Terrible Night at Maeda’s Residence on Preparation of Independent Proclamation for Republic of Indonesia

Abstract

The focus of this research was on the role of Admiral Tadashi Maeda before the proclamation of indpendence of Indonesia, who was considered as Japan’s Imperial Representative by the Dutch. The presence and role of Maeda made the Dutch rejected the Independence of Indonesia on Agustus 17th 1945. The research showed that Maeda did not obey the instruction of Central Government in Tokyo to maintain status quo in Indonesia until the handover of teritory from the Allied Forces to the Dutch-Indies administration. This research based on librarian method were analyzed using historical kwalitative. However, one day before the proclamation day, Maeda allowed Indonesians to use his house as the place to draft the Proclamation text and ensure the security of everyone inside the house against intervention of Japanese Army. This research finding that Maeda certainly disobeyed order from Tokyo and therefore he did not act on behalf of Japan Imperial Government. It was a strong evidence that proclamation of independence of Indonesia was not scenario from Japan.