Page 535 - Le Operazioni Interforze e Multinazionali nella Storia Militare - ACTA Tomo I

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tions mandated its member states “[to] furnish such assistance to the Republic of Korea
as may be necessary to repel the armed attack and to restore international peace and
security in the area”.
On 26 June, U.S. president H.S. Truman ordered his air force and navy to assist the
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South Korean army. However, it soon became apparent that the South Koreans needed
help from the army, too. The Security Council then placed all military units that had
been supplied to the UN under the unified command of the United States. Washington,
that provided the majority of the military for the UN-forces, hereafter appointed the
American General D. MacArthur as Commander in Chief.

Dutch deployment decision
The reaction of NATO’s European member states to the North Korean aggression
was one of shock. Many thought it heralded a worldwide Communist attack on the West.
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On 27 June, the Americans sounded out various Western European Allies, including the
Netherlands, to find out whether they would be willing to contribute to the UN naval
and air forces for Korea. On the basis of the consideration that the Netherlands could not
refuse the request from its guardian, Washington, in a period when a Soviet invasion of
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Western Europe seemed likely, the government decided on 29 June to offer a warship
that could reach the conflict area quickly. The decision was also influenced by the tradi-
tional role of the Netherlands as an advocate of the international rule of law and provider
of naval vessels to multinational maritime task forces, as well as the relatively low risk
involved. The latter in contrast to a later deployment of an infantry battalion.
On 3 July, the destroyer Hr.Ms. Evertsen, in Indonesia at the time, was ordered to
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head for Korea. The Dutch government understood that providing this relatively quick
and simple symbolic assistance, would be appreciated much in Washington. The State
Department indeed told the Dutch naval attaché that the offer made an “excellent im-
pression”. The press in the United States was equally enthusiastic. The New York Times
expressed her admiration for the Dutch in an editorial. Under the headline ‘Support from
Holland’ the editorial board stated: “None has been quicker or more wholehearted in the
backing [of the UN enforcement mission] than the Netherlands”. After the first patrols of
the Evertsen the Daily News opened with the headline ‘Dutch Navy Guns Pound Korea
Reds’.
The Royal Netherlands Navy saw the Korea mission as an opportunity to polish its
reputation even further. After all, it still had to permanently secure its budget, both at
home and within NATO. Participation in the UN force would give the Royal Nether-
lands Navy, according to the deputy Chief of the Naval Staff commander G. Koudijs,
a greater say in the Dutch Defence policy. Former Admiral Helfrich declared that with
this mission, the Netherlands could show that it had influence in the world, not only by
making statements but also by military efforts, efforts made possible by possessing an
ocean going navy.

Action in the Korean waters: combined and joint operations
Dutch ships were deployed to Korea as part of the United Nations Naval Forces.