The first Dutch seamen set foot on Bali in 1597, yet it wasn’t until the 1800’s that the Dutch showed an interest in colonising the island. In 1846, having had large areas of Indonesia under their control since the 1700’s, the Dutch government sent troops into northern Bali. In 1894, Dutch forces sided with the Sasak people of Lombok to defeat their Balinese rulers. By 1911, all the Balinese principalities had either been defeated in battle, or had capitulated, leaving the whole island under Dutch control. During World War ll, the Dutch were expelled by the Japanese, who occupied Indonesia from 1942 to 1945.

After the Japanese defeat, the Dutch tried to regain control over their former colonies, but on August 17th 1945, Indonesia was declared independent by its first President, Sukarno. After 4 years of fighting, and strong criticism from the international community, the Dutch government finally ceded and in 1949, Indonesia was recognised as an independent country. (more…)