It is the case for all wars that they are often reduced to that one brilliant commander or tragic battle. That involves a choice of who and what is deemed ‘iconic’ and who and what is not. Numerous iconic events and people can be identified in the Indonesian war of independence too. That is because many different belligerent parties became embroiled in the conflict, each with its own view of ‘its’ events and key figures.

In this theme, an attempt has been made based on the collections of KITLV and Leiden University Library to consider ‘the iconic’ from a variety of angles. While no side has been chosen, the available material in the archives is still a limiting factor. Even so, the aim in this theme is to offer a well-considered selection. It shows some of the historical figures and events that symbolized the groups and developments during and – in particular – after the war in Indonesia. The way in which some people and moments developed into icons in the Netherlands and Indonesia tells us a great deal.

4.1 The British Invade

This photo gives a glimpse of the start of the Indonesian war of independence. After Japan capitulated, the British were given the task of restoring order in Indonesia. To do this, soldiers from British India were deployed. This included Gurkha brigades, elite units consisting of soldiers from Nepal. It resulted in a situation in which colonial troops from one colonial power (Britain) were used to defend the colony of another colonial power (the Netherlands). Eventually, this led to a bloody clash on 10 November 1945 between British and Indian troops on the one hand and Indonesian fighters on the other. This confrontation, the Battle of Surabaya, has entered the history books as the most savage fight of the Indonesian war of independence.

4.2 A Colonial Future?

At the Malino Conference in 1946, Lieutenant Governor-General Huib van Mook (wearing the tropical helmet) was welcomed by the Prince of Gowa. At this conference, Van Mook (as the highest-ranking official in the Dutch East Indies) revealed his new plans for the gradual decolonization of the colony. The idea was that the Malino Conference would result in a federal union of states that could act as a counterweight to the Republic on Java and Sumatra, which the Netherlands had recognized.