How the Japanese Navy contributed to the Unitary State of Indonesia
From the first concept of Indonesia as a Unitary State to the present day, ‘Sabang to Merauke’ has been elevated from nationalist jargon to sacrosanct status. How did the western half of the large island of New Guinea, six times the size of Java, ever come to be part of Indonesia? Was it part of the former domain of that great dynasty Majapahit? On 18th August 1945, the day after the historic Proklamasi, a Japanese civilian in the Japanese Navy – Nishijima Shigetada – arranged for the inclusion of the remote territory (once known as Netherlands New Guinea) as part of ‘new Indonesia’. Four decades ago he was dubbed ‘the godfather of Indonesia’ and from my interviews with him then in Tokyo, we can see today how he has influenced Indonesia.
Biography
Areas of Expertise: Indonesian history & politics in 20th century; US/Indonesia interaction.
Educated at University of Queensland and undertook post-grad at James Cook University. Lectured at University New England, Griffith University, University of South Queensland and University of Queensland.
Relevant Publications
JFK vs Allen Dulles: Battleground Indonesia, Skyhorse distributed Simon & Schuster, Manhattan, USA, 356pp, published November 2020. Foreword by Oliver Stone.
The Incubus of Intervention: conflicting Indonesia strategies of John F Kennedy and Allen Dulles Strategic Information and Research Development Centre (SIRD), Kuala Lumpur, 288pp., published January 2015. ISBN: 9789670630502 Foreword by Baskara Wardaya
Indonesian translation ‘Bayang Bayang Intervensi’ published July 2017 by Galang Press, Yogyakarta, Foreword by Ikrar Nusa Bhakti, Indonesian ambassador to Tanzania.
The Genesis of Konfrontasi – Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia 1945-65 (SIRD)Kuala Lumpur, 335pp.pub.January 2014.ISBN:978-967-0630-15-1. Foreword by Pramoedya Ananta Toer. November 2019.
Email Address: ypoulgrain@gmail.com