• Japanese invade Netherlands East Indies (NEI) – 20.000 Dutch people fled to Australia (most of Indonesian decent or from mixed parents).
• NEI-Government-in-Exile established in Australia – the first and only one ever operated in Australia. Wacol became the headquarters of the NEI-Government-in-Exile.
• The Dutch transported Indonesian political prisoners from Tanah Merah in Dutch New Guinea to Australia (mostly well-educated people)
• Australia forces the Dutch to release these prisoners, amazingly many of them became employed at the NEI-Government-in Exile (where they had easy access to communication equipment to stay in contact with their compatriots in Indonesia).
• These Indonesian were able to harness support for a free Indonesia. Australian Unions established a boycott of all Dutch re-colonialisation shipping to NEI (Black Armada) the largest maritime boycott ever.
• Australia played a key role in the negotiations of a free Indonesia (and simultaneously in the creation of the UN).
• Australian military established the first ever peace mission of the UN (in Indonesia).
• The case of a stranded NEI women Annie O’Keefe caused a ruling from the High Court that became the start of the end of the White Australia Policy.
• Because the Dutch lost Indonesia, most of the related history got buried and was never looked at.

Paul Budde

NEI – Table of Content

• Shared Dutch-Australian military history -Introduction
• Brief overview – Japan and World War II
• Australia enters WWII
• Dutch – Australian military cooperation
• Dutch ill prepared for war in NEI
• Dutch involvement in the broader war in SE Asia
• The Drama of Broome
• The effect of the capitulation of NEI on Australia
• Political ambitions of the local population in NEI
• Australia becomes involved in NEI affairs
• The Dutch are settling down in Australia
• The official NEI Government-in-exile (1944-1946)
• Camp Columbia – preparing for re-colonialisation
• Liberation of NEI stopped in Dutch New Guinea
• The recapturing of NEI
• Political prisoners from Tanah Merah transported to Australia
• The Gamelan Digul was brought to Australia
• Digulists instrumental in preparing for independence
• Australian Trade Unions and the wage disputes of NEI workers
• Dutch are digging deeper holes for themselves
• Australia becomes further entangled in NEI politics
• The Black Armada – one of the largest maritime boycotts ever
• International pressure did not end the boycott
• Dutch ill prepared for the recolonialisation
• Dutch – Australian conflicts and chaos at the end of the war
• White Australia Policy and the Indonesian war refugees
• The role of Australia in Indonesia’s independence
• Linggadjati Agreement
• Operation Product
• Australia’s shifting position on NEI
• Renville Agreement
• Operation Crow
• Beel Plan
• The Hague Conference
• The Aftermath
• Broader picture
• Summary
• List of abbreviations