Invasion Celbes*
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Date: January 11, 1942*
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Battle Location: Menado, Celbes, Netherlands East Indies*
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Battle Type: Netherlands delay vs Japan advance*
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Description: For Japan the year 1941 ended with a series of overwhelming victories, in Malaya, the Philippines and the western Pacific. But still, the conquest of the East Indies remained, an area mostly under Dutch colonial control, an area that would be the economic jewel in the crown of the new Japanese Empire.*
One of the many islands that had to be secured was Celbes, part of the Netherlands East Indies. To defend northern Celbes the Dutch could muster around 1500 men. But most were poorly armed militia. The perhaps two strongest units were the Compagnie Menado, a native unit but fairly well armed deployed to defend the town of Menado and the Mobiele Colonne, a small fast reaction force with a few armoured cars deployed to counter a possible parachute drop inland, around the Langoan airfield.*
A large portion of the defence rested however on the five companies of the Reserve Korps Oud Militairen, reserve troops with an average age of 50, along with various other militia formations.*
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To defeat this the Japanese sent the 2500 men of the Sasebo Combined Landing Force and the paratroopers of the 1st Yokosuka Special Landing Force.*
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The seaborne landings at Menado and Kema were practically unopposed, as the Dutch regarded the opposition too heavy and fell back inland pursued by the Japanese. At the military airfield Langoan, also known as Menado II, the Japanese attempted an assault by paratroopers, which was successful albeit very costly.*
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After the defence collapsed some Dutch forces took up a guerrilla struggle, but this turned out to be short-lived. In the end, several of the Dutch servicemen were murdered by the Japanese after being taken prisoner.*
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Notes: This is a huge scenario. It is also very difficult to play from the Dutch side. You will be outnumbered, outgunned and the enemy will have superior training. Historically the Dutch defence fell apart quickly. You'll have to be a real fighter to win.*
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Sources:* 
Geographia Atlas of the Second World War (Time Books)*
the Internet*
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Design by:  Ulf Lundstrom.**

