Revolusi: Indonesia and the Birth of the Modern World

On a sunny Friday morning in August 1945, a handful of people raised a homemade cotton flag and, on behalf of 68 million compatriots, announced the birth of a new nation. With the fourth largest population in the world, inhabiting islands that span an eighth of the globe, Indonesia became the first country to rid itself of colonial rule after World War II.

In this vivid history, renowned scholar and celebrated author of Congo David Van Reybrouck captures a period of extraordinary tumult and chaos to tell the story of Indonesia's momentous revolution, known as the "Revolusi." Encompassing several hundred years of history, he details the formation of the Dutch East Indies, the Japanese invasion that followed, and the young rebels who engaged in armed resistance once the occupation ended. British and Dutch troops were sent to restore order and keep peace, but instead ignited the first modern war of decolonization. America, too, became embroiled with the Indonesians' fierce struggle for freedom. That struggle inspired independence movements in Asia, Africa, and the Arab world, especially in the wake of Indonesia's monumental 1955 Bandung Conference, the first global conference without the West. The whole world had become involved in Revolusi, and the whole world was changed by it.

Drawing on hundreds of interviews and eyewitness testimonies, David Van Reybrouck turns this vast and complex story into an utterly gripping narrative, written with remarkable historical clarity and filled with tragedy and passion. A landmark history, Revolusi cements Indonesia's struggle for independence as one of the defining dramas of the twentieth century and entirely reframes our understanding of post-colonialism.

Author: David Van Reybrouck
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 04/09/2024
Pages: 656
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 2.17lbs
Size: 9.09h x 6.37w x 1.61d
ISBN: 9781324073697

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/2024
Publishers Weekly 05/06/2024
Choice 12/01/2024

About the Author
Van Reybrouck, David: - David Van Reybrouck is an acclaimed playwright and the internationally best-selling author of Congo, a finalist for the Cundill History Prize. He holds a doctorate from Leiden University and has taught at Bard College. He lives in Brussels, Belgium.