Battle of Ambon
E90880
The Battle of Ambon was a World War II clash in early 1942 in which Japanese forces overwhelmed Dutch and Australian defenders on the Indonesian island of Ambon, resulting in a decisive Japanese victory and subsequent atrocities against prisoners of war.
Aliases (1)
- Ambonese soldiers ×1
Statements (47)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
World War II battle
→
battle → |
| aftermath |
Japanese occupation of Ambon Island
→
mass execution of prisoners of war at Laha → |
| attacker |
Imperial Japanese Army
→
Imperial Japanese Navy → |
| belligerent |
Australia
→
Empire of Japan → Netherlands → |
| category |
Battles of World War II involving Australia
→
Battles of World War II involving Japan → Battles of World War II involving the Netherlands → Military history of Indonesia during World War II → |
| combatantStrength |
larger and better-equipped Japanese invasion force
→
outnumbered Dutch and Australian defenders → |
| conflict |
World War II
→
|
| countryInvolved |
Australia
→
Japan → Netherlands → |
| date |
early 1942
→
|
| defender |
Australian Army
→
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army → |
| endDate |
1942-02-03
→
|
| followedBy |
further Japanese advances in the Dutch East Indies
→
|
| garrison |
Gull Force
→
Netherlands East Indies troops → |
| hasPart |
Siege of Laha Airfield
→
|
| location |
Ambon Island
→
Dutch East Indies → present-day Indonesia → |
| notableEvent |
Laha massacre
→
|
| notableFor |
overwhelming Japanese superiority in air and naval power
→
severe casualties among Allied defenders → war crimes against prisoners of war → |
| objective |
capture of Ambon Island
→
seizure of airfields on Ambon → |
| partOf |
Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies
→
Pacific War → |
| perpetratorOfAtrocities |
Imperial Japanese forces
→
|
| precededBy |
Japanese landings in the Moluccas
→
|
| result |
Japanese victory
→
|
| startDate |
1942-01-30
→
|
| strategicSignificance |
provided air base for Japanese operations in eastern Indonesia
→
secured Japanese control over approaches to the Banda Sea → |
| theatre |
South West Pacific theatre
→
|
| victimGroup |
Australian prisoners of war
→
Dutch prisoners of war → |
Referenced by (2)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
Dutch East Indies campaign
→
|
involvedBattle |
|
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
("Ambonese soldiers")
→
|
recruitedFrom |