Im an Indonesian. Its refreshing to see war movies about the independence war without the whitewashing of patriotism. Personally i would love to see more about the dynamics of different ethnic groups in the country and atleast the mention of atrocities done by Indonesians to other Indonesians during that period
Nobody has a clean revolution. Case in point: There are a number of Canadians living now who can trace their family line back to Americans who got chased out of America in the 1780's for being too loyal to King George.
Can also say did good reviews ideas could do ones like Sink the Bismarck! (1960) along with a separate video about the unlikely plane that took that battleship down the Fairley Swordfish, Battle of Algiers, and also heard about this other book that got made into TV miniseries based in Iran of another incredible rescue in the time of the Iran Hostage Crisis On Wings of Eagles (1986). May want to check those out as well and who knows could get a future video on here.
"Virtually all aspects of this movie are depressing." Thanks for the honesty Johnny, my tolerance for watching depressing movies gets lower the older I get.
Quick remark about the Dutch SS. Not a lot of them came back compared to the 20-25K that joined up. Dutch SS were imprisoned after the war with most sentences lasting 10-15 years + a loss of their official nationality. Of course a certain amount of them were also executed. When the Dutch went to Indonesia as part of their policing actions, they conscripted Dutch Ex-SS troops to go there. About 500-1000 Dutch troops serving in Indonesia had an SS background. they were sent out and told they would get reduced sentencing for helping the Dutch army. Many of them were put into Dutch units incognito, so no one knew they were Ex-SS. Sometimes word got out a member of a unit was in fact ex-SS and a severe beating would typically follow. However when it came to the actual fighting, the Ex-SS proved their worth as they were often combat experienced and it became common sense for Dutch troops to learn from these ex-SS troops if they wanted a higher chance of making it home alive. Dutch ex-SS troops in indonesia also found a motive to be there, because they were often fighting communists, the same enemy they would have faced on the Eatern Front back in WWII. One of the biggest positives that came from this though, was that a lot of these Dutch SS troops would rebond with their fellow countymen, making them feel less inclined to keep sticking to their Nazi believes and making them more willing to conform to the post WW2 Dutch society. In the end guys serving in Indonesia would get a reduced sentence and be out of prison in about 1950 to 1952. Later in 1950 itself, about 40 to 60 of these Ex-SS troops would volunteer to go fight in Korea.
Wow, starting the Cold War Red Scare a bit early, huh? Indonesia’s fighting for freedom, but sure, let’s slap the “commie” label on them to make colonial repression sound heroic. Oh yes, because crushing Indonesia’s fight for independence suddenly becomes noble when you slap a “fighting communists” label on it. Let’s not pretend the Dutch were defending freedom-they were busy repressing it with ex-SS troops.
@@joyfrog123you know what's more ironic? There is an actual socialist rebellion within indonesia teritory itself and they actually managed to crush it without any foreign backing! Which make USA reconsidered their stance in indonesia national revolution because clearly the natives doing much better to destroy communism that the dutch ever was. Especially since the dutch diverted many aids from marshall plan to fund their colonial war.
I'm sure a background thinking by the Dutch government was that if these guys got killed on deployment, nobody at home need feel bad. Same logic as the FFL.
Excellent info thanks. I guess if I was a Dutch Army boss back then I would have recruited as many SS as I could. My next promotion would depend on it!!
Thank you for reviewing De Oost/The East. It was quite controversial when it came out in my country. Veterans opposed the movie as at one point the soldiers are wearing black uniforms. That actually never happened and their uniforms also look very similar to the SS uniform. It did make us talk about the hostilities of our occupation of Indonesia. Something we rather don't talk about.
Lol even when the film released in Indonesia, many people I met who have watched the movie expressed the same and kept saying, "There are no good dutchs, this movie is a propaganda!"
@@karlcraft2496 probably us marine camo. If I remember, US sent aid to dutch after world war 2 and the KNIL marine along the KST got the US marine camo
@@karlcraft2496its not waffen ss camo, it was frogskin. Yeah the KNIL was rationed by british ane americans and the only one unit that used frogskin is KNIL not MariniersBrigade(dutch marine)
During the filming of this movie, two actors who became friends on set, realised both the grandfathers had fought in the Indonesian National Revolution but on opposing sides. A documentary maker took them to Indonesia, to explore both sides of the story. One is white Dutch guy, who's grandfather was high up in the army and gave some really bad orders. The other guy descendant from Indonesian migrants, who's grandfather fought in the resistance. It dives much deeper in to the conflict than the movie does. It is called "Terug naar de Oost" (Back to the East), it has English subs I think. Unfun fact: the army sent to Indonesia was called the KNIL, Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger (Royal Dutch Indonesian Army). It was a mixed army, both Dutch and Indonesian, who had signed up to help liberate Indonesia from the Japanese. While on the ships, the war ended and the National Revolution happened. Instead of sending the troops back, they were used to suppress the locals. This meant Indonesian KNIL soldiers were ordered to fight other Indonesians fighting to their freedom. The white soldiers also didn't sign up to become the oppressor. The had what the Dutch call "Politionele acties" (policing actions), which in reality were massacres on suspected anti-Dutch villages. The colonial time is a very dark chapter in Dutch history, yet still people try to defend it. It is sickening. Especially if you know what went down. The VOC time, before WW2, was even worse.
My father-in-law was conscripted and sent over there. Didn't enjoy it very much, didn't really care about keeping the colonies. Just wanted to go back home to his job. The only positive thing, he came out with a taste for the food.
My wife's family was in Makassar for the Japanese invasion and spent WW2 in Japanese concentration camps and lost everything. After the war, they were rebuilding and then lost it all again during the Indonesian Civil Wars. They then moved to Jakarta and rebuilt again and lost it all when the Dutch were expelled in the late 1950s. The relocated to The Netherlands and rebuilt again. Resilience personified.
Indonesian Civil Wars? More like Indonesian revolutionary wars since the main enemies are clearly foreign forces, the Madiun affair in 1948 was very short compare to the rest of the war
The movies that are not enjoyable sometimes are more enjoyable. Like All Quiet On The Western Front or The Thin Red Line. I enjoy the feeling they can give
@Piece-Of-Time Don't forget Gettysburg as well It ironically brings out the best of humanity from both sides of the conflict all the while without being anti-war.
As a Dutch student studying history I'm very interested to hear your views on this, not too many movies about this period and setting, let alone good Dutch historical/war movies in general. Although discussions about the war and its remembrance is far less controversial or heated nowadays, there's plenty left to be said about it, and should be covered more in mainstream media. Only thing is the Dutch film industry sucks ass. I think nowadays the revolution is talked about as if its the Netherland's Vietnam, where we shipped in a lot of men into a war and cause they didn't want to fight to try and regain a colony in the midst of global decolonisation and massive international opposition/condemnation
hello there i'm Indonesian with dutch descendants, just a friendly reminder if you are interested in the history of East Indies always double checked the records if they are from the Indonesian government, It is filled with nationalist propaganda. cheers
@@iqbalfauzan9122 yeah and please believe in other source especially dutch, the main collonial suspect in this whole debacle. This message is brought to you by people who like to be subjugated and colonized by white people /s
You should take a look at Tjoet Nja' Dhien (1988) for an Indonesian perspective on resistance against Dutch colonialism, though it's set on the 1800s and follows the Aceh guerrilla warfare during this period, and one of its aforenamed leaders
At the end of WW2, A netherland commander refuses to go back to their country and casually commit war crime in some villages just to prolong ancient colonization for a while during Indonesian National revolution , Indonesian National Archive did have record of those war crime even know the name, but they failed to brought the murderer to the court because the man simply gone into thin air. And I really dissapointed how the Indonesian government treat Indonesian war veteran, like they agreed to forget the past
this is such an underrated movie, thanks for covering it. As an Indonesian and someone who loves history, I actually found it very interesting to see the wars and stories that Ive only ever heard about in school from our perspective retold in the Dutch perspective with quite a lot of respect and maturity, helping me realise the naunces of the era. Loved it, though I wish more movies like this or more movies that explore the era more exist. I feel like this era is very underrepresented despite being relatively big by both the Dutch and Indonesian movie industries.
Dutch government called it "policing actions", as my history teacher said: notice the word police, police only operates in what is considered "home territory".
Very well told. As a Dutchman I appreciate your interest in Dutch movies as this is not the first one you did. This movie was met with a lot of criticism from Dutch veterans when it came out here. Especially Westerling’s family was very angry about how he was portrayed. I found the movie ok but not more than that. The story line is very predictable.
Note the camo uniforms...off the top of my head Dutch units were trained by the USMC during WWII so you can see the influence. I'm sure someone will come along to fill in the details. I'm too lazy right now. As usual JJ hits a homerun with his vids.
That's true. They used a lot of USMC equipment at the latter part of the war and during the Indonesian War of Independence. And when Indonesia got its independence, they passed on a lot of the equipment to the Indonesian. You can find pictures of the Indonesians using the USMC one-piece camo coveralls all the way up to the 60s.
Brief overview of Raymond Westerling 0:11 from Indonesian perspective Born in Istanbul, Westerling was assigned as the leader of the KNIL (Royal Netherlands East Indies Army) where he purpotrated a series of brutal masacres around Indonesia in order to suppresed the independence movement that starting to take hold within the country's heartlands, which is why many of his massacres are being committed in villages instead of cities Some of his notable massacres are in West Java and South Sumatra, both in 1947 where he conducted summary executions and extrajudicial killings, aimed at terrorizing the local populace so that they became obedient to the Dutch rule. This period is known as "Westerling Terror"
I saw “Max Havelaar”, a Dutch film about the Dutch colonies in modern-day Indonesia in the 19th century. Pretty depressing that movie was too. This one could also be well worth a look.
It’s more complicated than that. Most colonies got their independence without a fight. Those that didn’t started it themselves before they could get independence peacefully. The only exceptions are algeria and portugal’s colonies
Not about the movie-but about that area. a NON FICTION book by Englishman H Robert Bruce Lockhart 'RETURN TO MALAYA'. The book is about his return to Malaya after being gone for over several decades to visit a lost love. But really it mostly a vivid snapshot of Malaya, Java [Indonesia], Singapore in 1936. THIS IS NOT A NOVEL.It's factual observation. He notes the corruption of the work ethic of the British and Dutch colonial administrators, the FANTASTIC wealth of that area, the fear/suspicion of the Japanese merchants/agent encroaching. And the dislike the Dutch and English had for the Americans to suggest independence to FIlipinos. Of course this is before it all falls into the cruel, murderous abyss in 1941. Return to Malaya is free on the Internet in pdf if you search.
I had a very long and convoluted internet argument with various people as to whether this man was Dutch, Turkish, or Greek. I believe the main confusion is where he was born vs where/how he was raised, and the fact that the actor in this movie looks nothing like the real man, who is more northern European in looks.
I can only imagine the movie scenes that are located in Indonesia, with the actors wearing old colonial KNIL and Westerlings' uniform, how many of the old local folks looked at them with amusement and/or suspicion
Always interesting.....thanks for sharing this with us all, Johnny....I notice there are no films about Indonesian incursions into Borneo...although the Malaysian emergency did feature in one film...cheers....E...
Really good reviews and who knows looking at the video maybe you can also do ones on the rifles shown in that like the Lee-Enfield and Arisaka also sorry to inform you but that Nagant 1895 pistol video is nowhere to be found may want to check on that.
A reading of Major Westerling's background shows he was definitely a man looking for a war. He missed serious action in WW2 despite trying hard, and when sent to Indonesia he proved both effective and highly ruthless in suppressing communist guerillas. He kept his hand in during early Cold War shenanigans, though the details are murky. His reputation is very mixed with the modern Dutch, especially given modern attitudes about the colonial past. He may be considered a contemporary in some ways of Otto Skorzeny, "Mad" Mike Hoare, George Bacon, and other anti-communist soldiers/operatives who operated in a moral grey zone during the early Cold War's post-colonial arena.
Can you please do a review of The Lion of the Desert, by far one of my favorite historical epics. The Lion of the Desert has a fascinating and controversial story behind it, Gaddafi funded it, and supported it being filmed in Libya, and while the movie wasn't a big hit abroad, it is I think still a shockingly accurate film about the Libyan resistance against Italian colonisation, although it condenses history a bit, but keeps some of the most appalling facts accurate to history, especially the Shar Genocide.
I once briefly had an exchange with an elderly man who fought during the 'policing actions' in Indonesia. Let's just say he had not much positive to say about that time, mostly trying to maintain the colony for a few elitists.
The dutch is in denial of their "war crimes" against the Indonesian The Indonesian frankly is also in denial of their own "war crimes" That's the 1940-1950 Indonesian war of independence in a nutshell 😮💨😮💨 Pretty shocked tbh when someone decided to creare this ballsy movie
Sama hal nya dengan Indonesia yang tidak mengakui kejahatan perang Wiranto dkk di Timor Leste. Musti ada salah satu yang mau mengalah kalau mau memperbaiki masa lalu
Interesting review. I was unaware of this movie but will try and locate it. Questionable ethical decision using the cats to illicit support though. You know how vulnerable cat people are to manipulation if you bring felines into the equation.
I wonder if making this movie depressing was intentional. A while back, I remember a Dutch museum opened a hands-on WW2 exhibit, with various weapons (mainly German) available to examined/played with by a school group of children. However, they quickly closed the exhibit, because in the words of the museum "the children were learning the wrong lessons", i.e. they thought military stuff was pretty cool, and were not properly horrified and depressed by all these killing instruments as a properly-raised modern European liberal-progressive should be. Making a VERY depressing war movie might have been a way to avoid creating any "Apocalypse Now"-type fanbase, where a nominally anti-war movie still makes guys in uniform cheer as 1st Cav blows the every-loving CRAP out of Charlie's village.
I think this is a great representation of the aftermath of war certain places we often forget the war is truly depressing no matter where it is or what conflict we often glorify war make it sound like it's amazing or you should do it but we often forget those who had tragedies through in the war the people who suffered do people have to endure certain ways that some may see is wrong Turn off the perspective of the Philippines I do believe that should be its own separate movie incorporating from their point of view both turn the occupation of Japan in the pulse war occupation I think it will make the movie a little too long and look too confusing for the viewer that's what I believe they should have their own separate noise from their point of view from both conflicts but that's just my personal theory A HISTORY THEORY❤❤❤❤❤ cat 🐈 🐈😸😸
Really good movie. I REALLY recommend you also watch Yesterday's Enemy - a real thought provoking movie set in Burma that is different from the jingoist WW2 movies of the 1950s and 60s.
This is another fully propagandized movie, completely downplays all the atrocity. Blames everything on just few individuals. It reminded me of "Clean Wehrmacht" myth, every war crime they done were blamed on the SS, but in realty the wehrmacht did even more war crimes than the ss.
Funny how other people claim it’s the other way around like the black uniform reminiscent of the SS But speaking of the wehrmacht, you’re one of those people claiming that EVERYONE did warcrimes or is responsible for them ? ‘Wonder how you’d feel if that was applied to you, collective guilt just for "being".
@@JohnnyJohnsonHistory Ignore the negativity, you've got at least sixteen thousand people that think you are great...that's a hell of a lot more than most of us can claim.
I saw fellow Indonesian hating this movie thinking it stood for the Dutch occupiers not knowing this is an anti imperial, anti war movie and cursing it at the times it released. Just blind hatred and INDOctrination.
Someone who is angry like that probably feels that his anger is a fire that will drive him, like an engine. It's not a clean burning or reliable engine though...
Who doesent even after nearly 80 years after our independence we havent forgotten the British aggression in Surabaya, Bandung, and Medan. Neither Dutch aggression after signing a ceasefire treaty in 1947 and 48 then the massacres reports of soldiers shooting civillians off bridges into rivers and shooting suspected rebels into ditches. It's very hard to forget the crimes even if we try to move on the spirit of nationalism and their sacrifice could not be forgotten it's what united us to resist and built our identity.
@@sebastiansutanto5835 We also haven't forgot how Bung Tomo and Indonesian nationalists massacred Chinese, Whites, and Indians in barbaric actions around Surabaya area during the battle, Both sides are just as crooked as the other
@@Kuricang31 Tbf the massacres shouldn't have happened. Still, simultaneously, the fear of collaboration and the return of the Dutch administration (Yamato incident and AFNEI as well as NICA) increased the fear and need to eliminate the traitors. Should it have happened no not really we could've used the support of the Chinese and Indians some of them joined in the fight for our independence. Bung Tomo may be a crook, but at least his a crook with a determined fight to make Indonesia independent and hold the city of Surabaya. I may not agree with his actions but at least he bloody well rallied the troops to fight.
Why do they call the general "TURK"? A Turkish soldier never draws his gun on the unarmed and innocent! A Turkish soldier is known for being brave and talented as well as fair and fully complies with international and universal war laws and human rights. And a Turkish soldier will never shed the blood of his Muslim (Indonesian) brother, because it is forbidden by our religion...! In addition, Japan and Türkiye are two friendly countries and have deep historical ties.
'And a Turkish soldier will never shed the blood of his Muslim (Indonesian) brother, because it is forbidden by our religion...!' Looks like this concept only exists recently and not during Ottoman's expansive occupation throughout the Arab Peninsula lol
I like the point of view of of the Dutch along with the paramilitary sequence, too bad they had to be libtards with their ''colonialism le bad'' and ''it was all for nothing'' ending in a suicide, it's an okay movie overall
@@Pancasilaist8752 And yet they're so desperate to move to Western countries, if colonialism would've prevailed they would've had western standards at home
@@Pancasilaist8752 Yes. This vid even makes plain that there was issues with collaborators at home, people that saw the Germans as natural allies. Then there was resistance movements, civilians in the occupied area, the Free government in England, the puppet government in the Netherlands, the actual German occupation government, etc.
Yeah. I saw that. One thing about Colonialism - is that it wasn't evil - just a human activity with people being people. That is - exploiting other people the way humans often do. The Anti-Colonialists are mostly full of shit. The Natives were hardly better human beings than the Colonials. Just contrast their views of the Colonial Power with the actions of the Tribalists that took over when they left. Yes - the Colonial powers were exploitive but they brought exposure to the natives of civilizations the natives had no concepts of - in many cases. In other Cases - like India - the "Natives" had a long, sophisticated history - but - were hardly perfect themselves. Just look at the Glee with which "Untouchables" joined the Colonial Armies fostered by the Colonial Power's Merchants. Some people don't understand that it was the Colonial Merchants that created the Colonial Empires. Their Armed Forces mostly wanted nothing to do with it - as they realized the expense they were going to be burdened with when these Merchants got into trouble and some of them got killed by the locals. These Merchants may have deserved being killed - but they were nevertheless citizens of the Colonial Power and must be avenged as such. You just can't let the locals get away with killing your people - or - they'll all do it. The biggest bunchy of Horse Shit is the lies told by these locals to justify what they've done - not just in rebelling but to each other. .
Im an Indonesian. Its refreshing to see war movies about the independence war without the whitewashing of patriotism. Personally i would love to see more about the dynamics of different ethnic groups in the country and atleast the mention of atrocities done by Indonesians to other Indonesians during that period
Nobody has a clean revolution. Case in point: There are a number of Canadians living now who can trace their family line back to Americans who got chased out of America in the 1780's for being too loyal to King George.
Love how you're doing movie reviews now, short and concise unlike a lot of movie reviews along with no real spoilers.
I think he's been doing this for a while now. He also did some tops, like "Top 3 Australian World War I Movies" or something like that
They aren't really reviews
Can also say did good reviews ideas could do ones like Sink the Bismarck! (1960) along with a separate video about the unlikely plane that took that battleship down the Fairley Swordfish, Battle of Algiers, and also heard about this other book that got made into TV miniseries based in Iran of another incredible rescue in the time of the Iran Hostage Crisis On Wings of Eagles (1986). May want to check those out as well and who knows could get a future video on here.
@@kellychuang8373 I almost passed out reading that
@@wallythewondercorncake8657 Well it's really been tough times and have to think about that.
"Virtually all aspects of this movie are depressing." Thanks for the honesty Johnny, my tolerance for watching depressing movies gets lower the older I get.
Quick remark about the Dutch SS. Not a lot of them came back compared to the 20-25K that joined up. Dutch SS were imprisoned after the war with most sentences lasting 10-15 years + a loss of their official nationality. Of course a certain amount of them were also executed. When the Dutch went to Indonesia as part of their policing actions, they conscripted Dutch Ex-SS troops to go there. About 500-1000 Dutch troops serving in Indonesia had an SS background.
they were sent out and told they would get reduced sentencing for helping the Dutch army. Many of them were put into Dutch units incognito, so no one knew they were Ex-SS. Sometimes word got out a member of a unit was in fact ex-SS and a severe beating would typically follow. However when it came to the actual fighting, the Ex-SS proved their worth as they were often combat experienced and it became common sense for Dutch troops to learn from these ex-SS troops if they wanted a higher chance of making it home alive.
Dutch ex-SS troops in indonesia also found a motive to be there, because they were often fighting communists, the same enemy they would have faced on the Eatern Front back in WWII. One of the biggest positives that came from this though, was that a lot of these Dutch SS troops would rebond with their fellow countymen, making them feel less inclined to keep sticking to their Nazi believes and making them more willing to conform to the post WW2 Dutch society.
In the end guys serving in Indonesia would get a reduced sentence and be out of prison in about 1950 to 1952. Later in 1950 itself, about 40 to 60 of these Ex-SS troops would volunteer to go fight in Korea.
Wow, starting the Cold War Red Scare a bit early, huh? Indonesia’s fighting for freedom, but sure, let’s slap the “commie” label on them to make colonial repression sound heroic. Oh yes, because crushing Indonesia’s fight for independence suddenly becomes noble when you slap a “fighting communists” label on it. Let’s not pretend the Dutch were defending freedom-they were busy repressing it with ex-SS troops.
@@joyfrog123you know what's more ironic?
There is an actual socialist rebellion within indonesia teritory itself and they actually managed to crush it without any foreign backing!
Which make USA reconsidered their stance in indonesia national revolution because clearly the natives doing much better to destroy communism that the dutch ever was.
Especially since the dutch diverted many aids from marshall plan to fund their colonial war.
I'm sure a background thinking by the Dutch government was that if these guys got killed on deployment, nobody at home need feel bad. Same logic as the FFL.
Excellent info thanks. I guess if I was a Dutch Army boss back then I would have recruited as many SS as I could. My next promotion would depend on it!!
@@davidneal6920 *commander*
Thank you for reviewing De Oost/The East. It was quite controversial when it came out in my country. Veterans opposed the movie as at one point the soldiers are wearing black uniforms. That actually never happened and their uniforms also look very similar to the SS uniform. It did make us talk about the hostilities of our occupation of Indonesia. Something we rather don't talk about.
Lol even when the film released in Indonesia, many people I met who have watched the movie expressed the same and kept saying, "There are no good dutchs, this movie is a propaganda!"
I'm more curios about their camo pattern it looks very similar to those worn by the Waffen-SS does anyone know the name of their camo uniform?
@@karlcraft2496 probably us marine camo. If I remember, US sent aid to dutch after world war 2 and the KNIL marine along the KST got the US marine camo
@@karlcraft2496its not waffen ss camo, it was frogskin. Yeah the KNIL was rationed by british ane americans and the only one unit that used frogskin is KNIL not MariniersBrigade(dutch marine)
@@Rainhato_I see interesting
During the filming of this movie, two actors who became friends on set, realised both the grandfathers had fought in the Indonesian National Revolution but on opposing sides. A documentary maker took them to Indonesia, to explore both sides of the story. One is white Dutch guy, who's grandfather was high up in the army and gave some really bad orders. The other guy descendant from Indonesian migrants, who's grandfather fought in the resistance. It dives much deeper in to the conflict than the movie does. It is called "Terug naar de Oost" (Back to the East), it has English subs I think.
Unfun fact: the army sent to Indonesia was called the KNIL, Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger (Royal Dutch Indonesian Army). It was a mixed army, both Dutch and Indonesian, who had signed up to help liberate Indonesia from the Japanese. While on the ships, the war ended and the National Revolution happened. Instead of sending the troops back, they were used to suppress the locals. This meant Indonesian KNIL soldiers were ordered to fight other Indonesians fighting to their freedom. The white soldiers also didn't sign up to become the oppressor.
The had what the Dutch call "Politionele acties" (policing actions), which in reality were massacres on suspected anti-Dutch villages. The colonial time is a very dark chapter in Dutch history, yet still people try to defend it. It is sickening. Especially if you know what went down.
The VOC time, before WW2, was even worse.
My father-in-law was conscripted and sent over there. Didn't enjoy it very much, didn't really care about keeping the colonies. Just wanted to go back home to his job. The only positive thing, he came out with a taste for the food.
You should try Indonesian food one day just like your father-in-law!
believe me, you won't regret it.
Your dad really has a good taste 👍, greeting for peace from Indonesia ❤
@@iliadx7495My wife's father. But he passed the liking onto me when he saw that I could handle a sambal oelek.😁
@@bobmetcalfe9640 😂
I love the painting in your background.
That painting is very beautiful! This movie is interesting showing post war Dutch territories
@@MayumiC-chan9377thanks
My wife's family was in Makassar for the Japanese invasion and spent WW2 in Japanese concentration camps and lost everything. After the war, they were rebuilding and then lost it all again during the Indonesian Civil Wars. They then moved to Jakarta and rebuilt again and lost it all when the Dutch were expelled in the late 1950s. The relocated to The Netherlands and rebuilt again. Resilience personified.
Indonesian Civil Wars? More like Indonesian revolutionary wars since the main enemies are clearly foreign forces, the Madiun affair in 1948 was very short compare to the rest of the war
I wouldn't called it a 'civil war' in traditional sense, but I guess they referred the conflict differently in Netherlands.
@@briantarigan7685i think op might be reffering to the makassar uprising also known as the andi azis revolt.
@@fairlyenthusiastic8269 andi azis happen after the independence war though, and op clearly said that before the netherlands left
civil war?
"Expect a good movie, just not an enjoyable one"
Those are often the best ones, in terms of historical accuracy 👍
The movies that are not enjoyable sometimes are more enjoyable. Like All Quiet On The Western Front or The Thin Red Line. I enjoy the feeling they can give
@Piece-Of-Time Don't forget Gettysburg as well
It ironically brings out the best of humanity from both sides of the conflict all the while without being anti-war.
@@imgvillasrc1608 I have never watched it, but you sold it, so I'll watch it sooner or later🙂
@@imgvillasrc1608 4 hours O_O
Just what I was looking for👍
I got real letters from Westerling and of his lower officer adressed to my family. My family also knew Westerling
Wow neat!!! Would you mind share about what those letters about ??
As a Dutch student studying history I'm very interested to hear your views on this, not too many movies about this period and setting, let alone good Dutch historical/war movies in general. Although discussions about the war and its remembrance is far less controversial or heated nowadays, there's plenty left to be said about it, and should be covered more in mainstream media. Only thing is the Dutch film industry sucks ass. I think nowadays the revolution is talked about as if its the Netherland's Vietnam, where we shipped in a lot of men into a war and cause they didn't want to fight to try and regain a colony in the midst of global decolonisation and massive international opposition/condemnation
You can get better historical information on Wikipedia and just forget this junk film for your own sake.😅
hello there i'm Indonesian with dutch descendants, just a friendly reminder if you are interested in the history of East Indies always double checked the records if they are from the Indonesian government, It is filled with nationalist propaganda.
cheers
@@iqbalfauzan9122 yeah and please believe in other source especially dutch, the main collonial suspect in this whole debacle.
This message is brought to you by people who like to be subjugated and colonized by white people /s
You should take a look at Tjoet Nja' Dhien (1988) for an Indonesian perspective on resistance against Dutch colonialism, though it's set on the 1800s and follows the Aceh guerrilla warfare during this period, and one of its aforenamed leaders
At the end of WW2, A netherland commander refuses to go back to their country and casually commit war crime in some villages just to prolong ancient colonization for a while during Indonesian National revolution , Indonesian National Archive did have record of those war crime even know the name, but they failed to brought the murderer to the court because the man simply gone into thin air.
And I really dissapointed how the Indonesian government treat Indonesian war veteran, like they agreed to forget the past
Totally doesn’t sound like made up propaganda
@@me67galaxylife that's what I memorize from a local documentary TV show lmao
@@tieradlerch.217 bruh
this is such an underrated movie, thanks for covering it. As an Indonesian and someone who loves history, I actually found it very interesting to see the wars and stories that Ive only ever heard about in school from our perspective retold in the Dutch perspective with quite a lot of respect and maturity, helping me realise the naunces of the era. Loved it, though I wish more movies like this or more movies that explore the era more exist. I feel like this era is very underrepresented despite being relatively big by both the Dutch and Indonesian movie industries.
This movie is junk and almost 90% is fiction.
Dutch government called it "policing actions", as my history teacher said: notice the word police, police only operates in what is considered "home territory".
It's just one of those "unofficial war" out there that happen a lot after ww2.
Very well told. As a Dutchman I appreciate your interest in Dutch movies as this is not the first one you did. This movie was met with a lot of criticism from Dutch veterans when it came out here. Especially Westerling’s family was very angry about how he was portrayed. I found the movie ok but not more than that. The story line is very predictable.
Reminded me when manuel noriega and his being angry how he is being potrayed in call of duty black ops.
Who honestly cares what his family thinks, the guy was a war criminal POS
Note the camo uniforms...off the top of my head Dutch units were trained by the USMC during WWII so you can see the influence. I'm sure someone will come along to fill in the details. I'm too lazy right now.
As usual JJ hits a homerun with his vids.
That's true. They used a lot of USMC equipment at the latter part of the war and during the Indonesian War of Independence. And when Indonesia got its independence, they passed on a lot of the equipment to the Indonesian. You can find pictures of the Indonesians using the USMC one-piece camo coveralls all the way up to the 60s.
The uniforms at the end of the film are fiction and were never used.😅
There's another movie, also focusing on the themes on Indonesian National Revolution called "Oeroeg" which i also highly recommend
appreciate the shoutout for smaller lesser know movies. we've all seen the big battles done over several times, rarely the lesser known stuff
Brief overview of Raymond Westerling 0:11 from Indonesian perspective
Born in Istanbul, Westerling was assigned as the leader of the KNIL (Royal Netherlands East Indies Army) where he purpotrated a series of brutal masacres around Indonesia in order to suppresed the independence movement that starting to take hold within the country's heartlands, which is why many of his massacres are being committed in villages instead of cities
Some of his notable massacres are in West Java and South Sumatra, both in 1947 where he conducted summary executions and extrajudicial killings, aimed at terrorizing the local populace so that they became obedient to the Dutch rule. This period is known as "Westerling Terror"
Filmed in Indo. We Were Soldiers filmed in sunny Southern California. Authenticity does what for an audience?
I saw “Max Havelaar”, a Dutch film about the Dutch colonies in modern-day Indonesia in the 19th century. Pretty depressing that movie was too. This one could also be well worth a look.
How ironic the Dutch hated being occupied but had no problems with being an occupier when it suited them.
European imperialism was always promoted as doing the rest of the world a favour
@@maddyg3208what kind of favour?
Maybe if the communist did not started murdering people they would not have stepped in like they did.
@Pancasilaist8752 Nothing, the guy is just generalising and doesn’t know what he’s talking about, probably the type to masturbate to muh minority
It’s more complicated than that. Most colonies got their independence without a fight. Those that didn’t started it themselves before they could get independence peacefully. The only exceptions are algeria and portugal’s colonies
I’m glad to finally see you after watching your vids all this time
Not about the movie-but about that area. a NON FICTION book by Englishman H Robert Bruce Lockhart 'RETURN TO MALAYA'. The book is about his return to Malaya after being gone for over several decades to visit a lost love. But really it mostly a vivid snapshot of Malaya, Java [Indonesia], Singapore in 1936. THIS IS NOT A NOVEL.It's factual observation.
He notes the corruption of the work ethic of the British and Dutch colonial administrators, the FANTASTIC wealth of that area, the fear/suspicion of the Japanese merchants/agent encroaching. And the dislike the Dutch and English had for the Americans to suggest independence to FIlipinos.
Of course this is before it all falls into the cruel, murderous abyss in 1941. Return to Malaya is free on the Internet in pdf if you search.
HiiiiI jonny.... When can we expect..... Madras cafe... 2013.....????
Within a month forsure
Yes it was good movie
Kenzari is downright menacing in this, it's entirely different from the fluff roles he's done in Hollywood.
I had a very long and convoluted internet argument with various people as to whether this man was Dutch, Turkish, or Greek.
I believe the main confusion is where he was born vs where/how he was raised, and the fact that the actor in this movie looks nothing like the real man, who is more northern European in looks.
Raymond Westerling is stilled considered a villain in Indonesian history.
Some considered him as a war criminal.
I can only imagine the movie scenes that are located in Indonesia, with the actors wearing old colonial KNIL and Westerlings' uniform, how many of the old local folks looked at them with amusement and/or suspicion
Thanks for informing us of this--and Geez, what a wide, wide world!
This is an excellent addition to your catalogue!
El Gato woke up!
I am indonesian, and this is actually the first time I heard of this movie.
The Japanese also helped police Indochina after ww2, pretty interesting.
Always interesting.....thanks for sharing this with us all, Johnny....I notice there are no films about Indonesian incursions into Borneo...although the Malaysian emergency did feature in one film...cheers....E...
Good history lesson thanks. I served in East Timor. I presume the Dutch were there as well?
East Timor was under Portugal
East Timor was under Portugese rule, not Dutch. It was briefly part of Indonesia in order to contain the spread of Communism
Really good reviews and who knows looking at the video maybe you can also do ones on the rifles shown in that like the Lee-Enfield and Arisaka also sorry to inform you but that Nagant 1895 pistol video is nowhere to be found may want to check on that.
A reading of Major Westerling's background shows he was definitely a man looking for a war. He missed serious action in WW2 despite trying hard, and when sent to Indonesia he proved both effective and highly ruthless in suppressing communist guerillas. He kept his hand in during early Cold War shenanigans, though the details are murky. His reputation is very mixed with the modern Dutch, especially given modern attitudes about the colonial past. He may be considered a contemporary in some ways of Otto Skorzeny, "Mad" Mike Hoare, George Bacon, and other anti-communist soldiers/operatives who operated in a moral grey zone during the early Cold War's post-colonial arena.
I didn't know the "I need more boolets" guy starred in this.
Yooo i seen you
Can you please do a review of The Lion of the Desert, by far one of my favorite historical epics. The Lion of the Desert has a fascinating and controversial story behind it, Gaddafi funded it, and supported it being filmed in Libya, and while the movie wasn't a big hit abroad, it is I think still a shockingly accurate film about the Libyan resistance against Italian colonisation, although it condenses history a bit, but keeps some of the most appalling facts accurate to history, especially the Shar Genocide.
What a complicated situation depicted in this film!
I once briefly had an exchange with an elderly man who fought during the 'policing actions' in Indonesia.
Let's just say he had not much positive to say about that time, mostly trying to maintain the colony for a few elitists.
The dutch is in denial of their "war crimes" against the Indonesian
The Indonesian frankly is also in denial of their own "war crimes"
That's the 1940-1950 Indonesian war of independence in a nutshell 😮💨😮💨
Pretty shocked tbh when someone decided to creare this ballsy movie
Saya meyakini bahwa sampai Kerajaan Belanda berubah menjadi republik dan mereka tetap tidak akan mengakui kejahatan perang Westerling.
Sama hal nya dengan Indonesia yang tidak mengakui kejahatan perang Wiranto dkk di Timor Leste. Musti ada salah satu yang mau mengalah kalau mau memperbaiki masa lalu
Thanks Johny. Good review
You should take a look at Merah Putih trilogy. The greatest war movies ever made about Indonesian Revolutionary War
0:14 is that a Jojo reference?
No
Bruh
Your generation are dumb as the ass aren't you?
You can watch Oeroeg next, it has background about national revolution with perspective of Dutchman who born and growing up in east indies
Interesting review. I was unaware of this movie but will try and locate it. Questionable ethical decision using the cats to illicit support though. You know how vulnerable cat people are to manipulation if you bring felines into the equation.
Hey I just do as the cats command here..
At least Cat is awake at the end.
Thanks Johnny
I wonder if making this movie depressing was intentional.
A while back, I remember a Dutch museum opened a hands-on WW2 exhibit, with various weapons (mainly German) available to examined/played with by a school group of children.
However, they quickly closed the exhibit, because in the words of the museum "the children were learning the wrong lessons", i.e. they thought military stuff was pretty cool, and were not properly horrified and depressed by all these killing instruments as a properly-raised modern European liberal-progressive should be.
Making a VERY depressing war movie might have been a way to avoid creating any "Apocalypse Now"-type fanbase, where a nominally anti-war movie still makes guys in uniform cheer as 1st Cav blows the every-loving CRAP out of Charlie's village.
That cat is beautiful.
I think this is a great representation of the aftermath of war certain places we often forget the war is truly depressing no matter where it is or what conflict we often glorify war make it sound like it's amazing or you should do it but we often forget those who had tragedies through in the war the people who suffered do people have to endure certain ways that some may see is wrong
Turn off the perspective of the Philippines I do believe that should be its own separate movie incorporating from their point of view both turn the occupation of Japan in the pulse war occupation I think it will make the movie a little too long and look too confusing for the viewer that's what I believe they should have their own separate noise from their point of view from both conflicts but that's just my personal theory A HISTORY THEORY❤❤❤❤❤ cat 🐈 🐈😸😸
日本人士官の発言「誰だと思ってんだよ」か・・・。
japanese army officer saying [ Do you know me]
Greetings from Indonesia 🇮🇩💫
It's like combination of pacific war and vietnam war.
Really good movie.
I REALLY recommend you also watch Yesterday's Enemy - a real thought provoking movie set in Burma that is different from the jingoist WW2 movies of the 1950s and 60s.
History Buffs should review this
Overproud indo netizen: 📈📈📈📈
Well hallo Londo people 😄
Well hello pribumi
U can watch indian war movie
madras cafe
Why not make a movie review about 'The Great Raid'
Do u know. Madras cafe very good movie
This is another fully propagandized movie, completely downplays all the atrocity. Blames everything on just few individuals. It reminded me of "Clean Wehrmacht" myth, every war crime they done were blamed on the SS, but in realty the wehrmacht did even more war crimes than the ss.
Funny how other people claim it’s the other way around like the black uniform reminiscent of the SS
But speaking of the wehrmacht, you’re one of those people claiming that EVERYONE did warcrimes or is responsible for them ? ‘Wonder how you’d feel if that was applied to you, collective guilt just for "being".
Watch madras cafe 2013
Anyone ever tell you you're a handsome guy, Johnny? :D
The internet is not always such a kind place so I thank you for the compliment =)
@@JohnnyJohnsonHistory Ignore the negativity, you've got at least sixteen thousand people that think you are great...that's a hell of a lot more than most of us can claim.
I still prefer oreong
Report to Unit 731
O it is a depressing movie 😐
Nothing about this movie is historical accurate.
Not even the names? 😆
Glory to the independent of Indochina and Indonesia
Indochina is not a country and your pfp confirms you are braindead
The ending was unnecessary and uncalled for.
Im from indonesia 🇮🇩
Worst video ever uploaded to UA-cam..... cat didn't stir once....as if Leonardo da Vinci only painted Mona Lisa's feet...😢👍
Z
Ada Indonesia coy
I saw fellow Indonesian hating this movie thinking it stood for the Dutch occupiers not knowing this is an anti imperial, anti war movie and cursing it at the times it released. Just blind hatred and INDOctrination.
Someone who is angry like that probably feels that his anger is a fire that will drive him, like an engine. It's not a clean burning or reliable engine though...
Who doesent even after nearly 80 years after our independence we havent forgotten the British aggression in Surabaya, Bandung, and Medan. Neither Dutch aggression after signing a ceasefire treaty in 1947 and 48 then the massacres reports of soldiers shooting civillians off bridges into rivers and shooting suspected rebels into ditches. It's very hard to forget the crimes even if we try to move on the spirit of nationalism and their sacrifice could not be forgotten it's what united us to resist and built our identity.
I have no idea why they would think that. The chance of a PRO-imperial movie being made in Europe these days is about nil.
@@sebastiansutanto5835 We also haven't forgot how Bung Tomo and Indonesian nationalists massacred Chinese, Whites, and Indians in barbaric actions around Surabaya area during the battle, Both sides are just as crooked as the other
@@Kuricang31 Tbf the massacres shouldn't have happened. Still, simultaneously, the fear of collaboration and the return of the Dutch administration (Yamato incident and AFNEI as well as NICA) increased the fear and need to eliminate the traitors. Should it have happened no not really we could've used the support of the Chinese and Indians some of them joined in the fight for our independence. Bung Tomo may be a crook, but at least his a crook with a determined fight to make Indonesia independent and hold the city of Surabaya. I may not agree with his actions but at least he bloody well rallied the troops to fight.
Why do they call the general "TURK"? A Turkish soldier never draws his gun on the unarmed and innocent! A Turkish soldier is known for being brave and talented as well as fair and fully complies with international and universal war laws and human rights. And a Turkish soldier will never shed the blood of his Muslim (Indonesian) brother, because it is forbidden by our religion...!
In addition, Japan and Türkiye are two friendly countries and have deep historical ties.
'And a Turkish soldier will never shed the blood of his Muslim (Indonesian) brother, because it is forbidden by our religion...!'
Looks like this concept only exists recently and not during Ottoman's expansive occupation throughout the Arab Peninsula lol
I like the point of view of of the Dutch along with the paramilitary sequence, too bad they had to be libtards with their ''colonialism le bad'' and ''it was all for nothing'' ending in a suicide, it's an okay movie overall
And you think colonialism is good?
@@Pancasilaist8752 And yet they're so desperate to move to Western countries, if colonialism would've prevailed they would've had western standards at home
@@Pancasilaist8752 It's complicated.
@@MM22966 complicated?
Would you say german occupation of netherland is complicated?
@@Pancasilaist8752 Yes. This vid even makes plain that there was issues with collaborators at home, people that saw the Germans as natural allies.
Then there was resistance movements, civilians in the occupied area, the Free government in England, the puppet government in the Netherlands, the actual German occupation government, etc.
Yeah. I saw that.
One thing about Colonialism - is that it wasn't evil - just a human activity with people being people. That is - exploiting other people the way humans often do.
The Anti-Colonialists are mostly full of shit. The Natives were hardly better human beings than the Colonials.
Just contrast their views of the Colonial Power with the actions of the Tribalists that took over when they left.
Yes - the Colonial powers were exploitive but they brought exposure to the natives of civilizations the natives had no concepts of - in many cases. In other Cases - like India - the "Natives" had a long, sophisticated history - but - were hardly perfect themselves. Just look at the Glee with which "Untouchables" joined the Colonial Armies fostered by the Colonial Power's Merchants.
Some people don't understand that it was the Colonial Merchants that created the Colonial Empires. Their Armed Forces mostly wanted nothing to do with it - as they realized the expense they were going to be burdened with when these Merchants got into trouble and some of them got killed by the locals. These Merchants may have deserved being killed - but they were nevertheless citizens of the Colonial Power and must be avenged as such. You just can't let the locals get away with killing your people - or - they'll all do it.
The biggest bunchy of Horse Shit is the lies told by these locals to justify what they've done - not just in rebelling but to each other.
.
When did the Dutch ever have 220,000 troops?
It was a weird time. Even Canada at the end of WW2 had the fourth largest navy and almost 800,000 soldiers.