Military Trials of War Criminals in the Netherlands East Indies 1946-1949

After the end of the Asia-Pacific war, there were over 2300 war crimes proceedings held in more than 50 locations. Borch’s helpful book about an important piece of the puzzle facilitates growing understanding and is a worthy contribution. * Suzannah Linton, International & Comparative Law Quarterly *The overriding importance of Borch’s book is that it fills a long-existing and significant gap in the English-language historiography of war crimes trials at the end of World War II. … This book should find a wide audience among legal scholars, especially those who have an interest in the prosecution of war crimes. But the book is framed for a broader audience and with the pains taken to avoid legal jargon and to provide contextualization with respect to time and place, it should achieve its aim. * Bruce Vandervort, Journal of Military History *The overarching value of this book, especially for Anglophone readers lies in its forty-four trial summaries, which highlight cases relevant to specific types of crimes. The book might also serve as a primer on Dutch war crimes trial procedures, recruitment of personnel, provision of ancillary staff, etc., as well as enable comparative analysis of the Allied trials arising from the Pacific War. * Georgina Fitzpatrick, Michigan War Studies Review *This excellent book addresses a void in the academic literature: an authoritative well-written documentation of post-World War II war crimes trials conducted by an Allied state. Much more than a mere recitation of cases (although there is that, too), this slim volume is a window to an earlier time and an earlier law of war. … This is a powerful book that those interested in the academic literature of World War II, the law of war, or the frailty of man, should read. * Gary Solis, American Journal of International Law *

Fred L. Borch is the Regimental Historian and Archivist for the Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He served 25 years as an Army lawyer before retiring from active duty and assuming his current position as a military legal historian. Having served as the first Chief Prosecutor for the Guantanamo Bay military commissions (from 2003-2004), he has special interest in the history of war crimes. Mr. Borch is the author of a number of books and hundreds of articles on legal and non-legal topics, including “Judge Advocates in Combat: Army Lawyers in Military Operations from Vietnam to Haiti” and “For Military Merit: Recipients of the Purple Heart.”