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
“Excellent translating and editing”—Sandra Phelps
“An unusual collection of 24 personal stories...accounts that engage the reader emotionally. There is much to be learned from this important book. These are wonderfully instructive pages”—Cenografix.
Read more reviews
|
|
Table of Contents & Excerpts
Related Books
History/World
History/Military/World War II
Interdisciplinary Studies/Asian & Asian American Studies
East Asia
|
