A real war in Indonesia
When the Japanese army surrendered on august 15, 1945 the political situation in Indonesia was unclear. In the past the Dutch people and government had obtained considerable profits from commercial activities in Indonesia. Therefore the Dutch government did not want to give up their profitable colony without any effort. The problem was that the Netherlands were just liberated and had no army to restore law and order in Indonesia. The Dutch soldiers in Indonesia were locked up in camps and when they were liberated, there were too few to take control of the situation again.
The Indonesian leaders, Sukarno and Hatta, saw their opportunity and on august 17 they declared the independence of the Republic Indonesia. The euphoria of the revolution spread across the country, while local Japanese commanders and their troops often abandoned urban areas to avoid confrontation. Many secretly turned over their weapons to Indonesian youths. Mass pro-Republic rallies were held in Jakarta and Surabaya. Sukarno successfully convinced crowds to disperse without challenging the Japanese, thus further boosting his reputation as the only leader able to prevent massive violence.
Foreign forces try to bring order
In September 1945 Australian forces took over the control of the Japanese army on the islands in the East bringing with them Dutch troops and administrators who had been living in Australia since the Japanese occupation of Indonesia. One of them was the acting Dutch Governor General, Van Mook. The Australian troops occupied the major cities of eastern Indonesia putting down demonstrations and arresting some pro-Republican officials. A bit later British troops reached Jakarta and Surabaya and brought these big cities under their control with heavy fights with the independence movement.
It was quite clear to the Dutch Governor, Van Mook, after his arrival in Indonesia that the Independence movement could not be stopped. Therefore he recommended the Dutch government to make a deal with the leaders of the independence movement. Such an agreement was made in November 1946 and formulated in the agreement of Linggadjatti. A cease-fire was declared and the Netherlands agreed to recognize Republican rule over Java, Sumatra and Madura. The Republic would become one of three constituent states of the federal United States of Indonesia, along with the State of Borneo and the Great Eastern State. Besides, a Netherlands-Indonesian Union would be created containing The Netherlands Indies, together with the Netherlands, Suriname, and the Netherlands Antilles. The Dutch monarch would be the official head of this Union. Both the United States of Indonesia and the Union would be established by January 1949 at the latest. Once the agreement was signed, both parties would reduce their armed forces.
In September 1945 Australian forces took over the control of the Japanese army on the islands in the East bringing with them Dutch troops and administrators who had been living in Australia since the Japanese occupation of Indonesia. One of them was the acting Dutch Governor General, Van Mook. The Australian troops occupied the major cities of eastern Indonesia putting down demonstrations and arresting some pro-Republican officials. A bit later British troops reached Jakarta and Surabaya and brought these big cities under their control with heavy fights with the independence movement.
It was quite clear to the Dutch Governor, Van Mook, after his arrival in Indonesia that the Independence movement could not be stopped. Therefore he recommended the Dutch government to make a deal with the leaders of the independence movement. Such an agreement was made in November 1946 and formulated in the agreement of Linggadjatti. A cease-fire was declared and the Netherlands agreed to recognize Republican rule over Java, Sumatra and Madura. The Republic would become one of three constituent states of the federal United States of Indonesia, along with the State of Borneo and the Great Eastern State. Besides, a Netherlands-Indonesian Union would be created containing The Netherlands Indies, together with the Netherlands, Suriname, and the Netherlands Antilles. The Dutch monarch would be the official head of this Union. Both the United States of Indonesia and the Union would be established by January 1949 at the latest. Once the agreement was signed, both parties would reduce their armed forces.
Up to the next war
While the leaders of the Republic accepted this agreement as it was made, the Dutch parliament accepted the agreement only with fundamental changes which were unacceptable for the Indonesians. So a deadlock was reached.
In the mean time the Dutch government tried to build up an army to restore its power in Indonesia. At first, volunteers were recruited. When that did not lead to a sufficiently large army, they obliged conscripts to go to fight in Indonesia. In principle the constitution of the Netherlands did not allow this. So first the constitution had to be changed. The proposal for this change was formulated in 1946 but only in 1947 accepted in the parliament.Nevertheless already on September 2 of 1946 the first troops of conscripts were sent to Indonesia for what was called a “police action”. This term was used because the independence fighters were seen as rebels against the Dutch government. In total around 95.000 conscripts have been sent to Indonesia between 1946 and 1949. These soldiers were partly needed for management activities on the different islands but most of the soldiers were needed in Java and Sumatra to secure the Dutch companies and colonial power against attacks of the Indonesian freedom fighters.
This military action has been very bloody, at both sides. Many people died and serious atrocities have been committed at both sides as became clear more recently.
How can this happen?
How can it happen that a country that was just liberated after 5 years of occupation by a foreign power, decides to go to war in a country at the other side of the world with a very different culture and a strong independence movement while the own population was against this action, especially the soldiers that had to risk their life there.
Being too young at that time to realize what was happening we were later even more interested to understand the arguments the government for this decision. This is one of the decisions we have extensively studied and about which we will report later.
While the leaders of the Republic accepted this agreement as it was made, the Dutch parliament accepted the agreement only with fundamental changes which were unacceptable for the Indonesians. So a deadlock was reached.
In the mean time the Dutch government tried to build up an army to restore its power in Indonesia. At first, volunteers were recruited. When that did not lead to a sufficiently large army, they obliged conscripts to go to fight in Indonesia. In principle the constitution of the Netherlands did not allow this. So first the constitution had to be changed. The proposal for this change was formulated in 1946 but only in 1947 accepted in the parliament.Nevertheless already on September 2 of 1946 the first troops of conscripts were sent to Indonesia for what was called a “police action”. This term was used because the independence fighters were seen as rebels against the Dutch government. In total around 95.000 conscripts have been sent to Indonesia between 1946 and 1949. These soldiers were partly needed for management activities on the different islands but most of the soldiers were needed in Java and Sumatra to secure the Dutch companies and colonial power against attacks of the Indonesian freedom fighters.
This military action has been very bloody, at both sides. Many people died and serious atrocities have been committed at both sides as became clear more recently.
How can this happen?
How can it happen that a country that was just liberated after 5 years of occupation by a foreign power, decides to go to war in a country at the other side of the world with a very different culture and a strong independence movement while the own population was against this action, especially the soldiers that had to risk their life there.
Being too young at that time to realize what was happening we were later even more interested to understand the arguments the government for this decision. This is one of the decisions we have extensively studied and about which we will report later.