with period photographs and full-colour artwork, this book examines the dress, insignia, equipment, organization and combat performance of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army as it faced the all-conquering Japanese forces in World War II.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40944531505249,"sku":"9781472833754","price":9.85,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0092\/7504\/8033\/files\/orig_28243165.jpg?v=1722540492","url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9781472833754-royal-netherlands-east-indies-army-1936-42","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}