American Political Intervention in the Conflict in the Dutch East Indies, 1945-1949

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When the Republic of Indonesia declared itself independent from the Netherlands on 17 August 1945, the Dutch leaders did not accept this and tried to restore colonial authority. This led to a four-year conflict between the Netherlands and the Republic of Indonesia. Dutch forces conducted both counterinsurgency and major combat operations. International pressure forced the Dutch government to negotiate but that did not lead to a settlement. During the conflict, the United States became more involved and played a major role during the negotiations. When the Dutch were not able to end the conflict and the area became more unstable, the US government, fearing a rise of communism in the archipelago, put political pressure on the Netherlands to end the conflict. After a second military offensive and ignoring United Nations Security Council resolutions, the US government threatened the Netherlands to stop Marshall Aid since Dutch actions influenced the North Atlantic Treaty. The Dutch complied and the Round Table Conference led to the Independence of Indonesia on 27 December 1949. This thesis will address the main reasons for the United States to become involved in the conflict and explain its eventual intervention that forced the Dutch to withdraw.