The Indonesian National Revolution, also known as the Indonesian War of Independence, was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution during postwar and postcolonial Indonesia. It took place between Indonesia's declaration of independence in 1945 and the Netherlands' transfer of sovereignty over the Dutch East Indies to the Republic of the United States of Indonesia at the end of 1949.
Despite Dutch neutrality, Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940 as part of Fall Gelb. On 15 May 1940, one day after the bombing of Rotterdam, the Dutch forces surrendered. The Dutch government and the royal family relocated to London. Princess Juliana and her children sought refuge in Ottawa, Canada until after the war.
Hubertus Johannes "Huib" van Mook was a Dutch administrator in the East Indies. During the Indonesian National Revolution, he served as the Acting Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1942 to 1948. Van Mook also had a son named Cornelius van Mook who studied marine engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also wrote about Java - and his work on Kota Gede is a good example of a colonial bureaucrat capable of examining and writing about local folklore.
The Military William Order, or often named Military Order of William, is the oldest and highest honour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is named after St. William of Gellone (755–814), the first Prince of Orange. Its motto is Voor Moed, Beleid en Trouw. The chivalric order was established on 30 April 1815 by King William I and was presented for feats of excellent bravery on the battlefield and as a meritorious decoration to senior military officers. Comparable with the French Légion d’Honneur but far less often awarded, it is open to everyone regardless of rank or nobility—not only to Dutch military, but also to foreigners. To date, membership in the Order is extremely rarely awarded, and only for exceptional bravery in battle.
De Grootste Nederlander was a public poll held in 2004 by the broadcasting company KRO of the Publieke Omroep. The series has the BBC's 100 Greatest Britons TV format. During the series, it included individual programmes on the top ten, with viewers having further opportunities to vote after each programme.
Hein ter Poorten was a Dutch military officer. He was the commander of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army in World War II. Ter Poorten was also Allied land forces commander in the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command on Java during early 1942.
The Princess Irene Fusiliers Guards Regiment is a regiment of the Royal Netherlands Army, named after Princess Irene, the Granddaughter of Queen Wilhelmina, daughter of Queen Juliana, sister of Princess Beatrix and aunt of King Willem-Alexander. It is one of two regiments, along with the Garderegiment Grenadiers en Jagers, to be classed as 'Guards'.
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army was the military force maintained by the Kingdom of the Netherlands in its colony of the Dutch East Indies, in areas that are now part of Indonesia. The KNIL's air arm was the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force. Elements of the Royal Netherlands Navy and Government Navy were also stationed in the Netherlands East Indies.
The Dutch resistance to the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II can be mainly characterized as non-violent. The primary organizers were the Communist Party, churches, and independent groups. Over 300,000 people were hidden from German authorities in the autumn of 1944 by 60,000 to 200,000 illegal landlords and caretakers. These activities were tolerated knowingly by some one million people, including a few individuals among German occupiers and military.
Korps Speciale Troepen was a Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) special forces unit that was established for deployment against the Indonesian revolutionaries during the Indonesian National Revolution. It was formed in 1948 with the Depot Speciale Troepen at its core and disbanded alongside the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army in 1950, by which time it had been renamed to the Regiment Speciale Troepen. The DST consisted of about 570 men at its establishment in 1945 and had a precursor in the Korps Insulinde that conducted clandestine operations during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies. In June 1949, 250 men of the 1st Parachute Company were integrated into the Corps. The KST, which would reach a maximum strength of 1250 men, was composed of Dutch war volunteers (OVWs), Eurasians and native soldiers, including Moluccans. The present day Korps Commandotroepen of the Royal Netherlands Army is considered a continuation of the RST.
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies, was a Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which declared independence on 17 August 1945. Following the Indonesian War of Independence, Indonesia and the Netherlands made peace in 1949. In the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, the Dutch ceded the governorate of Dutch Malacca to Britain, leading to its eventual incorporation into Malacca (state) of modern Malaysia.
Johannes Theodorus Furstner was a Dutch naval officer and politician. Reaching the rank of lieutenant admiral, he served as Minister of the Navy during World War II in the Second Gerbrandy cabinet.
Albert Eduard Stoové was a sergeant in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force at the start of World War II. For several actions with the 2-VLG-V squadron under command of Captain Jacob Pieter van Helsdingen he received the Vliegerkruis on 24 February 1942.
The South Sulawesi Campaign was a campaign during the Indonesian National Revolution. It was a counter-insurgency offensive of the special forces of the KNIL against Indonesian infiltrations from Java and pro-Indonesian local militias. It was masterminded by the controversial Raymond Westerling, a captain in the KNIL. Westerling's operation, which started in December 1946 and ended in February 1947, succeeded in eliminating the insurgency and undermining local support for the Republicans by instituting summary executions of suspected enemy fighters.
HNLMS Willem van der Zaan (ML-2/N82/F824/A880) was a minelayer of the Royal Netherlands Navy that was commissioned only days before the start of World War II in September 1939. She served in England, in the Netherlands East Indies, and as a convoy escort in the Indian Ocean before returning to The Netherlands in 1945. She then served again in the Netherlands East Indies and Dutch West Indies until 1950 when she was rebuilt and reclassified as a frigate. From 1961 she was used as an accommodation and repair ship until struck in 1970 and sold for scrap. She was named in honour of the 17th century Schout-bij-nacht Willem van der Zaan.
Tette "Ted" Meines was a lieutenant general in the Royal Netherlands Army and an activist for veterans' rights. During World War II, he was a member of the Dutch resistance and helped Jewish families, for which he was awarded the title Righteous Among the Nations by Israel. After the war had ended, Meines saw active service in the Politionele acties. During and after his military career, he became involved in veteran affairs and was instrumental in the setting up of several veterans organizations. He is considered the founder of the Dutch veteran affairs policy.
Melisande Tatiana Marie (Anda) Kerkhoven was a woman who joined the resistance during World War II. She was an important courier of the ‘De Groot’-group of Gerrit Boekhoven in Groningen. On 19 March 1945 she was shot by Dutch accomplices of the Sicherheitsdienst.
The Mariniersbrigade was a marine unit set up by the Dutch government-in-exile during World War II, which existed between 1943 and 1949. It was formed as part of the Dutch contribution to the Allied war effort against Japan and more particularly for the liberation of the Dutch East Indies. The driving force behind its creation was marine colonel M. R. de Bruyne. The Mariniersbrigade became an independently operating unit with a strength of approximately 5,000 men. Capable of amphibious landings, the unit had a core of three infantry battalions, and was further equipped with landing craft, artillery and tanks.
The Friesland Battalion, officially the 1e Bataljon 9e Regiment Infanterie was a battalion made up of oorlogsvrijwilligers from Friesland that participated in the Dutch 'police actions' of the Indonesian National Revolution.
Willem Jan Kruys (1906–1985) was a vice admiral in the Royal Netherlands Navy and later director-general of the Dutch National Aviation Authority.
