Charles Olke van der Plas (1891–1977) was a senior Dutch colonial administrator from Buitenzorg (now Bogor), Java. His longstanding service in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) and his deep knowledge of local society—including fluency in Arabic and Malay and a strong understanding of Islam—marked him as an expert in indigenous Read more…
Hubertus Johannes van Mook (1894–1965) was one of the most significant and controversial Dutch administrators of the Second World War and its aftermath. Born in Semarang, Java, Van Mook was part of the Indo-European community of the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), whose families had lived in the archipelago for generations. Read more…
This series is a tribute to Dr. Jack Ford who passed away in June 2025 Symposium: Allied co-operation in Brisbane during WWII: Australia, USA, Netherlands, UK – 30–31 August 2025 at UQ- Bus Tour Brisbane WWII sites – 1 September More info. This article series explores the evolving relationship between Read more…
Before the Second World War, the relationship between Australia, the Netherlands and the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) was marked by cordial distance rather than active diplomacy. There were no embassies , no treaties of alliance, and few direct communications between the two governments. Australia’s foreign affairs were largely managed through Read more…
As the Second World War engulfed Southeast Asia, the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) urgently sought military support. Isolated from its European homeland, which had been occupied by Nazi Germany since 1940, and facing imminent Japanese aggression, the colonial administration turned to the Allied powers for arms and logistical assistance. One Read more…
While the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) was under Japanese occupation during the Second World War, political questions about the colony’s future did not disappear—they intensified. For many in the Dutch exile administration, the war was a time to consider how to reassert sovereignty after liberation. But for others, particularly reform-minded Read more…
Following the Japanese invasion and collapse of the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) in early 1942, Dutch political and military leadership scattered across the globe. Many civil and military authorities regrouped in Australia and Ceylon, while the central government-in-exile remained in London. Amid the chaos, a major political fault line emerged Read more…
The collapse of the Netherlands under German occupation in May 1940 left its overseas empire, particularly the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), to operate with significant autonomy. Based in Batavia, the colonial administration continued to govern its territories while the Dutch government-in-exile established itself in London. As the war progressed, tensions Read more…
In the months leading up to the Pacific War, the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) attempted to balance neutrality with quiet resistance to Japan. But to Australian officials, this stance seemed naïve—and potentially dangerous. As early as November 1941, the Australian government was growing concerned that the Dutch in Batavia were Read more…
In the early hours of 7 December 1941, Japanese aircraft launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, drawing the United States into the Second World War. Among the many casualties at the nearby Kaneohe Bay Naval Air Station was a lesser-known victim: Dutch Catalina flying boat Y-68, belonging to the Read more…