Editing Battle of the Java Sea (section)

=== Prelude ===
[[File:Battle of Java Sea - HMS Exeter under Attack.jpg|thumb|The Royal Navy cruiser HMS Exeter (68) and a Dutch destroyer, visible at far right, under attack by Japanese aircraft in the Java Sea. The photo was taken from the Australian cruiser HMAS Hobart (D63), most probably as the ships were in or near the Gaspar Strait, Indonesia, 14-15 February 1942.]]
Japanese amphibious forces gathered to strike at Java, and on 27 February 1942 the main Allied naval force, under Rear Admiral [[Karel Doorman]], sailed northeast from [[Surabaya]] to intercept a convoy of the Japanese eastern invasion force approaching from the Makassar Strait. The Allied eastern strike force consisted of two [[Heavy cruiser|heavy cruisers]] ([[HMS Exeter (68)|HMS ''Exeter'']] and [[USS Houston (CA-30)|USS ''Houston'']]), three [[Light cruiser|light cruisers]] (Doorman's flagship [[HNLMS De Ruyter (1935)|HNLMS ''De Ruyter'']], [[HNLMS Java (1921)|HNLMS ''Java'']], [[HMAS Perth (D29)|HMAS ''Perth'']]), and nine destroyers ([[HMS Electra (H27)|HMS ''Electra'']], [[HMS Encounter (H10)|HMS ''Encounter'']], [[HMS Jupiter (F85)|HMS ''Jupiter'']], [[HNLMS Kortenaer (1927)|HNLMS ''Kortenaer'']], [[HNLMS Witte de With (1928)|HNLMS ''Witte de With'']], [[USS Alden|USS ''Alden'']], [[USS John D. Edwards|USS ''John D. Edwards'']], [[USS John D. Ford|USS ''John D. Ford'']], and [[USS Paul Jones (DD-230)|USS ''Paul Jones'']]). On paper, this seemed a formidable force, but its combat effectiveness was questionable. Belonging to several different navies, the ships had practically no experience in each other's naval doctrine and fighting styles, and most crucially there was a language barrier between the Dutch speaking Karel Doorman and the English-speaking US, UK, and Australian ships, hindering communications.

Upon departure, the Allied force was immediately spotted by a Japanese floatplane launched from the convoy's main protection force, commanded by Rear Admiral [[Takeo Takagi]]. The main Japanese group consisted of the heavy cruisers ''[[Japanese cruiser Haguro|Haguro]]'' and ''[[Japanese cruiser Nachi|Nachi]]'' (the latter, Takagi's flagship, having launched the floatplane), and the destroyers ''[[Japanese destroyer Kawakaze (1936)|Kawakaze]]'', [[Japanese destroyer Yamakaze (1936)|''Yamakaze'']], ''[[Japanese destroyer Ushio (1930)|Ushio]]'', and [[Japanese destroyer Sazanami (1931)|''Sazanami'']]. This was supported by second group led by Rear Admiral [[Shōji Nishimura|Shoji Nishimura]], consisting of the light cruisers ''[[Japanese cruiser Naka|Naka]]'' and [[Japanese cruiser Jintsū|''Jintsū'']] and the destroyers [[Japanese destroyer Yūdachi (1936)|''Yūdachi'']], [[Japanese destroyer Samidare (1935)|''Samidare'']], [[Japanese destroyer Murasame (1935)|''Murasame'']], [[Japanese destroyer Harusame (1935)|''Harusame'']], [[Japanese destroyer Minegumo (1937)|''Minegumo'']], and [[Japanese destroyer Asagumo (1937)|''Asagumo'']]. Upon learning of the opposing force's movements from ''Nachi'', both groups sailed aside each other at 30 knots to intercept the opposing force. The Japanese heavy cruisers, with ten 8-inch (203 mm) guns each and superb [[Type 93 torpedo|torpedoes]]. By comparison, ''Exeter'' was armed only with six 8-inch guns, and only six of ''Houston''<nowiki/>'s nine 8-inch guns remained operable after her aft turret had been knocked out in an earlier air attack. While underway, Nishimura's group was joined by the nearby destroyers ''[[Japanese destroyer Yukikaze (1939)|Yukikaze]]'', ''[[Japanese destroyer Amatsukaze (1939)|Amatsukaze]]'', ''[[Japanese destroyer Hatsukaze|Hatsukaze]]'', and ''[[Japanese destroyer Tokitsukaze (1939)|Tokitsukaze]]'', before being attacked by land based Dutch aircraft and [[Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress|B-17]] bombers, but avoided damage due to the planes' poor marksmanship. Captain [[Tameichi Hara]] aboard ''Amatsukaze'' noted that the planes attacked the Japanese warships, confirming their goal was to mow through the protection force before attacking the convoy and believing it to have been a mistake by the planes to have not attacked the troopships.<ref name=":0">Hara (1961) Chapter 13</ref>

The next day, Doorman's force was tracked by ''Nachi's'' floatplane while the Japanese fleet rigorously practiced in preparation for the coming engagement. Updates from ''Nachi's'' floatplane  worried the Japanese, as Doorman's ships were in a position to pounce on the vulnerable transport ships, but Doorman ordered his fleet to turn South to refuel at Surabaya. However, upon receiving reports of the Japanese fleet, Doorman immediately turned his ships back to attack the enemy. These actions, perhaps somewhat misunderstood, came as a relief to Admiral Takagi, who Captain Hara recalled saying "The enemy ships were staying clear of our air raids on Surabaya, the enemy is in no shape to fight us." He ordered the convoy to turn around and the escort ships to form up into a fighting formation.<ref name=":0" />