Indonesia gained independence on August 17, 1945, when Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta proclaimed the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence in Jakarta. This marked the beginning of Indonesia's diplomatic and armed struggle against Dutch colonial forces until the Netherlands officially recognized Indonesia's independence in 1949.
Key Details:
- The proclamation was read on August 17, 1945, following Japan's surrender at the end of World War II.
- Sukarno and Hatta were appointed president and vice president the day after the proclamation.
- Despite this declaration, formal recognition by the Netherlands took four more years, until December 1949.
- August 17 is celebrated annually as Indonesia's Independence Day, symbolizing the declaration of sovereignty and the start of the nation's independence journey.
Thus, while the official diplomatic recognition took place in 1949, the universally commemorated date of independence is August 17, 1945.
