c


c Germany invades the Netherlands.

c The Netherlands surrenders to Germany; Dutch government flees to London.

Netherlands Indies government declares a state of siege, and places the Indies on a wartime
footing. German citizens in the Netherlands Indies are placed in internment camps.


 Young Suharto enters the KNIL military school at Gombang.


 Japan says that it wants to renegotiate trade agreements with the Netherlands.

  Indonesian exports to Japan are stopped.

   Japan suggests that French Indochina and the Netherlands Indies should be incorporated
willingly into the "East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere".

   GAPI presents another petition for the "complete democratization of Indonesia".

   Commission for the Study of Constitutional Reforms is set up to look into the GAPI
demands (but nothing else). Thamrin and others in the Volksraad withdraw their proposals for
democratization, saying that the situation was becoming hopeless.

 Japanese troops move into French Indochina.

c Netherlands Indies government begins trade talks with a Japanese delegation
under Kobayashi. Van Mook does not cooperate with Japanese demands for aviation fuel.

 Japan and the Netherlands issue a joint declaration that the Indies will not be part of
the "Co-Prosperity Sphere".

c Quota on oil sales to Japan from the Indies is set by agreement.

 Kobayashi returns to Japan.

c
c


 Dutch arrest Thamrin, Douwes Dekker and other nationalists. Thamrin dies in
custody five days later. Douwes Dekker is exiled to Surinam.

cc New, more agressive Japanese negotiating team under Yoshizawa arrives in Batavia.

  Increasing Japanese pressure on the Netherlands Indies government to "join the East
Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" is rebuffed by Van Mook.

c
Japanese send an ultimatum to the Netherlands Indies government, demanding Japanese
influence and presence in the region.


 Talks between Dutch and Japanese collapse. Netherlands Indies government replies that
no concessions to Japan will be made, and that all strategic products (including oil and rubber)
have been contracted for shipment to Britain and the United States.

 cc Volksraad organizes an Indonesian militia.

  Japan announces a "protectorate" over Indochina.

  Japanese assets in the Netherlands Indies are frozen.

  Dutch government-in-exile promises to hold conference on Indonesia after the war.

 Dutch naval forces in the Indies begin mobilizing.

 Netherlands Indies government sends a request to Australia to send forces to

Ambon and Timor. Australian Air Force planes and personnel arrive on December 7.

 Japanese invade Malaya, landing in southernmost Thailand and northern Malaya.

Japanese begin attacking the Philippines. Netherlands, among other nations, declares war on
Japan.

c British battleships Prince of Wales and Repulse are sunk within hours of each
other off Malaya.

c Anti-Dutch Acehnese make contact with Japanese forces in Malaya.

c! Australian-led force lands in East Timor. Portuguese dictator Salazar protests.

c! Japanese air raid on Ternate.

Japanese land in Sarawak.

 Main Japanese invasion force lands in the Philippines.

Hatta writes a newspaper article calling on Indonesians to oppose the Japanese.


Japanese attack British forces at Kuching, Sarawak.

the others arrested in January 1941 of secretly collaborating with the Japanese.


c



 Japanese take city of Manila.


 Japanese take Sabah.


 Japanese take Brunei.


 First Japanese air raid on Ambon.


c Japanese begin invasion of Indonesia in Kalimantan (Tarakan) and Sulawesi
(Manado).


cc Japanese take Tarakan.


c Van Mook makes an emergency trip to the United States, asking for reinforcements,
and that the Netherlands Indies not be forgotten in the Allied defenses.


c Japanese take Manado.


c British Gen. Wavell takes command of ABDACOM, the first Allied joint command
(Australian, British, Dutch, American) in the war.


c Acehnese agents return from Malaya with promises of Japanese support against the
Dutch.


 Japanese take Balikpapan in spite of a strong Dutch and U.S. attack.


 Japanese take Kendari on Sulawesi.


 Japanese attack Ambon. KNIL and Australian forces destroy supplies to prevent
them from falling into Japanese hands. Ambon city is taken within 24 hours. Fighting continues
through February 2. Australian defenders suffer 90 percent casualties; many are massacred in
February after being taken prisoner.

British troops evacuate Malaya for Singapore.

 c

  c Japanese take Pontianak.

  Japanese bomb Surabaya, beginning air raids on targets on Java.

 
Battle of Makassar Strait (naval battle between Kalimantan and Sulawesi): Japanese
air and sea power forces Allies to withdraw to Cilacap. Japanese advance into Sulawesi.

  Japanese begin bombing Palembang.

  Japanese begin main assault on Singapore.

  Japanese bomb Batavia, Surabaya and Malang.

 c Japanese take Ujung Pandang (Makassar).

 c
Japanese land paratroopers at Palembang, taking the city and its valuable oil
industry.

 c Singapore falls; 130,000 troops under British command are taken as prisoners of
war.

 c Van Mook, in Australia, pleads for Allied forces to make an offensive.

 c Battle of Badung Strait (naval battle between Bali and Lombok): small Japanese
force drives back Dutch and Australians. Japanese land on Bali. First Japanese air raid on
Darwin, Australia.

  Japanese land on Timor.

  Revolt against Dutch begins in Aceh and North Sumatra, with Japanese support.

Dutch transfer Sukarno to Padang; Sukarno slips away in chaos as Dutch evacuate.

Dutch evacuate Sjahrir and Hatta from Banda by air minutes before the Japanese begin bombing
the island.

Japanese claim fall of Timor; Australian forces continue guerilla warfare.

 !"c Battle of Java Sea: Japanese destroy much of the Dutch and Australian
naval forces near Surabaya. American destroyers escape to Australia. Dutch Admiral Doorman is
killed.

"c

"c Battle of Sunda Strait: Japanese invasion force lands at Banten.

Japanese invasion force lands west of Surabaya.

Japanese air raid on Medan.

" Japanese air strikes at Cilacap. Japanese enter Batavia.

"! Japanese take Cilacap.

"! Rangoon falls to Japanese.

" Dutch under Starkenborgh in Java surrender outside Bandung. Van Mook escapes in a
plane to Australia at the last moment.

Japanese take Surabaya.

"cc Acehnese resistance engages in battles with retreating Dutch.

"c Japanese land at Sabang. Operations in Aceh are finished around March 15.

"c Japanese arrive at Medan.

"c Japanese take Padang.

" Last Dutch force on Sumatra surrenders at Kutatjane, in the south of Aceh.

Japanese ban all political activities and existing organizations. Volksraad is abolished. A ban is
placed on merah-putih flags.

Japanese 16th Army is in charge of Java; 25th Army in Sumatra (headquarters at Bukittinggi);
Navy controls eastern Indonesia (headquarters at Ujung Pandang).

#c


#! Three Netherlands Indies Radio employees are executed for playing the Dutch national
anthem over the radio on March 18, after the capitulation.

#! Japanese take Ternate.

Japanese try to organize "AAA" movement; start propaganda campaigns.

ABDACOM is dissolved. British and Americans divide responsibilities of war: British will try to
retake Malaya and Sumatra as well as Burma. Rest of the Pacific and Indonesia becomes the
responsibility of the U.S. (working with Australia).

#c Japanese take Hollandia (now Jayapura).

c


 Japanese occupy Lombok.

c Japanese occupy Sumbawa.

c
Japanese land on Flores, completing occupation by May 17.

c Japanese occupy Sumba.


c



c! Netherlands government-in-exile in London sets up consultative board for the affairs of
the Netherlands Indies.

 c


Remaining KNIL forces send detachments to Kai, Aru and Tanimbar islands.

Japanese assemble Sukarno, Hatta, and Sjahrir in Jakarta.

Sukarno, Hatta, Sjahrir meet privately: Sukarno to rally masses for independence, Hatta to
handle diplomatic connections, Sjahrir to coordinate underground activities.

Sukarno accepts Japanese offer to be head of Indonesian government, but answerable to Japanese
military.

  Japanese occupy the Kai and Aru Islands, after some resistance on Kai.
 c Japanese take the Tanimbar Islands after some resistance by KNIL and Australian
detachments at Saumlaki.

  c


   Japanese begin transferring some forces from Sumatra and Java to the Solomon
Islands.

c


Indonesian Muslims refuse to bow towards Japanese Emperor in Tokyo.

c


Japanese military advances in the Pacific stop; Japanese commanders told to organize pro-
Japanese sentiments in occupied areas.

c Japanese 16th Army sends garrisons to Lombok, Sumba and Timor.

c


Revolt in Aceh is put down by the Japanese.

Gen. Imamura is replaced on Java by Gen. Harada. (Imamura is reassigned to Rabaul.)

c

! Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, in exile, gives a speech promising a
reformed relationship with the colonies after the war.

! Japanese open first internment camp for Dutch women at Ambarawa.


c


Japanese arrest Amir Sjarifuddin, break up his resistance movement. Sjarifuddin is sentenced to
death, but Sukarno intervenes on his behalf.

Australian guerillas evacuate East Timor.

 c


  Japanese send extra troops to Tanimbar and Kai Islands, and Irian Jaya.

 c Last Australian guerillas are evacuated from East Timor, after a year of resistance
in the bush.

"c

" Japanese organize Putera (Pusat Tenaga Rakyat, a political auxiliary organization).
Sukarno is named chairman. Hatta and Ki Hadjar Dewantoro are members.

Japanese begin to organize local military auxiliaries ("Heiho"), attached to regular Japanese
units.

 c


Japanese arrest 1000 in South Kalimantan.

 ! Japanese Prime Minister Tojo promises Indonesians limited self-government in a speech
at Gambir, Jakarta.
  c


  c US bombers from Australia hit Balikpapan.

Japanese begin to take over sugar estates in favor of Japanese sugar producers; European
managers are sent to internment camps.

c


Revolts against Japanese put down in South and West Kalimantan.

c


 Japanese organize "Giyugun" (local defense forces) for Sumatra and Java. The force
for Java is called PETA (Pembela Tanah Air).

 The MIAI umbrella organization is remade into Masyumi (Majlis Syurah Muslimin
Indonesia) under Japanese oversight.

Japanese begin to impose compulsory labor on villagers (romusha), many thousands die or
disappear.

Japanese impose rice requisitioning.

Dutch marine brigades in exile begin training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, USA, with the
ultimate goal of retaking the Netherlands Indies.

c


 Hatta gives a speech urging Indonesians to join the Giyugun (PETA).

c Sukarno, Hatta, and Kyai Bagus Hadikusumo are flown to Tokyo to be decorated
by the Emperor of Japan.

c

Barisan Hizbullah is organized by the Japanese; an armed force of Muslim youths associated
with Masyumi.

c




 Putera is replaced by the Jawa Hokokai/Java Service Association. Sukarno is chairman.

#c Allies bomb Sabang in Aceh.

# Allies retake Hollandia (now Jayapura).

 Japanese commanders decide to abandon West Irian.

c! Allied air raid on Surabaya.

! US force lands on Biak.



Japanese begin counterattack on Biak.

   Barisan Pelopor is organized as the youth wing of Jawa Hokokai (after independence, it
would become known as Barisan Benteng).

  cc Allied air raid on Palembang.

   $ Ambon is mostly destroyed by Allied air raids.

 Japanese General Koiso promises that Indonesia (meaning all the territories of the
Netherlands Indies) will be independent in the "very near future".

 US forces finally clear the last Japanese forces from Biak.

c Allies land on Morotai.

Japanese authorities begin organizing regional councils (with advisory powers only).

 Australian forces begin bombing Balikpapan.

Japanese organize a Central Advisory Council, similar to the Volksraad, with no legislative
powers.
 Harada is replaced as military governor by Yamamoto.

Pakubuwono XII becomes Susuhunan of Surakarta.

 c

 c
Peta soldiers at Blitar attack the Japanese armory there.

"c

"c Badan Penyelidik Usaha Persiapan Kemerdekaan Indonesia (BPUPKI), a committee
to prepare for Indonesian Independence, is announced by the Japanese. Members include
Sukarno, Hatta, Wahid Hasyim, many others. Chairman is Dr. Radjiman Wediodiningrat.

#c


Japanese Vice-Admiral Maeda, head of Naval Intelligence in Indonesia, sponsors speaking tour
by Sukarno and Hatta to Ujung Pandang.

# Australian and Dutch forces land at Tarakan.

c


 BPUPKI holds first session (until June 1). Supomo speaks to the committee against
personal individualism, and in favor of national integration. Muhammad Yamin proposes that the
new nation should include Sarawak, Sabah, Malaya, and Portuguese Timor, as well as all the
territories of the Netherlands Indies. Yamin also suggests that the new Indonesia should ignore
international law and declare all ocean areas between islands as territorial waters.

 Acehnese guerillas overrun Japanese outpost at Pandrah, killing all Japanese forces with
no losses among their own.

Controversy continues among BPUPKI attendees regarding the role of Islam in the new
Indonesia.


c


Maeda sponsors speaking tour by Sukarno and Hatta to Bali and Banjarmasin.

c Sukarno describes "Pancasila" doctrine in speech to the BPUPKI independence
committee.


c Australian forces land in Brunei.

Dutch forces land in North Sumatra.


 A special commission under Sukarno to resolve the disputes over the role of Islam in
the new Republic settles on compromise language, later known as the Piagam Jakarta or "Jakarta
Charter". The compromise language simply states that Muslims are obligated to follow Islamic
law.



Allied forces land on Halmahera.

 c


Japanese military meets in Singapore. Plans are made to hand over Indonesia to Indonesian
independence leaders.

 c Australian forces take Balikpapan.

U.S. bombers hit Watampone, other sites in Kalimantan and Sulawesi.

  Sekolah Islam Tinggi is founded in Batavia (ancestor of the IAIN network of religious
universities).

 c Second BPUPKI session is held (until July 17) for discussions to draft a constitution for
Indonesia. Hatta criticizes Yamin's nationalistic statements, and suggests that West Irian might
be left out of the new Indonesia. Sukarno supports Yamin. Haji Agus Salim suggests that people
in the British and Portuguese possessions could vote on whether to join Indonesia. A majority of
the committee votes that Indonesia should include Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah and Portuguese
Timor, as well as all the Netherlands Indies.

 cc US air raid on Sabang.

  c


  ! BPUPKI renames itself to PPKI: Panitia Persiapan Kemerdekaan Indonesia.

   Sukarno, Hatta, and Radjiman Wediodiningrat are flown by the Japanese to Vietnam to
meet with Marshal Terauchi. There they are informed of the collapse of Japanese forces, and that
Japan will grant Indonesia independence on August 24.

  c
Sukarno, Hatta, and Radjiman Wediodiningrat return to Jakarta, mistrustful of the
Japanese promise.

  c Japan surrenders to the Allies. The Japanese army and navy still control Indonesia.
Japan has agreed to return Indonesia to the Dutch.

  c Sukarno and Hatta are spirited away by youth leaders, including Chaerul Saleh, to
Rengasdengklok at 3:00 A.M. They later return to Jakarta, meet with General Yamamoto, and
spend the next night at Vice-Admiral Maeda Tadashi's residence. Sukarno and Hatta are told
privately that Japan no longer has the power to make decisions regarding the future of Indonesia.

  c! Sukarno reads the brief, succinct, and unilateral "Proklamasi"; the Declaration of
Independence.

PETA forces, radical youths, and ordinary people in Jakarta organize defense of Sukarno's
residence. Flyers are distributed proclaiming independence. Adam Malik sends out a shortwave
announcement of the Proklamasi.

  c PPKI moves to form an interim government with Sukarno as President and Hatta as
Vice-President.

  c Piagam Jakarta (Jakarta Charter) mentioning Islam among the Pancasila principles is
dropped from the preamble to the new constitution.

  c New Republic consists of 8 provinces: Sumatra, Borneo, West Java, Central Java,
East Java, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Sunda Kecil.

   Japanese announce their surrender publicly in Jakarta.

Japanese forces disarm and disband Peta and Heiho. Many members of these groups have not yet
heard of independence.

   Sukarno delivers first radio address to the nation.

   BKR (Badan Keamanan Rakyat), first Indonesian military force, begins organizing
from former Peta and Heiho members. Some former Peta batallions join as entire units, having
been told to disband only a few days before.

Dutch forces land at Sabang in Aceh.

   áhe New Republic: The constitution that had been drafted by the PPKI preparatory
committee, and announced on the 18th, is adopted (UUD 45). Sukarno is declared President,
Hatta is declared Vice-President. PPKI (originally BPUPKI, founded under the Japanese
occupation the previous March) is remade into KNIP (Central Indonesian National Committee).
KNIP is the temporary governing body until elections can be held. The new government is
installed on August 31.

The Patih (chief advisor) of Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX of Yogya dies. No successor is chosen;
the Sultan takes charge of his own affairs, and begins to institute reforms in Yogya

Tan Malaka reappears in Jakarta.

c


c Van Mook, Dutch Lieutenant-Governor of the Indies, meets British Lord
Mountbatten in Ceylon, and asks that Japanese troops still in Indonesia be ordered by the British
to suppress the Republican government. Mountbatten agrees, but the Japanese delay.

 Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX of Yogya and Pakualam VIII in Yogya declare their
palaces to be part of the Republic of Indonesia.

 First British troops parachute into Kemayoran Airport at Jakarta.

Japanese navy in Kalimantan formally surrenders to Australian forces near Balikpapan.

 Japanese navy in eastern Indonesia formally surrender to Australian forces at

Morotai. Japanese forces on Timor surrender to Australians in Kupang harbor.

cc First official broadcast of RRI (Radio Republik Indonesia).

c British Rear Admiral Patterson lands in Jakarta. He announces that the British
mission is "to maintain law and order until the time that the lawful government of the
Netherlands East Indies is once again functioning". The Dutch ask Patterson to have the leaders
of the Republic arrested, but the British high command tells Patterson not to interfere in politics.

c! Mass pro-Republic rallies in Jakarta.

 Patterson sends Captain Huyer of the Dutch Navy to inspect installations in

Surabaya.

! Republican youths take over PTT (Post, Telegraph and Telephone) headquarters
in Bandung.

 British reinforcements land in Jakarta.

Republican youths take over railways and radio stations in Jakarta, installations in Yogya, Solo,
Malang, and Bandung.

Mass independence rallies are held in Jakarta and Surabaya.

The Susuhunan of Solo declares allegiance to Republic.

King of Bone declares support for the Republic; rajas of Makassar and Bugis join him.

Balinese rajas declare their support for the Republic.

Scattered violence breaks out between youths and Dutch former internees. Dutch soldiers who
had been prisoners-of-war under the Japanese are put back into active service against the
Republic.

Australian troops take surrender from Japanese navy. Australian military gives support to NICA
(Netherlands Indies Civil Administration) to retain government control in eastern areas,
Sulawesi, and Kalimantan.

c


 Tentara Keamanan Rakyat (later ABRI, TNI) is founded: Indonesian armed forces.
Naval forces are founded as Angkatan Laut Republik Indonesia (ALRI, later TNI-AL). October
5 is later celebrated as Armed Forces Day.

 Republican forces in Surabaya take Captain Huyer into custody.

British troops in Padang, Medan, Palembang.

Fighting escalates between Republican youths and foreigners. Dutch troops attack civilians.

Malay Nationalist Party is founded in Malaya, with covert ties to the PKI in Indonesia.

Republican Angkatan Darat forces skirmish with Dutch on Java, Sumatra, Bali.

Japanese military police massacre Republican youths in Pekalongan.

"Tiga Daerah" leftist revolution in Brebes, Tegal and Pemalang, north coast of Central Java.
(Although the revolutionaries--"laskar"-- proclaim support for the Republic, they are
undisciplined, and Sukarno has them suppressed in December.)

Japanese troops push Republicans out of Bandung; hand over city to British.

c
Republican youths begin five-day battle against Japanese troops in Semarang.
c Sutan Sjahrir and Amir Sjarifuddin take over Central Indonesian National
Committee (KNIP). Sjahrir publishes pamphlet in support of democracy and social justice, and
against feudalism, fascism and the remnants of Japanese fascist thought. Government decree
authorizes the formation of political parties.

c! Van Mook sends telegram to Dutch government urging that negotiations with the
Republic be rejected.

c Japanese troops secure Semarang; hand over city to British.

 Nahdlatul Ulama proclaims that a state of jihad exists against the Dutch, making
participation obligatory for Muslims.

 Under British pressure, Van Mook meets with Sukarno for informal talks. Neither
side gives ground.

Japanese Admiral Shibata surrenders Surabaya to Dutch, but hands over his weapons to
Republicans. Many Japanese troops are disarmed by Republican youths.

 British 49th Indian Infantry arrives under General Mallaby.

! British airplanes drop leaflets on Surabaya demanding surrender by Republican

forces within 24 hours. British troops on the ground are nearly destroyed by Indonesian troops
and mobs of ordinary people.

 Sukarno and Hatta arrive in Surabaya by plane. Sukarno and General Mallaby agree
on a truce. Poor communications and general chaos prevent Sukarno from enforcing the truce.

Australian commander in South Sulawesi bans all political activity, organization of militias, etc.
among the public under his control.

 British Major General Hawthorn flies to Surabaya from Jakarta. Sukarno, Hatta,
Mallaby, and Hawthorn sign a cease-fire. Five hours later Mallaby is killed.

British bombard Surabaya as punishment, thousands are left dead or homeless. British strafe
civilian refugees on highway.

PKI is organized again.

 ahrir was more inclined to negogiate with the Dutch;  arifuddin was not only a Communist,
but a figure who had received covert support from the Dutch government-in-exile during the
war.

áhere was friction between  arifuddin as Minister of Defense, who was secretly Communist and
had accepted covert help from the Dutch to run his underground movement during World War II,
and military officers who had served in PEá
under the Japanese and had Islamic sympathies,
especially oedirman.

áhe Malay Nationalist Party would become the ancestor of several Malay socialist/communist
organizations, many of which would advocate the union of Malaya with Indonesia. Figures in the
MNP and its related organizations included Ishak bin Ha i Mohammed, Boestamam, and
Ibrahim Ya'acob.
ll of them would be involved in the "Konfrontasi" between Indonesia and the
new nation of Malaysia in the mid-1960s; Ibrahim Ya'acob himself moved to Indonesia in protest
in 1957, and had special ties to ukarno.

Van Mook was never quite happy that he had been named "Lieutenant-Governor" instead of
"Governor-General" of the Indies.

Dutch prisoners ust after release from a Japanese concentration camp, 1945.

Provisional guards for President ukarno, Jakarta, 1945.

c


c Republican government issues Manifesto Politik.

 Hatta announces that the ban on political parties is lifted (Maklumat Pemerintah
10).

 Masyumi declares itself to be a political party.

 Sukarno asks Sjahrir to form a Cabinet.

British 5th Indian Division lands at Surabaya.

c%&'(&#)"*

+ Indonesian counterattack in Surabaya. Fighting
continues for three weeks. 600 Indian troops defect from the British and join the Indonesians.
cc Sjahrir moves a proposal through KNIP to take powers away from the President
and transfer them to a Prime Minister and the Cabinet. The effect is to make Sukarno's position
less powerful for a while.

c Sudirman becomes leader of army forces on Java.

c
Sjahrir is installed as first Prime Minister of Indonesia.

Some Japanese troops battle Republican forces on Java, Sumatra, Bali.

Dutch abandon Aceh forever.

Japanese-favored leaders removed from NU and Muhammadiyah.

Kongres Ummat Islam Indonesia meets, remakes the originally Japanese-organized Masyumi as
an Indonesian and Islamic political party. Natsir is head of the new Masyumi party.

Partai Kristen Indonesia is founded.

Barisan Tani Indonesia (Indonesian Peasants Front) is organized by PKI to promote land reform
and take actions against landowners.

 British Foreign Secretary Bevin urges negotiations between the Dutch and the
Republic.

PKI begins operating again through front organizations.