Indië verloren...

When the Japanese occupation ended in 1945, the Dutch government believed that the colonial administration of the Dutch East Indies could continue as before. The Indonesians thought very differently and demanded independence. The Netherlands deployed the army to restore order, what was euphemistically called 'police actions'. The brutal and ruthless war they waged there, which lasted until 1949, was considered justified for decades - after all, the Emerald Belt was ours.

This documentary by South Korean-Dutch director In-soo Radstake explores how this was possible, looking at the role politicians, media and historians played in the process. Radstake allows renowned historians from Indonesia, Australia and the US, among others, to shed light on this complex history, placing it in the international political context of the time. In doing so, he makes clear how up tot his day the consequenses can be felt.