The Battle of the Java Sea was a critical naval engagement between Allied forces and the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, particularly as Japan sought to expand its control over the resource-rich territories in Southeast Asia. The battle began when an Allied strike force was formed in an attempt to prevent Japanese forces from taking over Java, which was vital for its strategic location and resources. The Allies' naval strategy relied heavily on a mix of older cruisers and destroyers, while the Japanese forces were equipped with more modern ships, highlighting the imbalance that would play a significant role in the outcome of the battle.

In the lead-up to the engagement, tensions had been escalating in the Pacific following Japan's rapid military advances in Hong Kong, Malaya, and Burma. The Allies recognized the need to form a unified fleet in response to these threats, culminating in the formation of a task force comprising US, Dutch, and Australian naval vessels, preparing to intercept the advancing Japanese fleet. When the confrontation finally materialized in the Java Sea, the battle revealed critical weaknesses in Allied tactics and coordination, as the Japanese fleet executed effective maneuvers that exploited the Allies' vulnerabilities.

The results were catastrophic for the Allies: they lost several ships, including the heavy cruiser USS Houston and the Australian cruiser HMAS Perth, while Japanese forces sustained relatively minimal losses. This defeat was compounded by the inability of Allied air support to prevent the Japanese from deploying their full naval capabilities. In the wake of the Battle of the Java Sea, Japan solidified its control over the Dutch East Indies, exerting a greater influence in the region and further complicating the already precarious situation for Allied forces in the Pacific.