Indonesia Independence Day

This day in 1945, the independence of Indonesia from the Netherlands was proclaimed.

First Europeans at the area of Malay Archipelago, the main part of which is taken up by Indonesia, appeared early in the XVI century. Portuguese stood first who began reclaiming lands, and till the end of XVI century the Netherlands and Great Britain started expressing interest in islands.

The Netherlands Ost-Ind company (NOIC), established in 1602, forced Portuguese and British out of the Archipelago in the first quarter of XVII century. After dissolution of NOIC, the generated colony resigned itself to the Netherlands.

At the beginning of XX century, in Netherlands Ost-India the national liberation movement started. The first organisation aimed at achievement of state independence, appeared. By 1920 years the name “Indonesia” came into general use.

During the Second World was the area of Indonesia was occupied by Japan. In two days after the capitulation announcement of Japanese government, on the 17-th of August, 1945, in Djakarta the independence of Indonesia was proclaimed.