Indonesian Declaration of Independence

Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta proclaim Indonesian independence after Japan's surrender.

The Japanese occupation had dismantled the former system of Dutch colonial control. When Japan agreed to surrender, Indonesian leaders quickly used the political opening.

The proclamation did not bring immediate international recognition. Years of armed conflict, diplomacy and negotiations with the Netherlands followed.

The event illustrates how the end of the world war accelerated the disintegration of colonial empires in Southeast Asia.

Source: View historical source ↗