Key Facts
- Start date
- 21 July 1947
- End date
- 4 August 1947
- Duration
- 15 days
- Dutch designation
- First Police Action (Eerste Politionele Actie)
- Indonesian designation
- First Dutch Military Aggression (Agresi Militer Belanda I)
- Agreement violated
- Linggadjati Agreement
Strategic Narrative Overview
Between 21 July and 4 August 1947, Dutch forces advanced across Republican-held areas of Java and Sumatra. The offensive rapidly overran significant territory, severing contiguous Republican-controlled zones and splitting them into isolated pockets surrounded by Dutch-held areas. Republican forces could not halt the Dutch advance, and the operation demonstrated the considerable military advantage the Netherlands held over the nascent Indonesian republic at this stage of the revolution.
01 / The Origins
Following World War II, the Netherlands sought to reassert colonial control over the Dutch East Indies while Indonesian nationalists had declared independence in August 1945. Negotiations produced the Linggadjati Agreement, recognising the de facto Republic of Indonesia over Java, Madura, and Sumatra. Tensions remained high as the Dutch disputed the republic's authority over key economic regions, ultimately leading the Netherlands to abandon diplomacy and launch a military offensive.
03 / The Outcome
The offensive ended on 4 August 1947, leaving Dutch forces in control of greatly expanded territory and Republican areas fragmented across Java and Sumatra. International pressure, particularly from the United Nations and the United States, forced a ceasefire. The action drew widespread condemnation as a violation of the Linggadjati Agreement and intensified diplomatic efforts, ultimately contributing to further negotiations over Indonesian independence.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent