Indonesia
- Submitted by: shani
- Views: 1085
- Category: Other
- Date Submitted: 09/30/2010 11:46 AM
- Pages: 25
- Report this Essay
PEOPLE’S WAR OF INDONESIA
1. Introduction. The struggle by Indonesian nationalists to free themselves from Dutch colonial rule during the period 1945 to 1949 stands out as a classic model of a ‘peoples war’. The mobilization and politicization of the masses behind a revolutionary ideology, skilful exploitation of international opinion and conduct of asymmetric warfare all combined to bring to an end over three hundred years of colonial rule in a relatively short period of time. All of these facets of warfare are as valid today as they were half a century ago. Similarly for students of military history, conduct of the Dutch counter insurgency campaign and, in particular, its inability to achieve political victory despite a relative material and technological superiority and some stunning military successes offers some valuable lessons. In the next 30 to 35 minutes I along with my team will attempt to draw out those lessons and where appropriate offer some analysis on their contemporary applicability.
2. Before beginning though it may be pertinent to identify those factors that ran through this campaign which we consider most relevant for analysis and potentially applicable to other movements and campaigns.
a. The need for popular support or at least a neutral operational
environment.
b. The importance of a sound ideological base.
c. Sound leadership.
d. The need to gain international support, or, at least, avoid
International enmity.
e. The means to translate military actions into political success.
3. Part of our aim, therefore will be to show where the Indonesian nationalists were able ,by design or accident, to achieve these while the colonial power was not.
4. PART – I
DEMOGRAPHY / HISTORICAL APPRAISAL
Demography
6. Land. Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. It consists of 5 main islands and about 30 smaller archipelagos totaling of 17,000 islands and islets of which about 6500 are inhabited. The Indonesian...
1. Introduction. The struggle by Indonesian nationalists to free themselves from Dutch colonial rule during the period 1945 to 1949 stands out as a classic model of a ‘peoples war’. The mobilization and politicization of the masses behind a revolutionary ideology, skilful exploitation of international opinion and conduct of asymmetric warfare all combined to bring to an end over three hundred years of colonial rule in a relatively short period of time. All of these facets of warfare are as valid today as they were half a century ago. Similarly for students of military history, conduct of the Dutch counter insurgency campaign and, in particular, its inability to achieve political victory despite a relative material and technological superiority and some stunning military successes offers some valuable lessons. In the next 30 to 35 minutes I along with my team will attempt to draw out those lessons and where appropriate offer some analysis on their contemporary applicability.
2. Before beginning though it may be pertinent to identify those factors that ran through this campaign which we consider most relevant for analysis and potentially applicable to other movements and campaigns.
a. The need for popular support or at least a neutral operational
environment.
b. The importance of a sound ideological base.
c. Sound leadership.
d. The need to gain international support, or, at least, avoid
International enmity.
e. The means to translate military actions into political success.
3. Part of our aim, therefore will be to show where the Indonesian nationalists were able ,by design or accident, to achieve these while the colonial power was not.
4. PART – I
DEMOGRAPHY / HISTORICAL APPRAISAL
Demography
6. Land. Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. It consists of 5 main islands and about 30 smaller archipelagos totaling of 17,000 islands and islets of which about 6500 are inhabited. The Indonesian...