Hatta calls for the formation of political parties

The Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence adopted a constitution and established the framework for a republic. These acts converted the independence proclamation into state-building,...

The KNIP was created to assist the president and represent the new republic. It gave institutional form to Indonesian political agency while the Dutch and Allies disputed who could govern the...

Indonesian youths tore the blue strip from a Dutch tricolor flying at the hotel, leaving the red-and-white Indonesian flag. The confrontation became a public assertion of sovereignty in a city where...

The new republic formed the Tentara Keamanan Rakyat (TKR), building a national defense force amid the arrival of Allied troops and Dutch efforts to restore authority. The force’s creation expressed...

Fighting escalated after British forces demanded Indonesian arms and attempted to reassert control. Indonesian fighters defended the proclaimed republic; the battle exposed the colonial assumptions...

British forces launched a major attack on Surabaya. Indonesian resistance and civilian flight caused immense destruction. The battle became a defining symbol of the revolution and of popular...

The first Sjahrir cabinet took office, shifting the republic toward a parliamentary cabinet and a diplomatic strategy while Indonesian resistance continued. The move reflected debate among Indonesians...

The Indonesian government moved its seat from Jakarta to Yogyakarta as Dutch and Allied military presence made the capital unsafe. The relocation helped sustain republican administration outside...

The agreement recognized Republican authority over Java, Madura, and Sumatra and envisaged a federal United States of Indonesia linked to the Netherlands. Recognition was partial and conditional,...

The Netherlands and Republic of Indonesia signed the Linggadjati text after months of dispute. Its recognition of Republican control over Java, Madura, and Sumatra fell short of full independence...