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Tyrannical Japanese rule could neither curb nor stamp out the growth of Indonesian nationalism: in fact it was instrumental in fostering the growth of self-respect and patriotism among the masses, and in arousing the desire to be rid of Japanese as well as all other forms of foreign domination. Millions of our peoples died while countless other millions bore every manner of suffering under the three and a half years of Japanese rule: for this the Japanese are responsible but so too are the Dutch for having denied us the mental and material strength needed to stand up to the Japanese. Yet there is one point that must not be overlooked. Although the administration of Indonesia and the management of her industries were nominally Japanese, it was really the Indonesians who because of the glaring inefficiency of the Japanese carried out all the functions previously in Dutch hands. This factor is important because it gave us valuable training and self-confidence.
After having handed us bound hand and foot to the Japanese, the Dutch have not even a shadow of moral right to take the virtuous stand that we cooperated with the Japanese; all the more so because generally speaking, the Japanese obtained a greater measure of co-operation from the Dutchmen and women in their employ than from the Indonesians. The Dutch wilfully ignore the anti-Japanese aspect of Indonesian nationalism. Overtly and covertly
