|
* Refugee crisis
| combatant1 = {{flagdeco|NED}} [[Kingdom of the Netherlands]] <br /> [[Britain]] <br /> [[The Philippines]]
| combatant2 = [[Soendanese Liberation Front]] <br /> [[Russia]] <br /> [[Pinang]] <br /> [[Thai]]
| commander1 = Cornelis van Langen </br> Willem Middendorp
| commander2 = Soedjojo Soesanto </br> Soerjadi Nazir </br> Kasan Said Narajau </br> Junaid Siahaija </br> Pieter-Bas Teterissa </br> Bassil Patawala
==Background ==
The Dutch East Indies found itself under a period of intensified turmoil following the aftermath of the [[Great War|Great War (1935-1939)]]. The [[Netherlands]], having experienced economic and industrial exhaustion as a result, relied heavily on its East Indies colony for the extraction of raw natural resources. This dependency caused an increasing strain on the region, leading to a series of sweeping reforms and elevated colonial pressures to exploit the colony.
=== Social changes & the Djohor Uprising ===
In the aftermath of the great war, the Netherlands suffered greatly in a short time. The lowlands campaign, combined with the eventual grinding down of the French advance along the Rhine had exhausted the Netherland's industrial capacity. Its factories in the south were either destroyed or badly damaged, its production centers in the north working overtime to provide the goods needed to rebuild the south. All of this required raw natural resources, thus that more pressure was put upon the Dutch East Indies, the crown jewel in the Dutch empire to deliver the resources to rebuild the Netherlands.
==== The Herschikking reform ====
This pressure led to a series of reforms that would change how the east indies were governed. The first of the reforms started in 1941, would see a large-scale centralization of governance in the east indies. Many former client states and protectorates in the region were stripped of their remaining powers and confined to increasingly just a ceremonial role.
In 1941, in an attempt to maximize resource extraction efficiency, the Netherlands initiated a centralization reform called the ''Herschikking (''"reordering") in the Dutch East Indies. This included the large-scale mechanization of the agricultural sector, causing unprecedented social changes. Mass internal migration, rapid urbanization, and the emergence of informal housing in urban areas became the norm. Meanwhile, the political authority of several local sultanates and kingdoms, Djohor included, was significantly curtailed, fueling a sense of dissatisfaction and unrest among the local populace.
==== Djohor Uprising ====
All of these reforms had a simple goal, to make the extraction of resources from the east indies more effective and increase productivity. It would see the mass mechanization of the agricultural sector, which led to mass internal migration and urbanization as many traditional rural communities were uprooted. Swelling the urban population immensely to a point that many cities simply did not have the resources to deal with the migrants leading to the growth of shantytowns and other informal housing. This, in turn, led to a rise in crime, poverty and resentment towards the Dutch colonial authorities who did not provide adequate public services or attempt to remedy the growing social ills.
{{Main|Djohor Uprising}}
The dissatisfaction led to the Djohor Uprising in 1952, where the Sultanate of Djohor and other anti-colonial forces rebelled against colonial troops. The brutal response of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) to the rebellion led to a wave of atrocities and international condemnation, further intensifying anti-colonial sentiments among the Soendanese people. The collective memory of the uprising, alongside the execution of the Djohor Sultan and his family, incited outrage and served as a potent symbol of Dutch colonial oppression.
The radicalization of the Soendanese intelligentsia and the Muslim middle and lower classes can be traced back to these events. Their political mobilization and subsequent involvement were instrumental in the eruption of the East Indies Crisis. Simultaneously, the Dutch East Indies government's isolation and repeated failure to manage internal tensions only served to compound these issues.
==== Unrest in Djohor ====
As the 40's progressed there was little sign that the social ills of the East Indies would be changing and the political neutering of the traditional local sultanates and kingdoms led to constant internal political struggle. The Sultanate of Djohor felt many of these problems intensely with both heavy elite dissatisfaction with their now powerless position and high levels of social unrest in the rapidly urbanizing cities of the region. In the late 40s the Sultan started to gather allies among different anti-colonial political parties as well as staff the royal guard and provincial police with supporters. In particular the Sultan started to gain followers and allies in the conservative ''Santri'' Islamic anti-colonial ''Partai Rakyat Islam Johor (PRIJ).'' Using their privileged position close the Sultan, the party (along with other political actors unhappy with heavy handed Dutch reforms started to sway the sultan towards revolt. They argued that the Netherlands was weak due to internal political upheaval, the lingering economic effects of the great war and a geopolitical refocusing of key military assets towards Europe. The Sultan was eventually convinced and after a year of preparations in secret, gathering arms and consolidating their position they decided to strike.
In the wake of the Djohor Uprising, the Dutch East Indies government sought to regain control through a series of harsh reforms and security measures. However, these actions only heightened tensions, leading to sporadic rebellions and further unrest. As the socio-political situation deteriorated, it eventually culminated into the East Indies Crisis.
On the '''4th of May 1952''' in the early hours of the morning, local Dutch administrators across Djohor were killed in their beds and Dutch loyalist police forces were arrested and executed. This was the start of what would become known as the Djohor uprising, or as it's known in Soenda “The Butchering of Djohor”.
==== '''The Djohor Uprising''' ====
With the successful neutralization of KNIL & DEI government forces in the sultanate, the Sultan's forces believed that they could consolidate their position and withstand any Dutch or colonial counter offensive. It was also the belief that the Netherlands would not be able to deploy the forces needed to deal with the uprising. Outrage and fear struck colonial authorities once news reached Batavia that Djohor had rebelled and neutralized the local DEI forces. Batavia in this period was under a great deal of pressure from the Netherlands to facilitate the exploitation of cheap natural resources from the East Indies. The Hague could not tolerate any form of rebellion, they could not allow the loss of what was in essence their temporary economic lifeline, in rebuilding the Netherlands.
[[File:Dutch soldiers landing in Malaya during the 1950 emergency.jpg|thumb|The 9th Batavian regiment disembarking near Djohor prior to the start of the Djohor counteroffensive. ]]
The Dutch East Indies Governor-General ''Martien van der Goot'' believed that the Djohor rebellion had to be stopped in order to avoid a "domino effect" of rebellions across the East Indies. Additionally the governor- general took personal slight with the ease that the Djohor sultanate was able to dispatch the Dutch authorities in the region, which later informed DEI colonial policy in the lead up to the East Indies Crisis in the 1960s & 70s. As shown from recently released documents Governor-General Martiem van der Goot thus ordered, the commander of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) Lieutenant-Generaal J.A. Vetter, the following: “Make an example out of these rebels kill them all.”
Commander Vetter, a veteran of countless wars (such as the Corean expedition, the Rhine front, the east Asian expeditions in the GW) would follow this command to the letter. It must be understood that the KNIL in 1952 was an organization that was different from itself in 1935. Experience modern wars created a battle-hardened organization that was brutally efficient in the way it carried out its operations, which was out of the norm in the regular Dutch military, with the exception of the Royal Dutch Marines and the Korps ''Speciale Stoot Troepen''.
[[File:KNIL soldiers of the 9th Batavian regiment fighting.jpg|thumb|233x233px|Soldiers of the 9th Regiment in Johor, firing from their positions.]]
On May the 7th KNIL forces landed of the 9th Batavian regiment landed on the island of Singapura in front of Djohor after facing limited naval opposition. They fought with the sultan's forces stationed on the island for 6 days- and in a slow but steady push they eventually took the island for use as a forwards operations base. Over the subsequent weeks KNIL forces surrounded the city of Djohor proper winning several battles with the under equipped and poorly organized forces of the Sultan. A the end of the month, the city had been breached and the rebellion had quickly turned to urban warfare, fighting block by block, house per house, street by street leading to the partial destruction of the city.
The last week of May 1952 has later been referred to as "'''''The Butchering of Djohor'''''" due to the widespread atrocities committed by KNIL soldiers. Reports of mass killings of civilians, rape & torture are attested to by first hand and third party investigation of the event. Additionally the KNIL were known to utilize 'death squads' in rounding up opposition or suspected rebel forces.
[[File:Walking past it all.jpg|thumb|KNIL soldiers with a Stier Panzerkannon, routing out the last of the resistance in the city. ]]
[[File:Walking past the ruins.jpg|thumb|A soldier of the 9th Regiment walking in Djohor, 12th of may 1952.]]
KNIL soldiers showed little mercy and did not care and saw all locals as rebels resulting in wide-scale destruction & depopulation. On the 30th of May, the Djohor palace was taken by KNIL and after an alleged period of torture the sultan of Djohor and his family were executed extrajudicially.
The "''Butchering of Djoho''r" saw widespread condemnation internationally especially from IRC aligned nations, the Muslim world and the newly formed ANAN. Additionally, the event had many 'knock on' effects within the DEI, radicalizing the Soendanese intelligentsia & many within the Muslim middle and lower classes across the colony. The event also saw the growth and expansion of ''National Republicanism'' within the East Indies as anti colonial political movements sought out a political ideology that could hopefully unify the anti imperial struggle in the East Indies with foreign supporters abroad. Several political scientists have also posited the theory that the destruction of the ''Partai Rakyat Islam Johor'' was a a massive boost to later national republican parties as the early PRIJ was the primary competitor of early national republican parties like the ''Partai Pembebasan Hindia Timur.''
==Start of the revolt==
====A shift in doctrine====
'''Lange doctrine''' often referred to by some of its opponents as the “terror doctrine”, a doctrine still today held in the military of the Netherlands. Was the radical shift in the way the Netherlands conducted the war. It saw a rapid shift in the objectives, fighting styles and ways of achieving said objectives, as well as the command structure.
The '''<u>Lange Doctrine</u>''' as it was called was as simple as it was effective. As it was implemented the Netherlands shifted its fighting style and objectives in such a way that the war become more favorable to them.
The reason for the radical shift in doctrine was the new Year offensive. It showed the faults within the standard doctrine of the Netherlands. the Netherlands in response to the offensive pushed to retake the lost lands, something that resulted in a massive loss of manpower due to the attrition of the fighting. It showed that this way of fighting, of holding lands could simply not be sustained for more than maybe 4 years. The high casualties, the Soenda rebel's home field advantage combined with their higher recruitment numbers, shorter supply lines and increased rates of high-tech weapon possession meant that a change was needed.
Before its implementation, around the New Year’s offensive (Nieuwejaars offensief), the KNIL and the Landmacht were fighting a war of reconquering lost lands. It had the aim to retake the territory lost to the East Indies Liberation Front. This meant that progress was slow and casualties were high, higher than could be sustained in the long term. The high number of casualties was due to the EILF her home-field advantage, for it knew the terrain and the locals and got warned whenever a Dutch patrol was nearby and then attacked. It at the same time tied down large numbers of valuable troops in the middle of Sumatra and parts of Malaya, wasting them away in the jungle where they only were target practice for the EILF.
TheThis led then colonel van Lange-Doctrine changedto come up with a solution to the problem, it would change the entire long-term strategic objectiveobjectives forof the Netherlands. It would no longer focus on reconqueringholding theand territoriestaking lost fromback the EILFland, although it was the long-term objective. Instead,rather it would focushold itsvaluable fightingareas powerand onoperate destroyingout theof EILFthose her ability to wage warareas. ThisIt meantwould thatinstead nowput victoriesits wherefocus countieson infighting the casualtiesSoendanese causedrebels toand thesimply EILF,in itthe now meant that it would destroy areaswords of support hit supply lines hard and no longer show mercy.van Lange;
“''Annihilate the rebels' ability to fight the war, not just this one but for all future conflicts.''”
This shift changed the nature of the conflict in that now the Netherlands was taking the initiative. For it transformed the military into a mobile force that could quickly react to threats, move around the peninsula rapidly and attack anywhere and often simultaneously. This was achieved by moving from a garrison force to a highly mechanized and airmobile force that had the ability to rapidly mobile a great deal of firepower. This allowed for more offensive operations to be planned and executed and would remove the many troops tied down on garrison duty spread through the archipelago. It leant upon the fact that the Netherlands would be able to maintain control of all major urban centers and all major port cities.
It now would not see victories as taking the land rather, it would see the victories in the form of destroying supply dumps, logistical hubs, supply networks, and recruitment fields, destroying or depopulating areas of recruitment, no longer would the Dutch show mercy you were either with them or against them.
Cornelis van Langen proposed his idea, before the general staff on the 22nd of march 1963. It was accepted on the 23rd of march 1963 and Cornelis was given the task to implement it. On the same day, orders were sent out to all units across the East Indies, to withdrawal from the interior and focus on maintaining coastal areas, urban areas, and areas of either strategic or economic importance. The EILF noted something was happening when at once Dutch forces began to pull out of the interior. Their confusion resulted in the withdrawal being relatively peaceful without much opposition. When Dutch forces arrived in their new positions they were informed of what was to take place, this was new troops being moved in their old gear discarded and new gear being given, and a change in tactics. This resulted in the remainder of 1963 and early 1964 being relatively quiet, no major operations took place and fighting was limited to skirmishes. In this period new troops with their new equipment and tactics were rotated in and soldiers were retrained and redeployed. This massive build-up of men and material was clear for all to see yet the EILF and Russian intelligence apparatuses were not sure what it exactly was. All they knew was that the Dutch were preparing for something big.
This shift in the way of fighting, changed the nature of the conflict, from now on the Netherlands was taking the initiative rather than reacting to Soendanese attacks. It saw the rapid restructuring of the military into a mobile force able to respond rapidly to a multitude of threats simultaneously. It necessitated the proliferation of airborne response forces, rapid mechanization of the military forces and upgrades in the organic firepower available to local commanders. This rapid shift made it possible for more offensive operations to be conducted and it removed valuable manpower from simple garrison duty in lands that were not viable to be held at the moment. It in essence meant the Netherlands would hold control of the major urban area their surrounding lands, valuable economic sites and the coastal areas and waters.
Kolonel Cornelis van Langen proposed this idea before the general staff on the 22nd of march 1963, and it was accepted on the 23rd of march 1963. This resulted in Cornelis his promotion to General with a simple mission, put together a team and reform the military. It would on that same day see the rapid planning for the transformation of the military of the Netherlands. It would see units withdrawn to the designed areas. It left the rebellion in some confusion as the Netherlands withdrew from lands it had just taken back. This consolidation of the valuable lands allowed the military to rotate the old troops back to the Netherlands or Zeylan for retraining and rotating the new forces.
This respite that lasted from march 1963 up until early 1964 would see the rapid retraining shift in the quality of Dutch forces. It would see the build-up of men and material for the new way of fighting, as it happened Russian intelligence sources were unable to determine the reason for this rapid shift in doctrine, equipment and the like. While many people think this was something that happened rapidly, it was just a consolidation of already planned rapid replacement of equipment, such as armoured vehicles, air vehicles and uniforms and weapons.
====Moving to a war footing====
This radical shift in military doctrine was not something completely unprecedented, as in the great war. The Netherlands since the great war made it law that all factories would be able to move to wartime production and that those capabilities would be maintained, as technology progressed. This law combined with the Netherlands' basic defence policy having it possible to conscript large parts of the population rapidly meant the foundations were present.
That something big was the complete and unprecedented reorganisation of the Dutch military her fighting forces, training infrastructure, command structure, logistical infrastructure, and doctrine. At the end of March a order had been placed at the '''Koolhoven Aviation Factory''' to increase the production of their reliable "Krijg-peerd" helicopter. This combined with other orders for armored vehicles, tanks aircraft and guns resulted in the rapid development of remarkably successful military equipment. However the mass increase in production of military equipment meant a rapid expansion of existing capabilities to not intervene with normal economic production, thus a certain limit was created and other production centers where sought abroad in Taulandt and Nieuw Nederlandt pumping a considerable amount of money into their respective industries. The most notable change was the reorganization and reformation of the Dutch national service or ''Dienstplicht''. It was increased in its length and it now was to last 24 months of which 6 months would be spent on training and 18 months deployment, followed by reserve duties up until the age of 50. Before the new doctrine and the reforms the ''Dienstplicht'' period was 18 months total, the lengthening was done to train the soldier up to make him qualitatively better than any other in the world. It was realized that this new mobile style of warfare which included air mobility relied upon highly trained soldiers thus a longer national service period was added. Something that was not popular with the public but passed parliament. This period thus not only resulted in the increase of military spending, National service time, and the change in doctrine but also the start of an anti-war movement. All these reforms were put to the test in December of 1963 during operation Jambi when the first battle-ready units would be deployed in combat. These 12,000 men proved effective and further solidified the so-called “Hervorming van Langen”.
At the end of March, the orders had been placed with requirements at most military companies to develop new weapons of war. These weapons were delivered at a pace unseen before in dutch history as it led to the mass production of remarkably effective, efficient military equipment. At the same time orders were placed with specifications at foreign factories in Tauland, Nieuw Nederland. The most notable change was the reorganization and reformation of the system of conscription or Dienstplicht. Its duration of service was increased to 24 months, of which 6 months were basic training, which was made longer to increase the quality of the soldier, and the remaining 18 months were on deployment, with the requirement to be called up in times of conflict to last up until the age of 50.
Before these organization reforms, the Diensplicht had more of a “reserve” role, in that it was there to increase the size of the reserves. Yet after the reforms, the expansion of the training regime, the educational requirements and the average Dutch conscript were quantitatively better than any other in the world. This expansion in the military education of the average conscript was done to allow that the new style of mobile warfare, was not allowed if the old requirements where there.
It was something that was not popular with the public yet was able to be passed in parliament, as the conservative party her voters were often not eligible for conscription themselves. This period thus only resulted in increased military spending, a longer national service time and a change in doctrine which resulted in an intenser conflict. It also would see the rise of the anti-war movement, a movement that called for the Netherlands to pull out of Indonesia and seek an ap peaceful solution.
All these reforms tho were put to the test in December of 1963 during operation “Testveld”, this operation would see approximately 12,000 fresh-faced recruits, equipped with the newest equipment and new vehicles and a new training regime go ou and about in Malaya. It resulted in approximately 57,000 enemy combatants killed at the cost of 1200 of their own. It was thus proven to be a success and they were further implemented.
===Operation Slachthuis===
Operation Slachthuis was launched on the eve of 1965, on the 2nd of January 1966 by the Krijgsmacht & KNIL. It was the rapid and sustained escalation of the military operations against the Soendanese rebels with the objective of neutralizing Soendanese fighting capabilities, it was launched as the whole military capabilities of the Netherlands were reorganized in the east indies.
The four objectives of the operation (which evolved over time) were to boost the morale of the Landmacht & KNIL militaries at the time, promote the newly established regime in Batavia, and persuade the Soendanese rebels to come to the negotiation table, destroy Soendanese logistical systems, lower their morale and destroy their ability to fight this war sustainably by destroying their limited industrial ability, halt the flow of men and material into Dutch controlled lands and weaken their air defence systems. It was also launched to send a message to the Dutch allies that they were in this fight to win it, that they were able to fight it and to its opponents that they should not underestimate them.
The operation became one of the most intense air/ground battles waged before the blooding and the final years of the war. It was a difficult campaign since the enemies were distributed across the islands, they had a mixture of Russian fighter interceptors and sophisticated air-to-air and surface-to-air weapons. This created one of the most effective air defences at the time, yet after the operation was done this air defence network was weakened and in some places destroyed completely. It did eventually see the Netherlands achieve its goal of severly destroying Soendanese air defense capabilities in the critical fronts.
== 1967-1972 (Stalemate)==
The next 6 years (1966 - 1972) were marked by small-scale, jungle warfare, with intermittent periods of high-intensity large-scale operations conducted by both sides. At the time the Netherlands maintained control over large portions of southern Sumatra, all of the Malaysian peninsula, Java and most urban centers on those islands, with Borneo and Celebs being the areas where urban centers were heavily contested.
dThe next 5 years (1967-1972) were marked by the rebels and the Dutch recuperating their losses, stabilising frontlines, and modernising their fighting forces at a rapid pace. With Dutch control of Sumatra and the Malayan peninsula by 1969 was relegated to the coastal areas and urban centers. To deal with the new strategic reality of the situation, the KNIL was operationally integrated into the armed forces. At the same time, the usage of large-scale bombing raids, that devastated entire sections of the jungle became the norm. All of this was possible as the early investments were bearing the fruits of their labour, more advanced weapon systems, aerospace systems and ships were becoming available in massive numbers, combined with the increase in available manpower made allowed the Netherlands to become a larger and more high-quality force.
The rebels did not sit idle, controlling the interior of Sumatra and the Malaya peninsula they were able to properly build up their forces. Moving away from just an unconditional force and towards a mixed force. While never able to beat the Dutch in an open battle their new strategic concept would be that of weakened battle, bleed the dutch with a thousand cuts rather than one punch. It was a period where fighting still was taking place and by all measures was quite intense. For the east indies crisis, it was silent, for everyone knew that both sides were preparing for the slugfest that would become the final part
To deal with the new strategic reality of the theatre of operations, in that they were increasingly fighting overwhelming numbers, the KNIL units were more and more separated on an operational level yet integrated from a divisional command level. It would see an increase in large-scale bombing operations that devastated entire sections of the jungles, cities and other key areas where t was assumpted that rebel activity was present. This destroyed entire regions of Soenda and even eradicated several species as their biomes were destroyed. This massive scale of devastation was possible due to the fruition of early investments, and more advanced weapon systems that increased the firepower available to any platform and increased the network integrated and shortened the kill chain.
The rebels tho did not sit idle, controlling the interior of Sumatra and the Malayan peninsula they were able to properly build up some armoured forces. They moved towards a hybrid doctrine of indirect warfare and conventional operations. While they were never able to beat the Dutch in an open battle, both in the air, land and on the waters, they were able in their view to bleed the Dutch out, by a thousand cuts. Killing more and more Dutch soldiers thus decreasing morale at home.
Thus where the fighting was mixed and relatively stable with the exception of the relatively major operations every 5 months. Both sides knew that the other was preparing for a massive start and increase in combat operations.
=== Operatie: Dolle dinsdag ===
====A change at home====
For despiteDespite the near constant talksreports aboutof the massivemass casualties that werecassualities inflicted upon the enemy, nothingthere seemed to stopbe no stopping them. DutchAt soldiersthe weretime fightingof bloody it was estimated that for monthsevery withoutDutch anysoldier that was restkilled, 4 Soendanese fighters where killed. Dutch soldiers where fighting for day and night allfor ofmonths thison inend on a level of brutality that was unseen. ExhaustionExuastion, depression and an increasing amount of alcohol andalchohol, drug useconsumtion amongamongst the soldiers comingwhere backbecoming more appearent. It was a period that when soldiers where rotated out these soldiers, withoften boysjust barely 18 year old came back as being broken. whenIt cominghad homebecome leda tonorm even a strongsadistic anti-warrite sentimentof passage. AllThis of thiswas combined with the condemnationfact that the Netherlandsway gotthe onDutch fought, the internationallevel stage,of brutaltiy led to a great deal of international condemnation on the bucketinternational overflowingstage. AfterAll of this came ahead when for the first time in nearly 13 years of war,constant aheavy trulyfighting massivethe first large anti- war protestdemonstrations took place in Amsterdam.
On theThe 18th of April 1974, the Netherlandsnetherlands sawcame itsto a halt, as the largest anti- war protest to date was organised. ItThis wasprotests where not just the regulardraft protestsdodgers, the studentsanti thewar pacifistpoliticians and thestudents, likethese thatprotestors came.included Theythe weremothers joined byof the roughly 3.4boys, veterans of thisthe war, allfathers whoand were relatively youngsons, joinedbrothers bythat lost their fathersolder whobrother. oftenIt themselveshad eitherbecome foughta inwar where the eastfathers orfought were veterans fromin the greatsame war, joined byas their motherssons, wives,they girlfriends,where friendsjoined andby allthe thosegirlfriends, loved once’s of those that were fightingwives. People no longer wanted to see their husbands, boyfriends, sons, brothers and friends die in the far east. PeoplePpeople at this point simply had enough of the war, afterthey 13had yearsseen of seeing the warit on their TVstvs and it had fundamentally changed the Dutch nation. In schools children where already being trained for the service in the east, an entire generation had been molded into fighting machines.
The scale of these protests where immense, the entire nation in essence came to a halt. Public transports where jammed full, towns where turned into ghost towns all the while in the Hague, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Rotterdam the police forces where unwilling to disperse the protests. People where tired and it left the government with little options as their last option seemed to be the military.
[[File:Protest I.jpg|thumb|A large group of Dutch citizen in Den Haag protesting the war, they where just one many. As the picture shows people from all ages joined in the protests.]]
Prime minister Geert Dijkman, a man who had been PM for 3 years, a proponent of the war and an arch conservative, had ordered his cabinet and military to prepare for a worst case scenario, a revolution. It was at this moment that the military her general staff made it clear they would not fire on their own men. As many of the protestors where reservists, veterans or even active duty soldiers on leave. These protetors had their intended effect, it caused a silent revolution, the so called april revolution. It led to a motion of no confidence being issued to the cabinet by parliament and the senate. This led to a new election to be scheduled for the 17th of Juli 1974.
Despite their best efforts the party of the old prime minister “Conservative anti revolutionaire partij (CARP) stood no change in the election. They where defeated in a landslide by the Partij voor democracy (PVD). Led by veteran turned politican Koen Haverman, who had fought in operation Slachthuis. On the 25th of July 1974 he became the new prime minister of the Netherlands, his party gaining some 83 seats in the lower house resulting in an absolute majority. Their objective was simple on paper, pull out of hte conflict but as he would find out it was far harder in practice.[[File:Protest I.jpg|thumb|A large group of Dutch citizen in Den Haag protesting the war, they where just one many. As the picture shows people from all ages joined in the protests.]]
These protests were so large that for the entire day the nation was shut down, public transport was jammed, and cities had turned into ghost towns. All the while in the Hague, Amsterdam and Rotterdam the police forces were unwilling to do anything against their own friends in many cases they even joined the protestors. In other words, the government was in chaos.
[[File:Koen Haverman 3.jpg|alt=Barend Biesheuvel is used as a stand in for the PM|thumb|Koen Haverman the new prime minister of the Netherlands meeting with the monarch]]
They were so large that prime minister Geert Dijkman ordered his cabinet and the military to prepare for a revolution he so feared. It was at this moment tho that the military general staff made clear they would not fire upon their own men, for these protestors were often wearing their uniforms. These protests had their intended effect eventually and caused a silent revolution of April, within the same month a vote of no confidence passed the second chamber and a new election was scheduled for the 17th of juli 1974
Despite their best efforts the party of the old prime minister de “Conservatieve anti revolutionare partij or CARP, stood no change. They were soundly defeated by the Partij voor Democracy “PVD” led by former veteran turned politician Koen Haverman who on the 25th of July 1974 become the new prime minister of the Netherlands. Out of the 150 seats in the second chamber, the PVD won a total of 83 ensuring that no coalition was needed and allowing them to push their agenda forward. Their agenda was simple on paper, pull out of the archipelago, in reality, tho this would be a hard one to achieve.[[File:Koen Haverman 3.jpg|alt=Barend Biesheuvel is used as a stand in for the PM|thumb|Koen Haverman the new prime minister of the Netherlands meeting with the monarch]]
=== '''New Minister, New Policy'''===
With the ascension of Koen Haverman, withthe hisfundamental Partijnature van Democratieof the Dutchwar policychanged onfor the eastDutch. indiesThe crisis, oroorlog as it was knownsimply inrefered theto Haguehad “Dereadically oorlog”changed oralmost theovernight, warfrom radicallynow changedon almosttheir overnight.objective Koenwould Havermanbe wonto hispull electionout partlyof bythe statingfighting theyin would findsuch a way tothe pullNetherlands outremained ofin thea conflictfuture adventagous position. Athe conflict that had taken the best of the Netherlands her youth and swallowed it whole, onlyspitting leaving behindout broken and scattered boysmen who had seen far tooto much atbrutality afor far tootheir young ageages. It had put a strain on the Netherlands her social services and culture and people, whoall have watchedof it allhad been radically transformed. People had wachted the war for nearly 16 yearsyeras on their Tvstvs, werethey where tired and sort of used to it by now. Koen Haverman, who himself had fought in theit war during the early stagesand knew the horror, ofyet it and thusknew the momentstrategic hereality was appointednot byas thesimple. monarch began to work on a way to get the Netherlands out.
Pulling the Netherlands out was howevernever thegoing to hardbe parteasy, fornobody expected it waswould easierbe saideasy, thannor would it be done within a short timeframe. The strategic situation atin the timeeast ofwhen Haverman comingbecame into officePM was a dire one. TheSoendanese EILFforces waswhere conductingconducted their largest continuouscontious offensive in the war so far,. The soldiers on the Netherlandsground waswhere engagedfighting tooth and nail on all fronts soldiersto werejust fightinghold the line for months andupon months, andas allthe pretensespeace protests where happening in Amsterdam, the men in Malaysia where fighting for their lives. It had reached a point where any point of civility werewas dropped. Casualtyby reportsthe comingDutch inand werethe grimusage of chemical agents, picturesNapalm comingand inother wereassets grimmerwhere andused allto hold the newstite. Cassualty reports coming in onwhere videogrim, wasat darkthis andrate toomilitary intenseplanners toin eventhe showHague onestimated TVBatavia would fall within 8 months. BattlesTvs showed the battles raging onin Sumatrathe air and on land on Sumatra, Borneo and Celebs, wereit brutalshowed andthe ittrue isbrutality of war. It was said that when Haverman for the first time viewed the classified reports ofon the war he vomitedvommited. The reports contained numbers so gruesome and tacticsoperations andso fighting onilligal that werewent against everythingany thatpublic policy the Netherlandsnetherlands claimedportrayed, toit uphold.showed the pure barbarity a industrial state could inflict.
Thus the order went out to the general staff to come up with a way the Netherlands could pull out, without major losses. Its order was vague and by this point the General staff, consisting of hardened veterans came up with the exit strategy, something that still would inflict utter destruction. Commander of the armed Forces Generaal Cornelis van Langen stated;
He thus ordered the commanders of the military to come up with a plan to pull the Dutch forces out in such a manner that they would not be attacked from the rear. The immediate answer by that time Commander of the Armed Forces <u>Generaal Cornelis van Langen</u>, was that it would be hard bloody, and require a lot of time. Yet Haverman was determined he wanted the Dutch their forces out of the war. Thus van Langen despite his own involvement in the creation of Dutch strategy started with his team to work on a plan to pull the Netherlands out of the war. He worked tirelessly and by November 1974 some 4 months after the initial order was given they had a plan. In those 4 months, however, the fighting continued across the East Indies and the Dutch forces seemed to show less and less mercy. van Langen dubbed the plan '''Operatie Vertrek-I''' (Leaving One), it was a detailed set of objectives that would see the pullout in phases of Dutch forces while also taking into account civilians. It would take roughly 1.6 years to complete as nothing was to be left behind, it would be done in phases and it would continuously require the Dutch forces to keep on fighting with a higher degree of intensity as to not give off any idea to the enemy. He proposed the plan to the cabinet of Haverman and on the 1st of December 1974, it was accepted and made official military policy.[[File:Troops under fire.jpg|thumb|A soldier watching air support drop its payload upon the enemy her positions, somewhere around Malakka.]]
“''It will be a fucked up affair…require time and we need to murder those bastards by the bushes''”.
==Fall of Batavia (1976)==
“De laaste ronde” De Bataafse evacuatie” or the fall of Batavia as its sometimes called is the name given to the final months of fighting of the East indies crisis. the period is often said to have ended at exactly 23:48 11 November 1976, when the last Dutch ship left the port of Batavia and when the Soendanese rebels took over the city after a brutal siege.
Habverman tho was determined he wanted the Dutch our of the war, thus Van Langen despite his reservations started to work on such a strategy. They worked tirelessly and in those 4 months the fighting continued across the east, Dutch forces where using more and more brutality, to a point where the forces around Jambi annaliated the city. When the news came in it was on the same day that van Langen showed his operation. Operatie Vertrek, it would take roughly 1 year 6 months, to compelte as nothing was to be left behind and strategic positions where to be maintained, as well as vital trade links with Tauland. It would be carried out in phases and it would continously require them to keep on the fighting, on a high intense level as to not give up any strategic ground. On the day that Jambi burned to the ground and 489,012 people died the strategy was agreed upon.[[File:Troops under fire.jpg|thumb|A soldier watching air support drop its payload upon the enemy her positions, somewhere around Malakka.]]
Historians mark the start of “De laaste ronde” when prime minister Haberman accepted the Krijgmacht her so-called “vertrek” operation. The operation in detail laid out the withdrawal of Dutch & KNIL forces from the various theatres in the archipelago, it was not a complete withdrawal but rather a slow methodical withdrawal toward strategic and defensible positions. It would be from there that the final departure would be organized. During this time the Dutch would maintain full-on air and naval supremacy and keep raids at a maximum. On paper this plan was good in practice tho once implemented it became a bloody affair as the fighting withdrawals were intense. Dutch soldiers had fought in an archipelago for 16 brutal years, indoctrinated by over a decade of propaganda were unwilling to just let go without a fight. the final battles and operations were thus often considered brutal as entire stockpiles of munitions were emptied.
==Operatie Vertrek I==
Early on the plan of Operatie Vertrek-II was a complicated one, while it was never openly stated, everyone understood that the puppet regime in Batavia would not survive. While this did not matter a great deal, considering that most of these people in the government were on the Dutch payroll. While this decision did not hamper the military activities that much, it did hamper the social services the puppet regime provided and the taxation strategy, many of the native bureaucrats became demotivated and descent within the KNIL was slowly forming.
Another effect of the decision of Vertrek was the decline in the morale of the NCO corps of the military, these men were career soldiers and had many friends that died in the war and saw little purpose to fight. While in general combat operations remained highly effective it was well known that in the barracks descent was common. This also was evident with the general infantry, as while it was made known the Netherlands would pull out, conscription kept on going, rotations kept happening and combat remained intense.
=== Operation "Mistig" ===
=== Loss of eastern Java ===
=== evacuation of Batavia ===
“De laaste ronde” De Bataafse evacuatie” or the fall of Batavia as its sometimes called is the name given to the final months of fighting of the East indies crisis. the period is often said to have ended at exactly 23:48 11 November 1976, when the last Dutch ship left the port of Batavia and when the Soendanese rebels took over the city after a brutal siege.
Historians mark the start of “De laaste ronde” when prime minister Haberman accepted the Krijgmacht her so-called “vertrek” operation. The operation in detail laid out the withdrawal of Dutch & KNIL forces from the various theatres in the archipelago, it was not a complete withdrawal but rather a slow methodical withdrawal toward strategic and defensible positions. It would be from there that the final departure would be organized. During this time the Dutch would maintain full-on air and naval supremacy and keep raids at a maximum. On paper this plan was good in practice tho once implemented it became a bloody affair as the fighting withdrawals were intense. Dutch soldiers had fought in an archipelago for 16 brutal years, indoctrinated by over a decade of propaganda were unwilling to just let go without a fight. the final battles and operations were thus often considered brutal as entire stockpiles of munitions were emptied.
==== Rogue KNIL units ====
==== Operatie Retributie ====
Operatie Retributie, or “De laaste lag”, was a military operation that started on the 11th of November 1976 and technically ended on the 31st of December 1976. In reality, it lasted up until 1981. The operation would see the Netherlands conducting large-scale evacuation operations, commando raids, air raids and maritime raids against the Soendanese. This was to both protect Nieuw Batavia and to hamper potential reprisals against Nieuw Batavia, remaining Dutch interests, and Dutch shipping throughout the strait of Malacca & Thai canal. This also saw the Netherlands openly supporting Pinang in its fight against the Soendanese.
It is noted by many historians, both in the Netherlands, Soenda and across the world that operation Retribution was also the cover of a large rescue operation. Throughout the war, Dutch soldiers left many children, these children were in danger of growing up in a likely hostile nation, thus the operation was launched to rescue many of these children. While these children did not arrive in the Netherlands they were brought to places like Pinang and Zeylan.
==Aftermath ==
==== Netherlands ====
In the Netherlands, a series of cultural shifts started to take place after the end of the war; with an entire generation of veterans (numbering around 4.7 million people) who saw the horrors of war up close. This had shocked the nation and in the years following the war many major events created tension within Dutch society including: a refugees crisis from it's former colonies, the reformation and restructuring of power within the Dutch economy, numerous social movements advocating for social, sexual and economic liberation, and a broken generation that tried to move on from the brutal conflict that had shaped the nation. There was a shift in the geopolitical landscape of the Netherlands, which following the end of the war in 1976, became a neutral nation and had to contend with the challenges of having a massive arms industry due to the war and needing to reform its economy towards civilian focused industry where possible. Its aerospace industry became focused on civilian products while still retaining experienced engineers and a well-established industrial compacity from the war. The Netherlands changed the balance of power in Europe by becoming neutral and taking it's close ally the German Confederation, with whom it shares a border, into neutrality. During and after the war, the music scene in the Netherlands radically changed with the adoption of NNL and Virginian rock & roll influences (made popular by the anti-war anthem [[Ik heb geen geluk]]) and the creation of an anti-war counter culture.
==== Soenda ====
==== Pinang ====
===Casualties===
==Impact on popular culture ==
== Crimes occuring during the EIC ==
Netherlands
Soenda
== Impact on modern day warfare ==
{{Timeline and Lore}}
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