Karel Doorman was a capable Dutch admiral whose service had never given him experience commanding a fleet on ABDA's scale. His available staff was too small for the multinational coordination suddenly placed on it. The cruiser from which he operated also lacked the accommodation and offices that a larger flagship would have provided. A Dutch battlecruiser with a purpose-built flag staff might have made the appointment more workable. Political necessity placed a respected officer in a command structure that had not equipped him for the job.
Chapter · 28:27-30:09
Karel Doorman and the impossible ABDA command burden
Doorman was an able Dutch admiral handed a fleet-scale assignment without the staff or flagship capacity that such a command required.