Born Then
1945–1949

Life during the Indonesian War of Independence

Be born in a place it hit, a few years before it began, and see what it did to five ordinary lives.

What it meant for ordinary people

Indonesia declared independence in 1945, and the Dutch tried to retake the colony in four years of war and negotiation. Under international pressure the Netherlands recognised Indonesian sovereignty in December 1949.

Deaths: about 100,000–200,000 Indonesians.

How hard it hits each person in the game (risk of death, of being conscripted, of leaving) comes from scholarly estimates.

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