To The Point of Divergence
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1939, July 27 - Jogja Crown Prince, Raden Mas Dorodjatun returned to Jogjakarta after completing his economic study at Leiden University.
1939, October 22 - The death of Sri Soeltan Hamengkoeboewono VIII of Jogjakarta.
1939, November - Dutch Senior Diplomat, Dr Lucien Adam, acting on the mandate of Governor General of Dutch East Indies Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer, started a negotiation process with the still uncrowned Soeltan Dorodjatun. The negotiation focused mostly on terms and conditions of Soeltan's authority along with Netherlands' interests in governance. This negotiation process will run for four months.
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1940, February - Finalized diplomatic bargains and understanding between Dr Lucian Adam and Soeltan Dorodjatun. The Soeltan comes with three main points of contentions, and the Dutch representatives agreed with the bargained outlines.
1. The Soeltan did not agree that his prime minister (Patih) would be also the Netherlands' employee to avoid conflict of interests. There will be separate reports to the Dutch colonial administration instead.
2. The Soeltan did not agree that half of his advisor would be selected by the Netherlands, he will defer the advisory body to the noble council instead. The Dutch are welcome to manage their influences indirectly using the nobles.
3. The Soeltan agreed to coordinate his army with the Netherlands' army, as long as they did not receive direct order as subordinates.
1940, March 3 - The Soeltan received mystical insights that the Netherlands would leave Indonesia soon.
1940, March 18 - Soeltan Dorodjatun formally ascended to the throne with a coronation ceremony on 18 March 1940. He took the regnal name of Sri Soeltan Hamengkoeboewono IX. During his coronation speech he recognized his origins and said "Even though I have tasted Western Education, I am still and will always be a Javanese."
1940, May 14 - the Dutch surrendered to the German army, van Starkenborgh declared martial law in the Dutch East Indies, ordering 19 German cargo ships to be seized and all German nationals to be interned pending the liberation of the Netherlands.
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1941, December 8 - Netherlands declared war on Imperial Japan.
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1942, February 27 - Battle of Java Sea, Imperial Japanese Navy defeated Allied force and sealed the fate of Netherlands East Indies, afterwards Imperial Japan occupies Indonesia until 1945. The Imperial Japan administration encouraged Indonesian Nationalism to aid their cause against the Allies. Many Nationalist leaders accepted the Japanese occupations as temporary measures to ensure future Independence.
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1945, May 28 - First meeting of the Investigatory Commission for Indonesian Independence (BPUPKI).
1945, June 1 - Soekarno's Pancasila speech.
1945, June, 22 - Sharia issues between the Islamist bloc and the Nationalist bloc inside the BPUPKI, Djakarta Charter are drafted to provide a temporary compromise.
1945, July 16 - The draft of Republican Constitution completed.
1945, August 6 - Atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
1945, August 7 - BPUPKI renames itself to PPKI: Commitee for Preparations of Indonesian Independence.
1945, August 9 - Atomic bombing of Nagasaki. Soekarno, Hatta, and Radjiman Wediodiningrat are flown by the Japanese to Vietnam to meet with Marshal Terauchi. There they are informed of the collapse of Japanese forces, and that Japan will grant Indonesia independence on August 24.
1945, August 14 - Soekarno, Hatta, and Radjiman Wediodiningrat return to Djakarta, mistrustful of the Japanese promise.
1945, August 15 - Japan surrenders to the Allies. The Japanese army and navy still control Indonesia. Japan has agreed to return Indonesia to the Dutch.
1945, August 16 - Soekarno and Hatta are spirited away by youth leaders, led by Chaerul Saleh and Soetan Sjahrir, to Rengasdengklok at 3:00 A.M. They later return to Djakarta, meet with Lt. General Moichiro Yamamoto, and spend the next night at Vice-Admiral Maeda Tadashi's residence. Soekarno and Hatta are told privately that Japan no longer has the power to make decisions regarding the future of Indonesia. Vice-Admiral Tadashi offered his illicit support for Indonesian Independence to defy the incoming Allied Force.
1945, August 17 - Soekarno reads the brief, succinct, and unilateral "Proklamasi"; the Declaration of Independence of Indonesia. PETA forces, radical youths, and ordinary people in Jakarta organize defense of Soekarno's residence. Flyers are distributed proclaiming independence. Adam Malik sends out a shortwave announcement of the Proklamasi.
From Jogjakarta, Sri Soeltan Hamengkoeboewono IX and Duke Pakoe Alam VII decided to support the newly formed Republic.
1945, August 18 - PPKI moves to form an interim government with Soekarno as President and Hatta as Vice-President.
Hamengkoeboewono IX's support is recognized by the central Republican government with an appointment to the life governorship of Jogjakarta with Pakoe Alam VII as vice governor. Jogjakarta's status also upgraded to that of special region.
1945, August 19 - Piagam Djakarta (Jakarta Charter) mentioning Islam among the Pancasila principles is finally dropped from the preamble to the new constitution.
1945, August 22 - Japanese announce their surrender publicly in Djakarta. Most of the Japanese forces try to follow the Allied orders to disarm Indonesian PETA and Heilho, while the around a quarter defect to Indonesian side. Minor clashes are fought around Java.
1945, August 23 - Soekarno delivers first radio address to the nation.BKR (Badan Keamanan Rakjat), first Indonesian military force, begins organizing from former PETA and Heiho members. Some former PETA batallions join as entire units, while most of the militias are formerly counted among the Heiho troops.
Around afternoon to midnight, Allied and Dutch forces land at Sabang in Aceh.
1945, August 29 - The constitution that had been drafted by the PPKI preparatory committee, and announced on the 18th, is adopted (UUD 45). Soekarno is declared President, Hatta is declared Vice-President. PPKI (originally BPUPKI, founded under the Japanese occupation the previous March) is remade into KNIP (Central Indonesian National Committee). KNIP is the temporary governing body until elections can be held. The new government is installed on August 31.
The Patih (prime minister) Danoeradja of Soeltan Hamengkoeboewono IX of Jogja dies. No successor is chosen; the Soeltan takes charge of his own affairs, and begins to institute reforms in Jogja.
1945, August 31 - New Republican government is formalized. Sri Soeltan Hamengkoeboewono is formalized as the Minister of the State.
1945, September 1 - Van Mook, Dutch Lieutenant-Governor of the Indies, meets British Lord Mountbatten in Ceylon, and asks that Japanese troops still in Indonesia be ordered by the British to suppress the Republican government. Mountbatten agrees, but the Japanese delay their decisions.
1945, September 5 - Soeltan Hamengkoeboewono IX of Jogja and Pakoealam VIII in Jogja declare their palaces to be formal part of the Republic of Indonesia.
1945, September 8 - First British troops parachute into Kemayoran Airport at Djakarta. The airport is taken after brief gunfights with skeleton Indonesian garrison.
1945, September 9 - Japanese navy in eastern Indonesia formally surrender to Australian forces at Morotai. Japanese forces on Timor surrender to Australians in Koepang harbor.
1945, September 11 - British forces press the Republican positions, short skirmishes happened in some places. First official Broadcast of Indonesian Republic's Radio (RRI).
1945, September 16 - British Rear Admiral Patterson lands in Jakarta. He announces that the British mission is "to maintain law and order until the time that the lawful government of the Netherlands East Indies is once again functioning". The Dutch ask Patterson to have the leaders of the Republic arrested, but the British high command tells Patterson not to interfere in politics.
1945, September 17 - Mass pro-Republic rallies in Djakarta.
1945, September 23 - Patterson sends Captain Huyer of the Dutch Navy to inspect installations in Soerabaya.
1945, September 27 - Republican youths take over PTT (Post, Telegraph and Telephone) headquarters in Bandoeng.
1945, September 29 - British reinforcements land in Djakarta. Scattered violence breaks out between youths and Dutch former internees. Dutch soldiers who had been prisoners-of-war under the Japanese are put back into active service against the Republic.
NICA (Netherlands Indies Civil Administration) formally retain government control in eastern areas, Soelawesi, and Kalimantan.
Republican youths wrest control of and take over railways and radio stations in Djakarta, installations in Jogja, Solo, Malang, and Bandoeng.
The Soesoehoenan of Solo declares allegiance to Republic. King of Bone declares support for the Republic; King of Makassar and King of Boegis join him in formal Declaration. Balinese Kings declare their support for the Republic.
1945, October 5 - People's Security Army (TKR) is founded: Indonesian armed forces. Naval forces are founded as Republic of Indonesian Navy (ALRI)
1945, October 8 - Fighting escalates between Republican youths and foreigners. Dutch troops alleged to attack civilians. Skirmishes are held in Soematera, Java, and Bali.
1945, October 9 - "Tiga Daerah" leftist revolution in Brebes, Tegal and Pemalang, north coast of Central Java. The leftists proclaim support for the Republic, but they have ties with Soviet supports.
1945, October 14 - Republican youths begin five-day battle against Japanese troops in Semarang.
POD
1945, October 15 - Musso, leader of the Indonesian Communist Party in 1920s arrived back in Tegal, Indonesia, after nine years of exile in the Soviet Union. He arrived with a Soviet aircraft carrying diplomatic attache for the Republic. On October 15 he gave a speech advocating that Indonesia align itself closer with the Soviet Union.
