The Defining Years of the Dutch East Indies, 1942-1949
Survivors’ Accounts of Japanese Invasion and Enslavement of Europeans and the Revolution That Created Free Indonesia
Edited by
Jan A.
Krancher
ISBN
978-0-7864-1707-0
chronology, glossary, appendix, index
288pp.
softcover
(5.5 x 8.5)
2003 [1996]
Available for immediate shipment
Description
Following their invasion of Java on March 1, 1942, the Japanese began a process of Japanization of the archipelago, banning every remnant of Dutch rule. Over the next three years, more than 100,000 Dutch citizens were shipped to Japanese internment camps and more than four million romushas, forced Indonesian laborers, were enlisted in the Japanese war effort.
The Japanese occupation stimulated the development of Indonesian independence movements. Headed by Sukarno, a longtime admirer of Japan, nationalist forces declared their independence on August 17, 1945. For Dutch citizens, Dutch-Indonesians or "Indos," and pro-Dutch Indonesians, Sukarno’s declaration marked the beginning of a new wave of terror. These powerful and often poignant stories from survivors of the Japanese occupation and subsequent turmoil surrounding Indonesian independence provide one with a vivid portrait of the hardships faced during the period.
About the Author
Jan A. Krancher survived the Indonesian independence movement and was repatriated to the Netherlands in 1956. He now lives in Visalia, California. Visit his website at www.krancher.org.
Reviews
"captures the nightmarish drama of the physical and political landscape of Indonesia under Japanese rule with a number of scenes possessing extraordinary cinematic potential. The first-person narrative employed is more riveting, vigorous, and credible than if the stories were told in the more conventional third-person historical text. This unusual and moving compilation richly augments the existing canon of literature"--TEMPO
"excellent translating and editing"--Sandra Phelps
"a must-read...most thorough"--Bernice Harapat-Terluin
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Table of Contents & Excerpts
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