Padangsidempuan, Sumatra: The major portion of the Dutch East
Indies Army was surrendered on Java on March 8th. Still holding
out on the northern half of Sumatra was a sizable force of Dutch
units, most of which had not yet come to grips with the Japanese
who had already conquered the southern half of the large island.
Which set of orders to follow? The commander of the Dutch East
Indies Army, General terPoorten had issued two sets of orders
to his island garrisons. First, to ignore any order to surrender,
emanating from Java as that order would probably be given under
duress and second, on March 8th, to surrender. The issue of
continuing to fight outside of the articles of war caused some
doubt in the minds of the Dutch troops, but they knew, also,
of the many atrocities perpetrated on surrendering Dutch forces
by the Japanese. They opted to continue the struggle. On March
7th, after holding off the Japanese southern advance forces at
Muaratebo, Dutch Major Hazenburg's force retreated north to link
up with the forces holding out along the north shore of Lake
Toba. The route chosen would have them pass through the city
of Padangsidempuan with the Japanese forces in pusuit. On March
14th, the Dutch forces defending the south shore of the lake,
in the area Balige-Siborongborong, were defeated by the Kokushi
Detachment, of the Japanese Imperial Guards Division, which was
advancing west and south from Medan. This force arrived at
Padangsidempuan from the north, on the 14th, just ahead of Major
Hazenburg's tired force. Was there any more fight left in the
worn out Allied troops and if so, could they break through this
Japanese roadblock?
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