Photo: Hugo Wilmar/Spaarnestad
After Japan's defeat in the Pacific War, the Dutch who wanted to return to power in Indonesia encountered a big obstacle: the government had already been established in its former colony. Indonesian leaders cleverly took advantage of the momentum of the power vacuum after the surrender of Japan to proclaim Indonesia's independence.
The Dutch, who were shocked and did not recognize the government, tried to reclaim power in Indonesia with military force. The Dutch then launched a series of military aggressions to seize strategic military and economic assets controlled by the Republican.
The photo by Hugo Wilmar above shows the atmosphere in the Purwokerto city square where the Dutch soldiers rested. There were several Dutch soldiers while on frame, some were struggling with artillery, rifles, and even cooking. You can see the great mosque of Purwokerto in the background of the photo.
This forced effort through military force failed and the Dutch military was forced to leave after more than four years in Indonesia. Times changed after the war, colonialism no longer had a place in the modern world. The wave of nationalism in Asia and Africa forced European colonialists to give up their colonies. A new era has been born.