Why Didn't the Indonesians REVOLT Against the Dutch When the Netherlands Was Taken by Germany?
January 31, 2026
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11:11Now PlayingWhy Didn't the Indonesians REVOLT Against the Dutch When the Netherlands Was Taken by Germany?
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as posted by the channelWhen Germany conquered the Netherlands in May 1940, one would expect Dutch colonial rule in the Dutch East Indies to immediately falter. After all, the indigenous population was largely dissatisfied with colonial administration. Yet no uprising broke out. There were several clear reasons for this.
Firstly, the colonial apparatus remained completely intact after the fall of the Netherlands. The governor-general, the administrative officials, and the KNIL continued to function as if nothing had changed. For the Indonesian population, there was therefore no immediate power vacuum or moment of weakness to exploit. In addition, nationalist leaders such as Sukarno and Hatta had been severely oppressed for years. Many were imprisoned, exiled, or under strict surveillance. The nationalist movement was divided, organizationally weak, and lacked the resources to launch a coordinated uprising. Cautious realism also played a role. Without foreign support, for example from Japan, a revolt was almost certainly doomed to fail. The Indonesian population was familiar with the harsh repression of previous uprisings and knew that the KNIL was militarily strong.
Finally, in 1940, the population was still insufficiently mobilized for mass resistance. Nationalism was mainly alive among an urban elite, not among millions of farmers. As a result, a large uprising did not materialize.
The Netherland's Longest Colonial Struggle ►
Why Indonesians Collaborated with Japan ►
Why the Dutch FAILED Against Japan ►
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SOURCE
– Revolusi - Indonesia And The Birth Of The Modern World (David Van Reybrouck).
IMAGES
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VIDEO
Video material from:
UfA Tonwoche - Német Filmhíradó - German Newsreel
Koninginnedag 1941 Batavia - militaire parade KNIL, ML-KNIL en Koninklijke Marine
KNIL Medische Geneeskundige Dienst oefening
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"Asian Drums" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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