Dutch landing in Indonesia film

[wim sikkelbein]

0.41 The liberation approaches. Over 2000 soldiers from the KNIL, for the most part ex-POW’s, go ashore with unloaded rifles 0.50
1.11 The first meeting. The Japanese report themselves. 1.14
1.24 With heavy landingships food, cars and even planes are brought ashore and there is much use for Japanese labour. 1.32

[RHClarke]

2:00 minute mark.

[Lang]

While these films are news-of-the-day for home consumption in Holland the real story was a disgraceful episode in western behaviour. As these idyllic shots were being taken there was already heavy fighting going on against the Indonesians who had made it abundantly clear they did not want the Dutch to return.

I will leave it to the British and Dutch fellows to comment on their side of the story but it certainly was a low point in Australian political and military history as we provided a large part of the reoccupation force (the Dutch were in no position to make a huge effort after so many years of occupation). Australian troops fought several largish battles and Australian Air Force squadrons flattened numerous very marginally military targets.

In many areas the Japanese were left armed to control the local population until such time as allied forces could set up in the area. Of course quite a number Japanese (particularly officers and senior NCO's) joined up on the other side and fought as "advisers" to the Indonesians.

I think the reason we now know little of this post-war campaign in Australia, although it was a short but large operation for our relatively small army is it has been swept under the rug to minimize embarrassment.

Anyhow it didn't work and the Indonesians prevailed in a very short time and gained their independence.

What is the common thread in all this continuing to 2010 - oil!