Photographic Representations of the Dutch–Indonesian Conflict in the Yogyakarta-Based Kedaulatan Rakjat Newspaper, 1945–1946

Abstract

Abstract Historiography of the Dutch–Indonesian war, also known as the Indonesian Revolution, generally focuses on the origins and types of violence that occurred during the conflict. The war-related photographs published by the Indonesian press during the conflict have received hardly any examination by scholars. This article examines photographs published by the nationalist-leaning newspaper Kedaulatan Rakjat (KR) in Yogyakarta, the city known as the capital of the Indonesian Revolution, between 1945 and 1946. The KR published several types of photographs. The first introduced and promoted Indonesian national leaders. The second demonstrated the ruthlessness of the enemies of the Republic, especially the Dutch and the British. The third depicted the valour and victory of the Indonesian forces in the face of the enemy. The fourth illustrated the massive support of the Indonesian people for the Republic. The Republic’s foreign enemies only appeared graphically in the newspaper as cruel but weak soldiers or as cold-blooded politicians. Through the photographs published in the KR, the authority, efficacy, and strength of the newly born Republic were visually proven and further promoted, while the horror of the Dutch and British acts was continuously emphasized to a large audience. This, in turn, justified the hatred and violence against the Dutch and British. Through this photographic framing, the Kedaulatan Rakjat shaped public opinions and attitudes to support the fight against the Dutch and the British.